WW1 Flashcards
Militarism
Belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.
Alliances
A union or association formed for mutual benefit (especially between countries or organizations)
Nationalism
Identification with one’s own nation and support for its interests
EXTREME patriotism + pride in one’s own country
Imperialism
A policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force
When, where and by whom was the telephone created?
- Boston. Alexander Graham Bell.
Klondike Gold Rush
- Is now Yukon.
Transportation before WW1
Horses/bicycles
Problems of workers
Unsafe working conditions
Problems of women
No political rights
Less opportunity for post secondary and work outside of unskilled jobs
Problems of poor people
High death rates
Alcohol abuse
Lack of educational opportunities
Problems of Aboriginals
Loss of traditional lifestyle
Pressured to assimilate
Problems of Immigrants
Inadequate housing Poverty Discrimination Low wages Unsafe working conditions
Robert Borden
1911-1920.
Prime Minister as member of Conservative party
Father of Canadian Independence
Against Free Trade with USA
Wilfred Laurier’s mistake
In 1911, he re-established Free Trade with USA
Boer War
1899.
England went to war against South Africa
Laurier sent volunteers (was against troops)
French-Canadians were against sending troops to help England
7000+ Canadian soldiers served. First time they fought oversees
Causes of WWI
MAIN Militarism Alliances Imperialism Nationalism
WWI start and end
July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918
Triple Entente and Triple Alliance
Great Britain, France, Russia.
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Some Sources of Tension until WWI (1)
Great Britain felt empire was declining
Germany + Japan empires accelerating
Russia lost war against Japan 1905. Russia wanted to feel more powerful.
Austria-Hungary leaders if their empire was going to survive
Turkey (Ottoman Empire) was declining in size and power
France lost military conflict against Germany in 1870
Some Sources of Tension until WWI (2)
1913, economy in Europe was declining and civilians of Great Powers losing jobs.
Great Powers formed alliance system to prepare themselves
Cause of WWI
- Assassination of Archduke and Duchess of Austria-Hungary by Black Hand (Serbian nationalist).
- Austria declared war and started chain reaction of Great Powers joining to help their Allies.
- Germany egged Austria-Hungary
- Serbia was allied with Russia (who was allied with France + Britain). Drew all allies in (like Britain’s colonies (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India)
Why was it called WW
Fought in places all over the world where European Great Powers ruled over colonies
Whose fault was it
Germany. Fought on 2 fronts (France first and then Russia).
Tactic Germany used to sneak through Belgium to France
Schlieffen Plan
Casualties in WWI
40 million. Majority caused by Trench Warfare
Trench warfare
Old tactics + New weapons
Reason Canada went to war
• Experienced economic depression due to job loss and drought
• Soldiers who enlisted thought it would be over soon (before Christmas)
• Soldiers thought it would be good adventure (they heard about the wonders of war from parents/grandparents)
* Wanted to help the mother country
Attitudes against minority groups (initially and later)
Aboriginals: Not expected to sign up or encouraged
—> Welcomed as the war progressed
Colored people: Rejected by officers
—>Recruited to join segregated, non-combat battalion
Women: Not allowed to be soldiers, sailors, pilots
—> Enlisted as nurses, or drivers in Air Force
When did Canada declare war on Germany
When Britain (mother country) declared war on Germany in August 1914 Canada joined in
Stalemate
Neither side can move (caused by new weaponry)
Types of weapons and their functions
Machine gun (main killer; 300 bullets per minute; battle of Somme) Chemical weapons (like chlorine gas; battle of Ypres) U-boats (Submarines designed for war and sinking enemy boats) Zeppelins (gas filled balloons used for observation and dropping bombs) Flame thrower (fires jets of flame up to 40 meters)
Battle of Ypres
- April 24, 1915
- Chlorine gas (by Germans) was used against soldiers
- Initial battle lasted 48 hours
- 6,000 casualties
Battle of Somme
• July 1, 1916 - November 1916
• Newfoundland Regiment contributed significantly
• 801 fought. 68 were left
• Lasted 4 months
• 24K casualties
*Considered one of the bloodiest battles.
