WWI

Solutions to Unrestricted U-Boat Warfare

*1. Convoys* - Merchant ships travelling together - Protection provided by escort gun boats - Followed the "strength in numbers" belief *2. Q-Ships* - Heavily armed naval gunboats disguised as merchant ships *3. Depth Charges* - Barrels stuffed with explosives rolled from ships - Detonated upon contact with submerged u-boats

British Army

*British Expeditionary Force* Seemed to live in the shadows of the British Royal Navy Small but well trained, skilled, and well-equipped -75,000 at the beginning of WWI Professional career soldiers Up to 500,000 Enormous support of colonial recruits

Organizations during WWI

*Canadian Patriotic Fund* - Collected money for soldiers' families - Established stores where families could buy food and fuel at low prices - Held fundraisers - Made Care packages - Supported families at home and soldiers on the front - Raised money and morale - ex. Red Cross, Daughters of Empire, Next-of-Kin Association, YMCA

Individuals during WWI

*Farmers* - 1914-1918 saw more than 16 million hectares of soil used in wheat production - SOS = "Soldiers of the Soil" - Food was Canada's greatest contribution *Students* - Shortened school days/years to replace farmers who fought *Families* - Recycled tin, glass, and paper for reuse - Planted victory gardens to increase food production - Rationed - Ate less and wasted - Bought victory bonds - Children bought thrift stamps

Machine Gun (WWI)

*Most important weapon in trench warfare* - Fast - Easy to reload - Fired at long range Could fire hundreds of rounds of ammunition without stopping

Kaiser Wilhelm II

1861 - born after a difficult childbirth with a badly withered left arm - Some historians suggest that he suffered brain damage which affected both his hearing and attention span 1888 - became Kaiser - German industry was strong - Politically united under the leadership of Bismarck who his military advisors believed was too cautious Had great ambitions for Germany - Sought to have it recognized as the greatest power in Europe His quest led to the German Naval Scare - Result was an arms race as Britain attempted to maintain naval superiority while Germany attempted to achieve this superiority

Franco-Prussian War

1871 - Germany invaded France Acquired Alsace and Lorraine - Rich in iron ore - Aided Germany in building ships France vowed revenge against their new enemy

Trench Foot

A form of foot rot - Feet swell two or three times their normal size and go completely dead - After the swelling goes down, intolerable agony begins Cured through regular application of whale oil

Black Hand

An extreme terrorist group Made up of proud Serbians focused on winning back independence from A-H Money and support from Russia

Victory Bonds

Certificates purchased from the government as "loans" to be eased in after the war

World War I

aka "The Great War", "The War to End all Wars" 1914-1918 An event which Canada had absolutely no part in causing - Has had to do more with shaping modern Canada than any other event

Submarine (WWI)

aka U-boat Carry 12 torpedoes The one weapon/tactic that seemed to have an effect on weakening the enemy Destroyed supply ships/dreadnoughts crossing the Atlantic Very effective Key to German success was the use of submarines as a weapon against merchant ships bound for Britain on re-supply missions - Plan was to "cut off" Britain and starve them into surrender - 1914-1917 - over 6 billion tonnes of British cargo sunken

Triple Entente

aka the Allies France Russia Britain

Triple Alliance

aka the Central Powers Germany Austria-Hungary Italy

Trench Warfare

War of Attrition Required breaking down one's enemy - Only the strongest survived

Alfred Von Schlieffen

German Field Marshal and strategist 1905 - Presented his master plan - Meant to preemptively prepare Germany for an inevitable two front war 1913 - Died before he could personally carry out his plan

Intended Results of the Schlieffen Plan

German troops were located in two main locations: 1. North by the Belgium border 2. South off the side of/across from Alsace and Lorraine Troops in the south would attack first at the strongest point of the French army in Alsace and Lorraine After attacking they would fall back into Germany to draw in and trap the French army - Relied on France's emotional drive to get revenge and gain back Alsace and Lorraine Troops in the north would speed quickly through Belgium and Northern France to capture Paris - The French trapped in Germany would be forced to surrender - Decisive victory over France + assumed weak loyalty to Belgium = reluctant Britain staying out of the way all together Once France was defeated, Germany would turn their attention to fighting Russia - Assuming the plan worked and Russia was too slow to mobilize, Germany wouldn't have to divide their army and fight a two-front war

