History Unit 2: City Of Sorrow: The Halifax Explosion

Question 1

Halifax

Answer 1

• busy transportation hub during ww1
• business + industry were booming, factories, founder ices and mills met demands of wartime economy
• activity in the city revolved around the harbour
• few controls and regulations w/ ship traffic in the harbour
  
  • > collisions were frequent

Question 2

Background to the catastrophe

Answer 2

1 week before:

• a French boat (the Mont Blanc) load w/ munition in New York (no convoy)
• sailed to Halifax in order to join a convoy and deliver its supplies to Europe
• arrived late afternoon and had to spend the night outside the harbour
• next morning, dec 6. Navy resumed movement of ships within the harbour
• in harbour a ship, IMO, was waiting to sail out
• mount Blanc and IMO made their way to one area called the narrows
  
  • > series of miscommunication collision took place

Question 3

Describe the collision

Answer 3

• the two vessels ground into each other, sparks ignited fuel on board the Mont - Blanc
• crew abandoned ship and unmanned vessel drifted towards shore
• fire and ensuring explosion drew crowds of spectators
• no one knew the danger they were in
• after 9 am ship exploded, parts were thrown 5km away dust cloud measured 20 000
• everything within 2 km2 radious was destroyed

Question 4

Damage

Answer 4

• blast caused a tsunami which washed over shore
• huge infernos raged across the city
• 12 000 buildings damaged
• 6000 ppl left homeless

Question 5

Victims

Answer 5

• about 1500 people instantly killed
• a thousand more injured
• eye injury common; blinded by flying glass
• funeral went on for weeks

Question 6

Legacy

Answer 6

• Halifax explosion; largest man made explosion ever till 1945
• studied extensively by American scientist during ww2
  
  • > used data to develop atomic bombs (air bust)
• most disastrous event on soil