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Chapter 5 - World War I Timeline
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Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On this day, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, ruler of Austria-Hungary, and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. This act, and Serbia's refusal to follow the demands of Austria-Hungary following this incident is what sparked World War I. -
World War I Begins (Canada Goes to War)
By August 4, 1914, Austria-Hungary had declared war on Serbia, which led to Russia mobilizing its troops to help their ally. Germany then declared war on Russia, with Britian and France backing up Russia. When Britain declared war upon Germany, it meant that Canada was at war as well. Canada at the time was loyal to Britain, and many still thought of Britain as their "mother country", so they volunteered to help fight overseas. -
Canada Volunteers To Fight
The first 30 troop ships set sail for Engliand for training, carrying 32 000 Canadian and Newfoundland troops and 100 Canadian nurses. Many volunteered out of loyalty to Britain, a sense of patriotism to their own country, and hope for a grand adventure. -
Second Battle of Ypres
When the Germans unleashed their new weapon- chlorine gas- onto the French line, Canadian reinforcements moved in to help, and were able to stop the German advance, although the Canadians suffered more than 6000 casualties. This battle marked the first time a former colony (Canada) was able to defeat a major power in Europe (Germany). -
Women First Given Right to Vote - Nellie McClung
For the first time in Canada, women were given the right to vote and run for public office. Nellie McClung was a famous suffragette, and were not for her efforts, women in Manitoba and the rest of Canada would not be able to vote nor run for office. -
The Battle of The Somme
On July 1, 1916, Canadian and British troops found that their preplanning had failed, with the barbed wire surrounding the German trenches, and the enemy trenches themselves intact. The Newfoundland Regiment suffered terrible casualties as a result, with only 68 out of 800 troops able to report for duty, This battle taught the Allied armies to change tactics, and that careful preparation was needed. -
The Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was to take a key vantage point held by the Germans. This battle was the first time Canadians troops would be led by a Canadian commander, and the victory showed Canada as an independent, strong nation, and gave the Allies new hope, and Canadians with a new sense of national pride and identity. -
Billy Bishop - Awarded Victoria Cross
Billy Bishop was one of the top flying aces in the war, credited with 72 confirmed kills, and numerous others. He was awarded for his efforts with the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military honour for bravery. As a Canadian, he showed the world that Canada was not merely a former colony, but also a growing nation with its own power. -
Conscription Crisis of 1917
Because of dwindling volunteers and increasing casualty rates, Prime Minister Robert Borden decided to introduce the Military Service Act, which would allow the government to conscript eligible men if the Prime Minister deemed it necessary. This event and the country's reaction afterwards would divide the population, the rift between anglophones and francophones growing especially wider. -
Wartime Elections Act
The Wartime Elections Act, passed by the Conservative government of Robert Borden, made it so that women with relatives fighting in the war were able to vote in their place. This act was the first to give women in Canada the right to vote. -
The Battle of Passchendaele
From October 26 to November 10, 1917, the Canadian Forces attempted to take Passchendaele Ridge, and came out victorious, but with 15 654 dead or wounded, Despite the victory, over 310, 000 Allied and 260, 000 troops were killed in the Third Battle of Ypres with little significant gain, making the Battle of Passchendaele become symbolic of the futility of WWI. -
Death of German ace "Red Baron"
On April 21, 1918, Roy Brown, a Canadian ace, shot down the German ace Baron Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the "Red Baron". This helped boost Canada's reputation and wartime record among the Allies. -
Canada's Hundred Days
The Canadian troops began to push forward and advance, moving the Germans back by kilometres, when just moving a few metres forward was an achievement in itself. This marked the beginnning of the end of Germany, and was a huge achievement for the Canadians and Allies. -
Armistice
On November 11, 1918, an armistice was agreed to, and the fighting between the Allies and Germany ended. It was then that Canada could breathe a sigh of relief, and it had proved that it was indeed a separate, powerful nation, and not just one of Britain's former colonies. -
Treaty of Versailles, and the Paris Peace Conference
Because of Canada's wartime record, the Canadian representative was given a seat as an independent country, and did so separately from Britain. Canada also signed the peace treaty as a separate entity and as its own nation, proving itself to the other nations at the peace conference.