Why Canada Joined WWI

1. Over 1/2 of Canadians were of British descent - Loyal to family ties 2. Canada was a British colony - Wanted to aid their mother country 3. Britain still controlled Canada's external affairs - Became a country with confederation in 1867 - Despite this, Canada was still automatically at war when Britain declared war on Germany 4. Benefits - Protection - Money - National Pride

Paris Peace Conference

11 am, November 11, 1918 - end of WWI with signing of armistice 1919 - 32 different countries represented at the conference to create a treaty The "Big Three" mainly controlled and decided on the final treaty: 1. President Georges Clemenceau of France 2. PM Lloyd George of Britain 3. President Woodrow Wilson of USA Britain still controlled Canada's foreign policy, but PM Borden argued that Canada's wartime record had earned Canada a right to sit independently at the peace table - Canada signed separately from Britain on the Treaty Germany wasn't invited - Had no say in the making of the peace treaty - Complained about the severity of the Treaty, but had no choice but to sign

Airplanes (WWI)

1903 - developed by the Wright Brothers A new and unproven invention when WWI started - Few military leaders expressed confidence in its effectiveness - With the stalemate of the trenches, the use of new technology was demanded Most useful by the end of the war - At first only used for reconnaissance - Started equipping them with machine guns for dogfights

Sarajevo

1908 - Serbia was annexed by A-H for imperialistic reasons as they sought to control the entire Balkan Region Province of Bosnia didn't consider themselves a part of Austria-Hungary - Outrage and resistance to A-H encouraged the emergence of the Black Hand Austria-Hungary believed Russia was secretly supporting the Black Hand - Demanded an investigation but is refused - A-H declares war - Domino effect leading to WWI

German Air Force

1914 - Germans were the first to realize the airplane's potential Used the Fokker: a tri-plane with a timed firing mechanism on a mounted machine gun Most famous air ace was Baron Manfred von Richthofen - Called the Red Baron - Had 80 kills (more than any pilot) - 1918 - killed by Canadian Roy Brown Employed Zeppelins: gas filled balloons used for reconnaissance and bombinbs

Military Service Act

1917 Made service compulsory for all men 20-45 Opposed by 1/2 the population - Farmers couldn't go due to loss of help on farms - Labour called for strikes - In all, only 24,000 would serve

Canada's Hundred Days

1917 - Russia's czar abdicated due to a communist revolution Late 1917 - America joined the Allies Early 1918 - Russia's surrender to Germany - Allowed Germany to fortify their troops on the Western Front Germany rushed to launch a huge attack, knowing more Allies were to arrive August 8, 1918 - Canada's Hundred Days Currie led the Canadian Corps and attacked Amiens, France - Supported by fresh US troops - New and improved tanks and bomb-dropping airplanes - Germany was forced to retreat 13 km back - "The beginning of the end for Germany September 27, 1918 - Canada attacked the Canal du Nord, France October 11, 1918 - Canada took Cambrai, France - 37 km advancement into German territory November 10, 1918 - Canada took Mons, Belgium November 11, 1918 - An armistice was signed and war finally ended - German Army near collapse - Leader Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and fled to Holland - German population broken by the British Naval Blockade *Importance* - Germany was finally being pushed back - Helped ensure the end of the war

Industries during WWI

A double focus for Canadian Producers *Food* - Wheat became the most valuable crop in the world -- Farmers pushed to grow it on any bit of soil possible - Intensive farming = soil exhaustion - Millions of tonnes of wheat, dairy, meat *Munitions* - Over 1500 factories in production with 300,000 workers - Airplanes, shells, guns, ships, uniforms

Nationalism

A feeling of strong national pride in one's community Sense of nationalism was destruction for the Serbians - Led to the immediate cause of WWI

Shell Shock

A mental state caused by mental battle scars and trauma from war Many believed this to just be cowardice