*Fought to gain 545 square km
*Help build up Canada’s reputation as tought, determined and capable.
Battle of Vimy Ridge
- April 9, 1917 at 5:43 am
- “Canada’s Easter gift to France”
- 1st time all 4 Canadian divisions fought together.
- Creeping Barrage was used
- 3/4 divisions reached their objective
- Canadians gained and maintained control of the ridge
- 10, 602 casualties
- France gave the battlefield to Canada as memorial park
Battle of Passchendaele (3rd battle of Ypres)
- 26 October - 11 November, 1917
- Lasted 15 days
- Creeping barrage used (to protect soldiers going across no man’s land)
- Heavy rains turned no man’s land into a muddy swamp, spotted with water-filled craters. Slowed Canadians
- Attack could be heard in London 150 km away
- 16,654 casualties
- Futile (no significant gain)
Canada’s Hundred Days
- August 8 - 11 November 1918
- Germans launched major offensive on Western Front to attack Allies before they were at full strength.
- “Beginning of the end”. Canadians pushed back 13 km
- October 11: Canada had taken German-held territory of Cambrai and pushed them further another 37 km.
- November 10: Canadians pushed into Mons(town occupied by Germans)
- November 11: Armistice to end fighting
Trench Warfare
- New technologies made it difficult to capture territory, so soldiers dug into ground for protection.
- Trenches were cold and wet, and gloomy.
- Caused trench-foot
Creeping Barrage
- Used by Allies (Triple Entente) to advance through no man’s land protected
- Strategy: From behind the front line, artillery would start bombarding no man’s land while the soldiers gradually followed to advance towards German trenches.
Schlieffen Plan
- Germany’s plan to invade France and Russia
* This required attacking France by entering neutral Belgium. Made Britain join the war.
Aerial Combat
- Planes were used for reconnaissance at start of war.
- Canada had no air force at start of war, so pilots joined British Royal Flying ops or Royal Naval Air Service
- At the end of war, 40% of Britain’s pilots were Canadian
- German’s and Britain’s developed technology that allowed machine guns to be mounted on the planes (between rotating propeller blades)
- Later, air crafts were designed to carry bombs
Dog Fight
Close range battles fought by two pilots
Resembled barking dogs
Billy Bishop
Most famous WW! aerial pilot who achieved 72 victories in air
Sea warfare
- In 1914, Germany and Britain developed diesel-powered submarines armed with torpedoes
- By 1918, German subs sunk 2600 Allied military and civilian ships
- In response, Allies developed anti-submarine destroyers.
Anti- submarine destroyers
- Fast moving ships that could detect submarines and drop depth charges (bombs that exploded underwater)
Machine guns
Used by Germans from the beginning of the war.
Used on front lines
Once both sides had machine guns, neither could advance, leading to stalemate
Tanks
Armored vehicles with heavy metal tracks instead of wheels
Developed by British (similar to bulldozers)
Designed to cross trenches and plow through barbed wire and obstacles
Chlorine (mustard) gas
Caused victims’ eyes and lungs to burn, leading to death via suffocation.
Ineffective as it dispersed quickly or could backfire if the wind changed
Propaganda
Effort to shape people’s beliefs to achieve specific goals
Money Canada spent on war effort
$1 million/per day
$22 million in today’s money
Victory Bond
When individual lends money to government then receives it back with interest
Business tax
income tax dates
1916
1917(we still have it)
Reason of propaganda
Keep Canadians patriotism high during war (via posters)
Promote victory bonds, enlist, work harder, and even change
War Measures Act
1914
Gave government the power to pass laws without the approval of while Canada was at war
It could:
Override provincial laws, censor news, tell manufacturers and farmers what they produce, imprison people without trial, and label people enemies of Canada (Enemy Aliens)
Munitions Scandal
Same Hughes (Canada's minister of militia and defense) profiteered (make excessive profits) which leaked out in 1915 when shells were delivered late and less.
