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The Development of Alliances p.1
All the countries in Europe were uneasy with how much military force they all had. As a way to protect themselves, France, The British Empire and Russia formed an alliance. Out of fear of them, Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary also created an alliance. These alliances agreed that if one of their allies were attacked, they would treat it as an attack on themselves. -
The Development of Alliances p.2
This mentality is what caused the war to turn into a world war. The countries which formed the Triple Alliance were France, The British Empire and Russia. The countries that formed the Triple Entente were Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary. -
Trench Warfare
Trench warfare was first introduced in World War 1. Both sides created long trenches for their soldiers to stay. Soldiers would stay in the trenches and shoot at no mans land and the opponents trenches. The living conditions were terrible. The floor was muddy due to all the water, because of this a lot of soldiers developed trench foot. The trenches were small and narrow too. Soldiers would sleep every night hoping the trench wouldn’t collapse on them. -
The Assasinaton of the Arch Duke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand p.1
While Austria-Hungary was keeping Serbians away from their home country, the Serbians had gained a sense of nationalism. On June 28, 1914, while the ArchDuke and his wife were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, they were shot and killed. Bosnia-Herzegovina was part of Austria-Hungary but Serbia wanted to take it over. -
The Assasinaton of the Arch Duke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand p.2
This assasination was important because it caused Austria-Hungary to invade Serbia. After this happened, Russia stepped in and helped Serbia. Now all of the alliances were involved. -
The 1st Canadian Division Arrives
Canada got involved in the war because it was a colony of the British Empire. When the British Empire first requested troops, they were offered 25,000 but over 30,000 Canadians volunteered to join the war and fight for their motherland. -
The Second Battle of Ypres p.1
Germany had pre[ared a plan if anything like this were to ever happen. The plan was called “The Schlieffen Plan”. It was a plan to avoid simultaneously fighting both the eastern front and western front. The plan was to swiftly invade Paris first and then invade Russia. Germany expected to invade Paris in 45 days. -
The Second Battle of Ypres p.2
As a way to get there faster, Germany crossed through Belgium. The battle took place in Ypres, a town in Belgium. France, the British Empire and their colonies were waiting for Germany. The battle went from April 22 1915 to May 25 1915. This was the first time chlorine gas was used as a weapon. This caused the creation of gas masks and more chemical weapons. -
Manitoba Women get to Vote p.1
Prior to the war, women did not have the rights to get most jobs or vote. They were able to work as nurses, teachers or domestic servants. Due to the war, a lot of companies lost employees that went to the war. The lack of employees gave women an opportunity to work one of the “mens jobs”. Women started working in factories and making shells for the war. -
Technology in WW1 p.1
During world war 1, many new weapons were made by both sides of the war. The machine gun was a new gun that could fire 400-500 rounds per minute. Both sides had these massive guns so infantry attacks across no man's land were useless. Dirigibles were huge airships which were used to scout and drop bombs. The 60 pounder gun was a powerful and accurate gun. The downside to this gun was that it was very heavy and hard to move. The weight caused it to sink in the mud. -
Technology in WW1 p.2
Planes were first used to scout the enemy, later pilots would use handguns and throw grenades from the plane. Eventually planes received machine guns. Tanks were made by Britain. They were created to make shelter from gunfire while driving through barbed wire and to break German lines. Chemical warfare was first used by Germany in the second battle of Ypres. The chemicals blinded soldiers and attacked their respiratory systems. Before gas masks, soldiers would use rags soaked in water or urine. -
Income Tax Introduced
Tax was introduced because Canada needed more money to fund their army. As time went on Canada needed more money. In 1916 they started collecting corporation tax. After the war ended, the government decided to keep taxes as a way to pay for things like soldiers pensions. -
U-Boat
The U-Boat is a German Submarine. U-Boat is an abbreviation for unterseeboot. Germany was the first country to use submarines in war. The U-Boats sank many merchant ships. Germany had built around 334 U-Boats by the end of the war. Eventually the tables were turned when America made their own ships. -
Manitoba Women get to Vote p.2
Once the war was over women felt like they deserved the right to vote. In January 1916, women were given the right to vote. In 1918 they were granted the right to vote in federal elections, but only if they were the mother or wife of a soldier. -
The Battle of Somme
The Battle of Somme began July 1 1916 and ended on November 18 1916. It happened in the middle of the war. The battle took place in Northern France at Somme River. The British Empire, France and their colonies joined forces to defeat Germany. The battle was called to an abrupt stop. This was one of world war 1’s most significant and bloody battles. -
The Conscription Crisis
In 1917 the government wanted more soldiers. They decided to conscript Canadians to win the battle of Vimy Ridge. Having conscription would also make the war end faster. Many people were opposed to this. In Quebec, many people did not agree with this. There were also a lot of farmers who had to stay and work on the land. They also argued that continuing fighting would bankrupt the country and slow the economy. That would lead to the economy weakening and risk Canada’s independence. -
Victory Bonds
Victory bonds were made to help fund the war. They were like stocks. There were many propaganda posters encouraging purchase of the bonds. The government made about $398 million. -
The Russian Revolution
After the war there were two important events in Russia. The first one was in March 1917, which was the abdication of Czar Nicholas. The second thing that happened was the Bolsheviks overthrew the government. During the war there were 2 revolutions. The first revolution was the February Revolution. It began on March 8 1917. People protesting for bread were supported by crowds of people on strike. Due to this protest, Czar Nicholas was forced to abdicate. -
The Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge took place in April 1917 and lasted until April 12 1917. The battle was fought in Vimy, France. The first wave of soldiers had about 17,000 Canadians. Many soldiers died on the first day. Germany was fighting against Canada and Britain. The battle ended with the Candians taking over “The Pimple” which was a German stronghold. The battle taught the Canadian divisions to fight together. -
The Battle of Passchendaele p.1
The Battle of Passchendaele took place on July 31 and lasted until November 10 1917. It took place in Ypres, which is why it was also known as the Third Battle of Ypres. On October 26, the Canadian Corps joined the fight. They captured the ridge on November 6th. The countries fighting were Britain, France, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the German Empire. Over 4,000 Canadians were killed. -
The Battle of Passchendaele p.2
The battle ended with Canada capturing the ridge with their third assault on November 6. With their next assault, they secured the rest of Ypres. This battle is known as one of the most controversial battles of the war. -
Khaki Election
The Khaki Election was an election to decide over the issue of conscription. It was held on December 17, 1917. Previously, Prime Minister Robert Borden had promised not to conscript Canadians. He later came to believe that conscription was the only way to finish the war sooner. The name came from the colour of the army’s uniforms. The MIlitary Service Act and Wartime Elections allowed men and women overseas to vote. I also let women related to soldiers be allowed to vote. -
Armistice
An Armistice is an agreement for both sides of a war to stop fighting. On November 11, 1918 at 5 am, an Armistice was signed. It was signed by France to end the war at 11 am. This is the reason for our one minute silence on Remembrance Day every year.