The Causes of WWI

A series of elements and events that built up and simmered over a long period of time Competition, ambition, and national pride boiled over and exploded into war Major Causes: 1. Imperialism 2. Nationalism 3. Militarism 4. Alliances

Otto von Bismarck

Aka "The Iron Chancellor", "Father of German Nationalism" Served as the Russian chief Minister 1871 - succeeded in helping to unify the divided provinces to create a single nation of which he served as their first Chancellor Responsible for the dramatic change and progress in Germany of the late 1800s: 1. Unification 2. The strengthening of German borders and control over disputed regions through a series of wars with Denmark, Austria, and France 3. Industrialization and the wide spread ability to mass produce large amounts of steel 4. Peace through negotiation = a strong and ambitious Germany at peace with Britain and Russia - A key to his plan was to isolate France -> his greatest fear was a Franco-Russian alliance

Alliances

An agreement between two or more countries to join together to gain strength in troubled times Major Alliances: 1. Triple Entente 2. Triple Alliance The events in the Balkans meant that nations would move quickly to support their allies - War was unstoppable

Russia

An enormous nation both landmass- and population-wise Behind in terms of industry and technology Imperialism was a way to modernize themselves and gain international respect - Only problem was no access to water - "land locked" The Dardanelles were the key to Russia gaining water control - This led them into the Balkans and into direct conflict with Germany and Austria-Hungary -- Conflict over who owned the water between the Balkans and the Dardanelles

Creeping Barrage

Artillery would bombard no man's land from behind the front line Salvos would be gradually advanced towards German trenches Infantry would follow the creeping barrage forward, moving as close as possible to enemy positions before sttacking

Halmuth von Moltke

Became Army Chief of Staff after Schlieffen's death Blamed for making critical changes to the Schlieffen Plan, resulting in its failure

Battle of Marne

Began after Germany failed to carry through the Schlieffen Plan September 1914 - France led the counterattack Germany continued to move south over the Marne German general realized the French were following him - Turned around to counter-attack September 9, 1914 - German troops retreated - Ended hope for a quick victory - Ensured the failure of the Schlieffen Plan Result = Germany began to focus on the coastal region of Flanders "Race to the Sea" began as Germany tried to take control of the important ports at Dunkirk and Calais Both sides tried to outflank the other to ensure victory - Began a war of attrition therefore both sides dug in

End of WWI

Beginning of 1918 - Germany launched an all-out offensive on the western front - Unrestricted U-boat warfare was failing in forcing the Allies to surrender Thousands of German soldiers using new tactics based on mobility and surprise poured into France - Smashed through the Allied lines - Reached as far as 80 km from Paris - Failed to force an Allied surrender

Canada and Britain's Reaction to the Treaty

Believe the treaty was harsh but should be harsh

Wilson's 14 Point Plan

Believed this plan would bring stability to Europe 1. No secret treaties between powers (open diplomacy) 2. Seas should be free in peace and in war to ships of all nations (Freedom of Navigation) 3. Barriers to trade between countries should be removed (free trade) 4. Reduction of armed forces to the lowest possible levels in all countries (multilateral disarmament) 5. Nation groups in Europe should be given their independence (National Self-Determination whereby a nation had the right to self-government) 6. Russia should be allowed to operate whatever government it wanted 7. Alsace-Lorraine be returned to France, along with any land taken by Germany during the war back to the country with previous control 8. Italian frontier should be readjusted 9. Belgium should be evacuated 10. Poland should be given an outlet to the sea 11. The defeated nations should not be made to pay for the war as a whole 12. A "League of Nations" should be formed to protect world peace in the future

Trench Fever

Caused by lice Infected soldiers for up to 12 weeks

Chlorine Gas (WWI)

Deadly but risky - Depended on wind direction Burns the eyes and lungs April 22, 1915 - First time ever used during Battle of Ypres by the Germans Before gas masks were invented, soldiers protected themselves by covering their face with cloths that had been urinated on

Halifax Explosion

December 6, 1917 Two ships (the IMO and the Mont Blanc) collided in Halifax Harbour - 2000 dead, 900 injured - Harbour and thousands of homes destroyed