Women’s Changing Roles
In 1914, many women worked outside (but their jobs were restricted)
Did jobs like look after farms, make supplies, ships, guns, and ammunition for war
Why were women paid less
To protect jobs for men when they returned from war
Evolution of polices regarding woman
1916: Manitoba gave women right to vote in provincial elections
1917: Women in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia could also vote provincially.
Military Service Act
July 1917 (passed by Robert Borden)
Enforced conscription
Controversial (created more tension between anglophones and francophones)
At end of war, only 24K men were conscripts
Conscription
Forced military service
Robert Borden’s measures to support his re-election in 1917
- Military Voters Act: gave all members of the military to vote
- Wartime Election Act: Gave vote to close women relative of serving men. (Took away right from enemy aliens and people who didn’t believe in war)
- Granted farmers’ sons exemption from conscription
- Woman older than 21 not alien-born or Aboriginal and met provincial property-ownership requirements had the right to vote in federal elections
Suffragette
A woman seeking the right to vote through peaceful protest
Famous 5
Suffragettes who fought for prohibition (ban of alcohol), right to vote, and the right to be seen as persons under the law.
Event leading women to legally be seen as persons
The Person’s Case (1929)
What happened when Emily Murphy ran for Senate
Prime Minister Borden refused to consider her on the grounds that she was not a “qualified person”. This decision lead to the persons case.
When were Canadian women considered persons
On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council in Britain overturned the Supreme Court decision and ruled that Canadian women are persons.
Consequences for Germany
Give up European terrotory and overseas colonies
Limit military size + stop manufacturing large armaments
Compensate countries financially
Accept responsibility for causing “all the loss and damage”
Effects WW1 had on Canada
Military: Improved military forces and reputation
Home Front: Actions of government, businesses, civilians towards supporting war effort.
Canada at Paris Peace Conference
Borden argued that Canadians’ wartime record had earned Canada the right to sit independently.
Purpose of union
Better workers rights:
Higher Wages
Better safety coverage
Employment insurance in case of injury or sickness
Winnipeg General Strike (overview)
Dangerous job conditions
Low wages
Unwilling companies
What led to strike and radicalization
Unemployment
Social unrest
Rising inflation
J.S Woodsworth
Leader of CCF and Winnipeg General Strike
Pioneer in social and labour movements
Why did Winnipeg General Strike occur
Members of Winnipeg’s trade unions went on strike when employers refused to negotiate wage increase
Strike-breakers
Special police corps equipped with machine guns and assault tanks
Bloody Saturday
Riots broke out, a tram was flipped, Mounties were called in and a man was shot.
Significance of Winnipeg Strike
It began new era of political involvement for workers
League of Nations
A body created to keep peace and enforce consequences in the Treaty of Versailles
League of Nations (problem)
No army to physically enforce anything
Why was USA enraged to join League of Nations
Had to involve themselves in world affairs and boycott L of N
Effects of WW1
Unemployment (due to closing munitions factories) Huge debts Spanish Influenza More unemployment (women fired to give jobs to veterans) Unemployed veterans (about 20%) Higher prices Lower wages Canada was 2 times as expensive
Post-War Winnipeg
3rd largest city in Canada
People flocked here because of opportunities
Low economy, troubled politics
Unsatisfied workers
One big Union
Western initiative formed in Calgary
*Considered themselves a “revolutionary industrial union” who would strike to shut down cities in worker solidarity.
One big Union (objectives)
Better wages
Legal recognition
6-hour work day and 5-day workweek
repeal on earlier government restrictions on labor
What happened during the Winnipeg General Strike
Building trade unions went on strike joined by metal workers the next day. Strike wasn’t settled by 11am on May 15. 30,000 members of 94 unions were off the job. Strikebreakers came in. Arrested people using Criminal code and immigration laws.
