WWI and Canadian Conscription

Question 1

Why did Canada enter WWI?

Answer 1

• Canada was forced to enter the war (after Britain joined)
• December 1914: first Canadian division lands in France (PPCLI)
• French Canadians were against the war and English Canadians were in support of it

Question 2

What was the Battle of Vimy Ridge?

Answer 2

• Defining battle for Canadians in the war → made Canada known and feared
• Canadian forces told to capture the ridge as previous French efforts failed – 100,000 French dead or lost
• Bombard & attack enemy for over a week before – would destroy enemy fortifications like wire and artillery pieces
• 5:30 am 9 April 1917
• 15,000 Canadian infantry overrun German machine guns and trenches
  3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 wounded
  After, the Germans were famous for saying
  Anyone but the Canadians…
  Hill 152 was the highest point of the ridge and had the most Canadian causalities
  Memorial opened in 1922 by surviving veterans and officially donated by the French to Canada

Note: wanted vimy ridge bc it was on a high place and that gave an advantage

Question 3

What is Conscription?

Answer 3

• Conscription: Compulsory (mandatory) military service
• At the start of WWI, many people had volunteered to fight in the Canadian army
  War was an adventure and would be over quickly!
  Oh… the Canadian optimism…
• It did not go as planned
• By late 1916, people stopped volunteering

Question 4

PM Borden & Conscription

Answer 4

• Summer 1915: Prime Minister Borden went overseas to visit the Canadian troops
• Horrified by the harsh realities of trench warfare and the growing casualty list
  Promised to provide 500,000 Canadian soldiers to assist
• Canada’s population at the time: 8 000 000
• By 1917, conscription appeared to be the only option
• Created conflict at home:
  Quebecois felt little connection to France or Britain
  Farmers would struggle economically if young men were forced to leave the farm

Question 5

What was the Military Voters Act of 1917?

Answer 5

• There was an election due in December, 1917
  Conscription was the main issue
  Borden passed a series of controversial acts that helped him secure victory
• Military Voters Act: Gave the right to vote to all men and women serving overseas
  Included any British subjects serving with the Canadian forces
  Issues with nationalism?
  Note: men that were already serving would vote in favor for the conscription

Question 6

What was the Wartime Elections Act?

Answer 6

• Wartime Elections Act: Gave Borden the means to pick and choose his voters…The first time women were allowed to vote in a federal election
  Women with relatives serving in the military could now vote
  Wives, widows, mothers, and sisters of soldiers serving overseas
  These women happened to also be in favour of conscription…
• Canadian citizens who had emigrated from enemy nations were forbidden to vote

Question 7

What was the Military Service Act of 1917?

Answer 7

• Borden won the election and passed the Military Service Act.
• Military Service Act: Made military service mandatory for all men between ages 20 & 45 in Canada

Question 8

What were the pros and cons, and the end result of the conscription?

Answer 8

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
- Help the Allies win the war
- Allow soldiers to come home earlier
- Force French Canadian men to join the war
- Keep strong reputation gained from victory at Vimy Ridge

Cons:
- French threatened to riot
- Farmers felt they played a more important role by producing food
- Factory workers felt the same 🡪 building weapons
- Pacifists not want to be forced to fight in a war
Felt violence wasn’t the solution

The End Result of Conscription:

• Only 25,000 conscripted men
• This bitterly divided Canada
  English thought the French were cowardly
  Pressure to enlist greater in English Canada