German Naval Scare

Early 1900s Germany actively competed with the naval superiority of the British by building dreadnoughts

Battle of Vimy Ridge

Early 1917 - Allies had yet to overtake Germany on Vimy Ridge, France Vimy Ridge was a significant stretch of land during the war due to its height - Made it a crucial area to control All the Canadian divisions were grouped together for the first time - Led by the commander Major-General Arthur Currie and his superior Lieutenant-General Julian Byng New battle strategies were developed after the failure in Somme Weeks spent in preparation for the attack - Timing of each soldier had to be perfect or else risk being caught in the bombardment April 9, 1917 (Easter Monday) - attack began - Artillery bombardment continued for two weeks Result: 1. Successful attack = Canada took Vimy Ridge -> "Canada's Easter gift to France" / "Turning point in Canada's history as a nation" 2. New surge of confidence for the Allies after failure in Somme *Importance* - First time that all four Canadian Corps divisions attacked as a composite formation - Canada conquered important German territory that was considered impregnable

Government during WWI

Forced to take action to meet the need in two main areas: *1. Defence Spending* - 1914 - $72 million - 1918 - $439 million -- The war was costing more than $1 million a day - Forced to find solutions from the Canadian public - Victory bonds were introduced -- Raised $1 billion - 1917 - income tax was implemented as a temporary measure - Sin tax placed on tea, tobacco, alcohol, train travel *2. Military Service* - Early in the war, the country depended on volunteers - Length of war + growing casualties = fewer enlistments - Propaganda distributed - Military Service Act of 1917 - Conscription Crisis in 1917 -- Caused by the bitter French opposition -- Riots and protests staged in Quebec -- Wartime Elections Act passed

Battle of the Somme

From July 1, 1916-November 1916 Took place along the Somme River, France British troops led by General Douglas Haig Artillery bombardment of the Germans - Goal was to ruin the German trenches and the barbed wire - Plan failed July 1, 1916 - British and Canadian troops advanced across no man's land - Germany's defences hadn't been weakened and soldiers were anticipating the attack Newfoundland attacked at Beaumont-Hamel, France - 732/800 soldiers sent out came back as casualties 60,000 Allied casualties on the first day alone - Despite this, the attack was issued to continue until November Result: 1. 650,000 Allied casualties 2. 545 km^2 advancement into enemy territory *Importance* - France was able to regain a good amount of land from the Germans - German army weakened and forced to retreat - Allied offensive encouraged - One of the deadliest battles in history - Embodied all the horror of WWI

Wartime Elections Act

Gave nurses, wives, sisters, and mothers of Canadian soldiers the right to vote Created and enacted due to Prime Minister Robert Borden's desire to be re-elected - Plan worked

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's "Short War Plan" Vital in order to achieve a total victory over France - Required them taking over Paris Especially necessary after the threat of a two-front war due to France-Russia alliance Depended on: *1. Speed* - German forces in the south must pull back early - Could not be slowed down in Belgium and risk giving Britain time to enter the war early - Must turn south at the right time to capture Paris *2. Massive numbers* - Stationing 7/8 of the German soldiers at the northern location *3. Element of surprise* In theory, ensured a victory in six weeks Designed around the weaknesses of France and Russia - France: wanted revenge, driven by emotion and not logic - Russia: big but slow to mobilize

Unrestricted U-Boat Warfare

Germany's desperate plan that was seen as their only hope for defeating Britain - Meant targeting anything in the Atlantic that floated - Extremely effective - In 4 months, over 1000 Allied ships had been sunken

Russian Army

Greatest strength was in their enormous size - aka the Russian Steamroller 1.5 million soldiers at the start of the war - Population of 7x that of Britain and Germany gave them unlimited reinforcements Disadvantages: - Size + poor transportation = slow to mobilize - Little industry therefore poorly equipped (1 in 3 men sent to fight without weapons) - No access to water = no allied help - Exhausted Russian soldiers were replaced with illiterate peasants - Poor military leadership = Czar Nicholas army take over -> as losses mounted, he came extremely unpopular 1914-1917: 3 million Russian soldiers dead Launched massive offensive into Prussia in support of Plan XVII September 1914 - Battle of Tanneberg - Their previous success became defeat - Resulted in Russia being on the defensive for the rest of the war, hence the mass casualties

