WW1

1. WW1 1914 -1918

2. M.A.I.N REASONS FOR CONFLICT MILLITARISM – competitive arms/weapons build-up between Britain and Germany ALLIANCE SYSTEM – pacts and agreements between leading nations assured that any conflict involving one of them would eventually involve all of them. IMPERIALISM – leading European nations were in competition to keep and acquire colonies. NATIONALISM – extreme devotion and patriotism for one’s country

3. 1914 THE ASSASSINATION • Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, visited Sarvejo, Bosnia. Bosnia, a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, had neighboring Serbia claiming it as part of its own. • The Archduke’s visit was very controversial, marking him for assassination by a Serbian nationalist group called the Black Hand. • A first attempt in blowing up Ferdinand’s car failed, rushing forward GavriloPrincip to shoot and mortally wound the Archduke and his wife. The assassination brought on World War 1.

4. 1915THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES • French and Canadian troops were blinded, burned, and killed by the Germans use of chlorine gas (even though the use of gas for military purposes had been outlawed since 1907). • Many man suffocated or choked to death. • Over the next month of battle, neither sides gained much advantage, though 6000 Canadians were captured, wounded, or killed.

5. 1916BATTLE OF THE SOMME • A massive attack in July 1916 by British and French forces, under the command of General Douglas Haig, was launched along the low ridges near Somme River, France. • Waves upon waves of troops marched across the open fields, only to be mowed down by German machine guns. • Over 700 men, including all officers, were killed or wounded within half an hour. • When the battle drew to a close in November, there were over a million dead, almost equal numbers on both sides. Haig claimed the victory.

6. 1917 BATTLE OF VIMY RIDGE • Vimy Ridge, a strategically important area of land in northern France, had been controlled by the Germans. • The French had tried 3 times to regain Vimy, but were unsuccessful. • Canadian troops were chosen to lead a new assault under the command of British Officer, General Julian Byng. • Since the first day of attack on April 9, 1917, Canadian troops gained more and more ground, captured more artillery, and soon had taken the last German position. • The victory of Vimy Ridge marked a Canadian milestone, and Canadians took great pride in the success.

7. 1917BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE • Byng , promoted for his role at Vimy Ridge, was replaced by Canadian General Arthur Currie. • Currie brought an increasingly independent Canadian point of view to the British war effort, but still took orders from General Haig. • The Canadian Expeditionary Force and Currie were called up to retake Passchendaele Ridge in Belgium; General Haig determined to retake it. • Currie warned that causalities would be high, but Haig didn’t change his mind. • The Allies won the battle, but it cost them over 15,000 Canadian lives; nearly half a million soldiers from both sides, as Currie said.

8. 1918THE HUNDRED DAYS • The Hundred Days was the final Allied attack against the Central Powers on the Western Front. • During this time, the Canadian Corps fought at Amiens, Arras, the Hindenburg Line, the Canal du Nord, Bourlon Wood, Cambrai, Denain, Valenciennes, and finally at Mons, on the final day of the First World War. • Their successes came at a heavy cost as the Canadians suffered 20% of their battle-sustained casualties.

9. WARFARE

10. ATTRITION • Attrition warfare is a military strategy in which each side repeatedly attacks the other until on is completely exhausted and unable to continue. • Soldiers may have been using modern weapons on the battlefield, but many of their commanders failed to understand how new technology demanded new tactics. • Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on all sides were slaughtered in battlefields due to this.

11. TRENCH WARFARE • Trenches were cold and damp in the winter and often flooded in a heavy rain • They often became very muddy, leading to stinking cesspools, overrun by rats. • This caused soldiers to become infested with lice, develop trench foot, a painful condition that caused their feet to swell and turn black.

12. S U B M A R I N E S • Germany could not match Britain’s navy in size and strength, but their U-boats/submarines were a dangerous weapon. • They could not be seen or detected under water. • These boats later on became equipped with torpedoes and could completely destroy warships. • In 1915 a U-boat sank the British passenger liner, killing close to 1200 passengers, including many Canadians and Americans. • Eventually the Allies developed the convoy system and an underwater listening device that helped them locate and destroy U-boats, forcing the Germans to surrender the U-boats they had left and forbade them to build more.

13. THE IMPACT

14. ENEMY ALIENS • a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. • around 8 000 civilian prisoners of war were sent to the hinterland of the Canadian Rockies, where they were compelled to work on a variety of public work projects under difficult conditions and in problematic circumstances

15. WAR MEASURES ACT1914 • Introduced by PM Borden, it granted the Canadian government the authority to do everything necessary “for the security, defense, peace, order, and welfare of Canada.” • Peoples’ mail was censored, and the habeas corpus, (the right of a person under arrest to be brought before a judge to determine the lawfulness of arrest), was suspended. • Police had the power to detain people without laying charges • Anyone suspected of being an enemy alien or threat to the government could be imprisoned, or deported, or both!

16. HALIFAX EXPLOSION • By December 6, 1917, the horrors of the war in Europe came closer to home. • The Mont Blanc, a French vessel carrying more then 2,500 tons of dynamite, was accidently hit by another ship. • The explosion was so powerful that it devastated Halifax’s harbour and much of the city. • In all, between 2,000-3,000 people were killed due to the explosion or fires that followed, and more than 10,000 were injured.

17. CONSCRIPTION • “Compulsory enlistment for military service” • Borden promised no conscription, until on his return to Canada, he introduced the Military Service Act which would make enlistment mandatory. • At first it exempted the disabled, the clergy, those with essential jobs or special skills, and those who did not believe in the war on religious grounds. • It turned out to be very controversial and emotional issue, dividing the country and leaving lasting scars.

18. WOMEN. • With so many men over seas, women had to take on new roles in wartime Canada. • Some would organize committees to send food and letters overseas, or become involved in organizations such as the Red Cross. • Others had been employed at a low-skill, low-paying job, in the food and clothing industries. • When the industrial production increased, women were hired for all types of work, from operating fishing boats to running farms.

19. VICTORY BONDS • Victory Bonds are debt securities issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war. • The First Victory Loan was a 5.5% issue of 5, 10 and 20 year gold bonds (some as small as $50) and was quickly oversubscribed, collecting $398 million or about $50 per capita. • The Second and Third Victory Loans were floated in 1918 and 1919, bringing another $1.34 billion. • For those who could not afford to buy Victory Bonds, the government also issued War Savings Certificates.

20. The war left Canada with a debt of $2-billion and high unemployment. • After the war, the demand for services and goods dropped significantly, but the automotive business prospered • From a population of 8 million, nearly 620,000 had served in the Canadian Forces. About 66,000, or one in ten, were killed. Another 172,000 were wounded. • Once the war was over Canada was known as an independent country, not just part of Britain's empire. It also helped create some national pride.

21. THE END.  BRIAN ANA NOLAN KIERAN RYAN