Causes and Canada’s Reaction

EUROPE IN 1914 Last major European war was Franco-

Prussian War of 1871 Germany defeated France, won Alsace-Lorraine

region of France, France bitter Germany is a new major power in the world

Britain & France feel threatened In 1908, Austria-Hungary took

over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many inhabitants not happy; Serbia wants Bosnia to join them

NOTE – Turkey/Ottoman Empire = “The Sick-Man of Europe”

CAUSES OF WW I

M.A.N.I.A.C. Militarism Alliances Nationalism Imperialism Assassination Crisis

Militarism

Massive build-up of armed forces to deter rivals - “Intimidation”

a nation’s armed forces come to dominate its national policy

a glorification of the military and war itself

“My army is bigger than your army!!!”

HMS DreadnoughtBrt. #1 Navy

The tank redefined warfare

ARMYFrench/German desire to be #1.

Military displays to Show ‘The World’

ALLIANCES Signed treaties in which each nation involved

pledges to defend one another if attacked. “Friends”

“If one goes… they all go.” Triple Entente:

“The Allies”

Britain, France,

Russia

Triple Alliance: Germany,

Austria-Hungary,

Italy*** ***Note – In 1915 Italy joined the Allies

Nationalism – ‘Pride in ones country’ Pride and patriotism in one’s nation, belief in national identity.

A CANADIAN EXAMPLEQUEBEC

(Language, laws, religion)

Austro-Hungarian Empire controlled several slavic nations.- several (Bosnia) wanted out.- Serbia wanted to include Bosnia.- Austro-Hungarian nationalists wanted to crush the Serbs.

THE BLACK HAND – Bosnian Serbs wanting to form a ‘Greater Serbia.”

Bosnia

“Nations are like people: pride, jealousy, insults, revenge, do not forgive and forget.”

IMPERIALISM – ‘Like Canada was to Britain’ Domination by one country of the

political, economic, and/or cultural life of another country or region.

Due to Industrial Revolution

of the 1800s, some European

nations had a large portion

of the world under their control.

Empires became a show of strength.Countries competed for colonies around the world.

Became like a game-

“My Dad is Bigger Than Your Dad”

ASSASSINATION - June 28, 1914:

- Archduke Ferdinand & his wife were assasinated by a Serbian nationalist (Gavrilo Princip) while they visited Sarajevo, Bosnia.

- Austria-Hungary was angry & blamed Serbia.

- The Serb gov’t was not responsiblebut A-H saw its chance to declare war.

- Russia (also a Slavic nation) backed the Serbs & declaredwar on A-H.

Gavrilo Princip Serbian Nationalist

Archduke Franz Ferdinand The ‘Crown Prince’ of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire.

CRISIS – The chain of events leading up

to WW I June 28: The Assassination. July 6: Germany offers A-H Empire

“Blank Cheque.” July 23: A-H issues Serbia ultimatum.

Assassination investigation / anti A-H supporters removed.

July 26: Russia mobilizes forces. July 28: Break down of diplomacy /

A-H declares war on Serbia August 1: Germany declares war on

Russia; France mobilizes army August 3: Germany declares war on France (Schlieffen Plan –

attack France, via Belgium, then focus on Russia) August 4: Germany invades Belgium on way to France; Britain

declares war on Germany

THE CHAIN OF FRIENDSHIP

WORLD LEADERS

United States -***1917 President Woodrow Wilson

Canada PM Robert Borden

Great Britain PM David Lloyd George

France PM Georges Clemenceau

Russia Czar Nicholas II

Austria-Hungary – Emperor Franz Joseph

Germany – Kaiser Wilhelm

ALLIES / TRIPLE ENTENTE

TRIPLE ALLIANCE

ITALYVittorio Emanuele Orlando

CANADA’S RESPONSE CANADA’S FOREIGN POLICY

=> British controlled

“If Britain = war => Canada = war” “Ready, Aye Ready! Aug. 4 @ 8:55pm, 1914 news reached Ottawa.

Cheering crowds ‘Last Til Christmas’ Bring French & English together????? Truce between gov’ts Soldiers to return heroes

CANADA’S RESPONSE CANADA’S FOREIGN POLICY => British controlled

“If Britain = war => Canada = war” ENLISTMENT

25 000 promised => 30,000 Canadians enlisted Reasons: British patriotism, adventure, honour,

travel, a job, visit the ‘old country’. DISCRIMINATION

- Women – rejected except for nurses or ambulance drivers.

Minorities – at first not allowed to enlist; eventually accepted => not promoted. (Aboriginal, African, Japanese)

CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE CREATED It was assumed Canadians would join British forces

=> Can. Identity created

Canada’s Response (cont.)

Sam Hughes – Minister of Militia- ‘Goat to Hero’

Awarded manufacturing contracts to friends

(war profiteers) Poor quality equipment and

supplies (ex. Ross rifle) Behind schedule

Fired in 1916

WAR MEASURES ACT -1914Gave gov’t power to do whatever

necessary to protect Canada. - censorship - suspend habeus corpus - deport enemy aliens - internment camps

ROSS RIFLE

ASSIGNMENT Was the WMA necessary?

Is it constitutional?Why did the Liberals agree to it?

BOOTSCardboard Sole??

THE WAR ON LANDTHE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

1. Quickly through neutral Belgium => Paris, France.

2. Turn attention on Russia BASED ON TWO

ASSUMPTIONS1. Russia would be slow to mobilize. X2. Britain = neutral X

Note – Almost worked but Western Front = trench warfare and became a stalemate.