Life in the Trenches

Harsh and brutal Allowed soldiers to forge a sense of camaraderie - Helped them share the dangers and suffering they were forced to endure with fortitude and unbelievable courage Amount of activity varied - Soldiers could go weeks without being involved in any action Most of their day was spent engaged in routine including rifle inspections, repairing trenches, digging latrines, and other chores Always needed to be on alert - Most critical periods of the day were dawn and dusk - Sentries were posted to keep watch across no man's land and report any movement Night allowed opportunity to repair barbed wire and search for dead/wounded comrades Short supply of drinking and washing water Millions of rats and other vermin lived in the trenches - Contaminated food - Spread disease Daily rations depended on circumstances - Varied in quality and quantity - Sometimes long periods without any food

Franz Ferdinand

Heir to the A-H throne

France

Humiliated and devastated due to loss in Franco-Prussian war Focus entirely on offence as they set out to get revenge - Created Plan XVII Army = 900,000 men driven by emotion rather than military logic

Treaty of Versailles

Imposed harsh financial, military, and territorial penalties on Germany Reflected France's desire for revenge - Over 400 terms of peace - Designed to do 2 things: 1. Punish Germany for "causing" WWI 2. Prevent another war from ever happening again and stunt Germany's strength Forced Germany to: - Give up some European territory and all its overseas colonies --These new boundaries would shrink Germany and break up the Austria-Hungarian Empire - The Rhineland (western corner of Germany) was to be occupied by Allied troops for 10 years - Limit the size of its military -- Germany's army and navy were strictly restricted and no air force was permitted - Stop the manufacturing of armaments - Pay reparations of about $30 billion (US) to the Allies - Sign a War Guilt Clause, admitting that they caused the war and were responsible for all the loss and damage A League of Nations was to be formed to help keep world peace

Artillery (WWI)

Includes bombs, shells, etc. Causes a lot of destruction Good to launch into enemy trenches without risk to self 106 fuse exploded on contact with barbed wire - Helped clear paths through no man's land Grenades were only useful when soldiers were close enough to throw them into enemy trenches

Immediate Cause of WWI

June 28, 1914 - the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife by Gavrilo Princip The point at which the war became unstoppable Austrian government demanded answers - Pushed for war Russia needed control in the Balkans - Supported Serbia - Became an enemy of A-H Brought two powerful forces into effect: 1. Militarism 2. Alliances

Second Battle of Ypres

Located in Ypres, Belgium First use of chlorine gas by the Germans - Caused many French to fall Canadians were sent in as reinforcements - Stopped the Germans *Importance* Led to the development of chlorine gas, gas masks, and other poison gases

Women during WWI

Made contributions in 3 main areas: *1. Personal Sacrifice* - Loss of sons, husbands, fathers, and brothers to the war - Did without through rationing - Ran households/farms lone *2. Service Overseas* - 2400 Canadian women worked as nurses and ambulance drivers in field hospitals or on ships - 6000 worked in military offices on bases *3. Factory Labour* - Women were required to step into non-traditional factory jobs as men went overseas to fight - 30,000 women in total worked in machine shops, metal factories, munitions plans, aircraft factories, and shipyards - Even more went into service jobs (streetcars, buses, police force, government jobs, and banks) - Continued to earn less money than men for doing the same job All these things were once seen as unsuitable jobs for women Had a huge impact and resulted in women taking a more active role in Canadian life in terms of clothes, style, and attitudes - Desired equality and fought for the right to vote - 1916 - right to vote in most provinces - 1918 - right to vote in federal elections - 1920 - right to run as candidate

Sinking of the Lusitania

May 2, 1915 - British ocean liner the Lusitania was sunk off the coast of Ireland - 1200 people dead, 128 of which were American - Played a large role in the US's 1917 entry into the war

Battle of Jutland

May 31, 1916 At Jutland off the coast of Denmark A rare meeting between two very cautious fleets worried about losing ships Ended with Britain losing almost 6000 men to German's 3000 German smaller navy suffered more despite the British lose - Never took their battleships out to sea again

Gavrilo Princip

Member of the Black Hand June 28, 1914 - assassinated Franz Ferdinand and his wife

Sam Hughes

Minister of Militia and Defence Given the job of meeting the challenge that war demanded Considered both influential and controversial - Praised for creating Canada's WWI force "from scratch" - Anti-French and anti-Catholic Called for the formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force - Used the sense of "family" that Canada felt towards Britain to recruit soldiers Ordered French troops to be trained and to speak in English only Respected little by the average Canadian soldier - Blamed his poor military judgement for their inadequate weapons and supplies 1916 - a wave of criticism aimed at Hughes finally overwhelmed his worsening reputation - As a result, he was forced out of his position

The Outcome of the Schlieffen Plan

Moltke was afraid of the powerful Russian army - Transferred thousands of troops to the eastern front to strengthen the German/Russian border - Changed the ratio of German troops from 7:1 to 4:1 = vital factor of massive numbers being compromised August 3, 1914 - Plan put into effect and immediately backfired 1. German army slowed down in Belgium - The army at Liege and Namur were small but unexpectedly tough - Compromised the vital factor of speed 2. German army in the south fought so well that they pushed the French north instead of allowing them into Alsace and Lorraine 3. BEF responded to the attack on Belgium by honouring the Belgium Neutrality Agreement - Met the Germans at Mons 4. Due to strong British opposition, Germany turned south too soon - Missed Paris completely Germans arrived as far as the River Marne where they stopped and were forced to dig in - Marked the beginning of Trench Warfare

Naval Blockade

Most effective allied tactic and most most successful way to attack Germany Utilized the strength on British battleships that didn't fight Designed to prevent any supplies, especially food, from reaching Germany Mid-1917 - things began to look bad for the Central Powers - Morale at home and on the front was poor - High casualty rate, low replacement rate - America's entry into the war kept their troops fresh, keen, and plentiful

France's Reaction to the Treaty

Most of the fighting and destruction had taken place in France Wanted to make sure that Germany could never be a threat again Wanted a tougher treaty than what was agreed on "This is not a peace treaty, it is an armistice of 20 years"

Plan XVII

Plan of troop concentration and mobilization Designed by France in anticipation of war with Germany Called for an all out French offensive into Alsace-Lorraine Relied heavily on the the French's fighting spirit to succeed as they charged across the border deeply into German territory Relied on the ability of their Russian allies to mobilize quickly - Germans would then be "crushed" between the two and forced to surrender

United States' Reaction to the Treaty

President Wilson argued for a policy of forgiveness towards the defeated nations Late entry into war = weaker position

Propaganda

Public information used to persuade people into following a specific belief or goal

Germany's Reaction to the Treaty

Shocked Refused to sign at first Was expecting a treaty based on Wilson's 14 point plan Allies threatened to resume war and keep the naval blockade on all materials entering Germany In the end, Germany had no choice but to sign the treaty

Allied Air Force

Slow to accept the use of the airplane - Realized their potential after information gained through flights helped them in the trenches Used the Sopwith-Camel: a bi-plane invented in 1917 and an excellent fighter Canadians who wanted to fly joined the Britain Royal Flying Corps due to there being no Canadian Air Force - Served as pilots, gunners, and mechanics - Like the soldiers in the trenches, they quickly gained a reputation for their skill and bravery - 1918 - 40% of the British Air Force pilots were Canadian

Battle of Passchendaele

The Third Battle of Ypres Strong German defence - Had been defending Ypres since 1914 Summer of 1917 - little advancement from the Allies - 100,000 casualties Canadian soldiers stayed under command of newly promoted Lieutenant-General Arthur Currie - Another attack involving creeping barrage was carefully planned by Currie after immense research and training October 26 - attack began - Soldiers slowed down due to mud from all the rain that summer - Continued over a course of 15 days November 10 - victory over Passchendaele, Belgium - 310,000 Allied casualties - 260,000 German casualties Result: Almost nothing to gain *Importance* - Showed the futility of WWI