NEW TECHNOLOGY VS. ATTRITION ??

TRENCH WARFAREBattle of AttritionNo Man’s Land

Trench Foot

Gas attacksChlorine Gas

CANADIAN BATTLESBATTLE OF YPRES - April 22 1915.

Can. Hit with Chlorine Gas

=> now banned

1 month = 6000 Can.

Killed / wounded

Poem “In Flanders Fields”

BATTLE OF THE SOMME - July 1916 - Canadians made a name for themselves-The Allies attacked Germ. @ The Somme R. in Fr.- Failure – Shelling did not destroy Germ defence.

- Old Tactics vs machine guns.- continued ‘Old Tactics’ despite losses-5 mo. = 13 km & 24 000 Can. lives

BATTLE OF VIMY RIDGE – 1916- 1st time Can troops attacked together- Can. Captured after years of attempts.- a stunning victory.-3500 dead / 7 000 wounded- created a National Pride & reputation.

PASSCHENDALE – Oct. 1917-Gen. Currie on orders from Haig took townof Passchendale at 15 000 Can lives.-Gained 7-8 km & Germ soon recaptured.- known for a ‘muddy mess.’

THE WAR IN THE AIR & AT SEAIN THE AIR

The biplane was used for Reconnaissance and ‘Dog Fights’.

Billy Bishop flew in Brt. Royal Flying Corps.Credited with 72 kills => 5 = an “ace”Avg. life expectancy of a pilot was measured in weeks.

AT SEACanada’s small merchant marine ferried munitions and food to Britain.

The Allies used convoys to protect goods from German U-boats.

The German Sinking of the Lusitania and anyother vessel in the War Zonebrought the USAinto the war.

THE HOME FRONTCanadian’s would do whatever it would take to help the war effort

Exports would hit record highs – lumber, minerals, wheat, beef.Result in Canada – economy boomed but… prices rose, wages dropped =>worker

discontent,

Rationing Corporate & Income Tax

PropagandaWomen in WWI

HALIFAX EXPLOSIONTwo ships collided levelling

Much of the city & killing2000 people.

THE CONSCRIPTION CRISIS

EXEMPTIONS DENIED

Conscientious Objectors

Disabled

Clergy

Special skills

Essential jobs – Farmers,

PM Borden promised no conscription

By 1917, it was obviousThat more soldiers were

needed

In 1917 BordenIntroduced the

Military Service Act

Led to the Military Voters Act

&Wartime Elections

Act

OPPOSITION TO CONSCRIPTIONQUEBEC – WHY??? - Farmers needed at home - No connection to Brt. or Fr. - Eng vs. Fr language issues. - Fr. Soldiers not united. - Few Fr. officers. - Bourassa felt Can. had given enough -> bankrupt Can. - Married younger.

Ind. Workers

(Mandatory service)

(men & women overseas)

(Wives but no Consc. Obj.or enemy aliens)

Khaki Election of 1917

Fed. Election based on Borden’s efforts.

Liberal Laurier opposed conscription.

Farmers & Unions also opposed.‘Rich = richer; Poor go to war’

THE END OF THE WARTWO EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE WAR

1. RUSSIA’ S “PEACE & BREAD” (Russians tired of war)Czar Nicolas abdicates , provisional gov’t fails, & socialist Bolsheviks negotiate with Central Powers -> Treaty of Brest-Litovsk = Truce

2. U.S.A. ENTERS THE WAR – April2, 1917.“Lusitania” sunk & Germ. Promised support to Mexico

RESULTTHE HUNDRED DAYS CAMPAIGN – Allies crush Germans. - Germ. to win Western Front before USA arrives.

-launch massive attack. - success until USA arrived (75 km from Paris) - Central Powers Collapse -> Armistice Nov. 11, 11:00am, 1918

Lenin

Germ. Moves troops fromEastern Front to West .

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCEJAN. 1919PM BORDEN & CANADA = AUTONOMYCENTRAL POWERS & RUSSIA NOT INVITEDTREATY OF VERSAILLES CREATED

TREATY OF VERSAILLES - June 28, 1919 Laid out terms of peace for Germany

President Wilson proposed ‘14-Point Plan’ based on forgiveness

France and Belgium wanted Germany to pay

THE TERMS

- German “War Guilt Clause” - Reparations - $30 billion ($300+ billion today) Unable to meet payments - Germany loses land - German army limited to 100,000 soldiers - Not allowed U-boats or an air force - League of Nations formed

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS President Wilson’s idea Similar to today’s United Nations Collective Security – one country is

attacked, others help defend it Britain and France not enthused

about League Wanted to remain imperialistic League popular with the public

Canada an independent member of League Limitations

- Required co-operation Gutless-No military force, only economic sanctions-Americans refused to join, even though Wilson’s idea

EFFECTS OF WWI ON CANADA National Identity Economy Women’s Rights Canadian Autonomy International Status French-English Relations Racial Discrimination/WMA Thousands Dead and Wounded

Country Mobilized Killed Wounded Total Casualties

Canada 620,000 67,000 173,000 241,000 39%

Grt Brit. 5,397,000 703,000 1,663,000 2,367,000 44%

USA 4,272,500 117,000 204,000 321,000 8%

Spanish Influenza

Spanish InfluenzaAfter the war, the Spanish Flu swept through he world killing over 21 million people.

More than the war itself.

Was WW I a positive or negative

experience for Canada?

Be sure to use Key TermsPositives Negatives

Many more……Many more……