No Man's Land

The area separating two opposed front lines

Away from the Front

The length of time a soldier spent in the front line varied according to circumstances - Typical arrangement = 4 days in the front line + 4 in a support trench + 8 in reserve + period of rest behind the lines - Occasions when men spent over 30 days in the front line without relief Serving men looked forward to their annual leave of ten days - Not uncommon for men to go much longer without seeing their families - Instances when men on home leave committed suicide rather than return to the trenches

Germany

The most ambitious and aggressive European power - Made it an instant enemy of Britain and France Quick rise to power - Fuelled by the ambitious and powerful Kaiser Wilhelm II Led to: *1. Industrial Production* - the biggest and most modern factories in the world - most innovative and largest supply of weapons *2. Military Strength* - not the largest, however the most powerful army in the world - considered well trained, experienced, disciplined, innovative weapons - 1.5 million men at start of the war *Most serious obstacle:* the duel alliance between France and Russia - Created a war of two fronts that would force Germany to divide its formidable army - Led directly to the creation of the Schlieffen Plan

British Empire

The name given to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the dominions, colonies, and territories it held throughout the world The most successful mother country - Controlled 1/4 of the world's land and population (400 million people) - Controlled the world's most powerful force: the British Royal Navy - Known as an imperial giant Their size, power, and sense of superiority made them a target Commitment to the Triple Entente was thought to be shaky Germany doubted Britain would support France - Underestimated their dedication to the Belgian Neutrality Agreement

Russian Revolution

The only thing preventing the war's end in 1917 Russians were unhappy with the war and didn't trust Czar Nicholas II - Millions of civilians dead, towns and cities destroyed, supplies low, very little money in the country, starving people Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin brought the ideas of Karl Marx to Russia - Promoted the idea of a revolution to better the lives of all Russians November 1917 - violent uprising in Russia - Communist Bolsheviks rose up against the monarchy of Czar Nicholas II - Negotiated a separate peace with Germany to end the long suffering of the Russians With the German-Russian ceasefire, the eastern front closed down - End of 1917 - German army could focus entirely upon the Western Front

Imperialism

The process by which one nation extends itself through the collection of colonies to create an empire - All based on the need to gain needed natural resources Bismarck looked to directly challenge Britain's supremacy at sea Newly acquired resources from Alsace and Lorraine allowed Germany to build their navy - Resulted in the German Naval Scare Germany wanted control over the Balkans with Austria-Hungary's help Goal was to build a railway from Germany through the Balkans to Turkey and Persia - Wanted to gain oil to fuel factories and trains used to build arms, ships, etc. - Control over the Balkans would give them access to water

Canada's Army (WWI)

The start of their military mission was slow and less than impressive Canada was unprepared for war - Small army of 3000 men - Poorly equipped and supplied - Factories weren't fitted to produce tools of war (bullets, guns, etc.)

Militarism

The strengthening of and use of a military force by one country to bully and intimidate another

Dreadnoughts (WWI)

The strongest and most sophisticated battleship in the world Useful for bringing supplies Easy target for U-boats Usually traveled in convoys/groups of ships - Often surrounded by other battleships for protection

British Royal Navy

The world's most powerful force The key to the creation of an Empire and its protection

Tank (WWI)

Useless at first - Would get stuck in the med Well developed by the end of the war First used by the British at the Battle of Somme - Scared the German soldiers who had never seen a tank

Total War (WWI)

Using a nation's full support in an effort to achieve victory - A national gathering of resources, people, and industry dedicated to one goal - Requires "citizen soldiers" to use all their energies During WWI, total war was put into effect - Thus, every Canadian was involved and directly affected

Rationing

Using less of specific items

Trenches

Weapons were acquiring greater range, becoming automatic, and increasing their firepower - As a result, men had to dig into the ground to survive An extended hole dug into the ground - Provide shelter from bullets and shrapnel but also the most primitive living conditions Became a way of life, even a subculture Soldiers would be sent for additional training at a base camp - Intended to prepare them for the realities of life at the front