WW1 Main Causes:

The main causes of WW1 included:

• militarism grows (particularly in Germany which had aggressively become more powerful in
recent years)
• Germany seeks to build a strong navy and this starts an arms race between it and Britain
• Germany’s actions frighten both Britain and France
• nations begin to form alliances
• for protection from Russia, Germany forms an alliance with Austria and later Italy (The
Triple Alliance)
• fearing Germany, Russia and France form an alliance • feeling isolated, Britain makes
defensive agreements with Russia and France (The Triple Entente)

Military - Who has a stronger force

Alliances - Different countries are allies with each other
Imperialism - a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or
military force/rule by an emperor
Nationalism - Patriotism towards your country and being loyal

Alliance System Formed:

Important to know:
Naval Arms Race between Britain and Germany Triple Alliance and Triple Entente

Schlieffen Plan
• Germany wanted to avoid a war on two fronts (France / Russia)
• the plan was to defeat France quickly (by invading through Belgium with the lion’s share of
German forces) and deal with Russia next as required (or, better yet, kept friendly
• the Plan assumed that Russia would be slow to mobilize, France would be easily defeated,
Britain would remain neutral, and Belgium would not resist
• all these assumptions would prove incorrect and the German plan failed

Schlieffen based his plan on the following assumptions:

– Russia would take at least 6 weeks to mobilize (and was not an immediate invasion threat)
– France would be easily defeated in 6 weeks (just like in the 1870 Franco-Prussian war)
– Belgium would not resist any German attack
– Britain would remain neutral and not honour a treaty with Belgium now 70 years old

Important to know:
Schlieffen Plan Two front war Britain’s pact with neutral Belgium

The Sarajevo Assasination - The Spark

June 28 - Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated by a Serbian terrorist
July 23 - Austria sends ultimatum to Serbia
July 25 - Serbia replies, rejecting one term
July 28 - Austria invades Serbia
July 29 Russia mobilizes army along borders with Austria and Germany Germany declares
war on Russia
August 3 France mobilizes forces to assist Russia Germany declares war on France
August 4 Germany invades Belgium, whose neutrality is guaranteed by Britain; Britain
declares war on Germany
August 5 Canada and the rest of the British Empire are at war

• in the Balkans region of south-east Europe, nationalist tensions are high

• Serbs resented Austria-Hungary recently taking control of neighbouring Bosnia
• a Serbian radical assassinates the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in
June of 1914
• one month later Austria-Hungary sends an ultimatum to Serbia (filled with unacceptable
demands) by way of punishment for the act
• the demands are rejected and Austria-Hungary invades Serbia
• this brings Serbia’s ally (and fellow Slavic nation) Russia into the conflict
• an ally of Austria-Hungary, Germany declares war on Russia
• this in turn brings France (Russia’s ally) into the fight
• Germany declares war on France and invades it through neutral Belgium
• this brings Britain in the war (it had guaranteed Belgian neutrality) against Germany
• alliances drag the nations into war

Important to know:
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Gavrilo Princip and the assassination in Sarajevo (Bosnia)
System of alliances
Belgian Neutrality

Recruitment
• it was thought the war would be over quickly
• local militias organized recruitment (and therefore decided who they would accept)
• Canadians (primarily those of British heritage) eagerly enlisted
• troops arrived in Europe poorly equipped and trained
• Canada’s recruitment policy had racist overtones
• with some reluctance Aboriginal troops were eventually accepted
• black Canadians were not wanted for combat units
• Asian- and German-Canadian soldiers were not welcomed

Important to know:
Canada’s enlistment policy Valcartier Sir Sam Hughes

Air & Sea War

German established a blockade around Britain and hoped to starve them into surrender by
using their U-boat submarines to sink all incoming ships and the supplies they carried
• Canadian ships (in convoy groups for safety) helped bring supplies to Britain (food, weapons,
munitions) during the war
• Canadian ships also cleared mines and patrolled the coast for U-boats
• a great disaster occurred in Halifax when a munitions ship collided with another ship- the
explosion killed 2,000 people
• Canadians in great numbers joined Britain’s air force (we didn’t have one)
• being a pilot was very dangerous (most lived only three weeks) but to many it seemed better
than fighting in the trenches
• some Canadians were among the best pilots (aces) and won many “dogfights” • Germany had
more planes than Britain and pilots like the Red Baron

Weapons in WW1

Bolt Action Rifle - Primary Weapon used during the war

- Firing 15 rounds/min
- How well the soldier is trained affects
the effectiveness

Bayonet - Knife/blade attached to the end of a

rifle
- Used for close combat

The Ross Rifle - Canadian made military rifle

- Good target
- Heavier and longer
- Gets jammed
- Quite faulty
Trench Weapons - Clubs often used during night time
raiding
- Used along with other quite weapons

Machine Guns - Require 3-4 ppl to use

- Could defend large area
- Water cooled
- Heavy
- 500 rounds/min
- Needs flat land

Tanks - Introduced by the British in the battle

of Somme
- Gave Germans an initial scare
- Moves very slowly
- Originally ineffective
- Newer version of tank very effective
and helpful

Artillery - Large field guns

- Improved accuracy and effectiveness
- - Huge impact on the war
Barrage

Rolling: Wall of explosives

Counter: Attach one artillery of enemy
Creeping

Poison Gas - First used in Ypres eventually both

sides will use (chlorine, tear, mustard)
- Did not break stalemate

Flamethrower - Introduced by Germans and

eventually other armies

Random note: Battle of Tannenberg was won by Germans against Russian

 Canadian Battles

YPRES – 1915 in Belgium

• Canadians arrive in Europe and fight first battle
• Germans introduce poison gas and yet Canadians hold the line
• 2,000 die in battle that prompts McCrae to write poem

SOMME – 1916 in France

• despite bombardment of German positions, 90% of the Newfoundland Regiment is
destroyed in 30 minutes
• 50,000 Allied soldiers die in one day, battle will last months
• on the homefront, people are left aghast at the carnage

VIMY RIDGE – 1917 in France

• Currie devises battle plan for Canadian troops
• troops will advance behind creeping artillery barrage
• 4,000 die in the Allies only major battlefield success in 1917
• battle is a turning point in the conflict: both for the Allies as a whole (key victory) and
Canada in particular (conscription)

PASSCHENDAELE – 1917 in Belgium

• the battle in the mud
• Currie warns British the battle will bring huge casualties
• as predicted 16,000 Canadians die in the battle
• ground gained in battle is quickly lost to German counter-attack
Important to know:
Ypres Somme John McCrae
Vimy Passchendaele
 Conscription Crisis

• Most Canadians support the war (but the French in Quebec are less enthusiastic and strongly
opposed conscription)
• early on recruitment is strong (especially in English Canada)
• later however as the deaths increase and the reality of war is made clear, the recruitment
numbers drop (especially in Quebec)
• Borden (wanting Canada to have a strong voice in imperial affairs) insists the nation continue
to send many troops
• to get these soldiers Borden introduces conscription and fights an election in 1917 on this
issue
• he gives the vote to soldiers and those women likely to support the war effort (nurses, relatives
to the soldiers) •Borden wins but the nation is split over the conscription issue

Important to know:
Conscription Robert Borden Khaki Election

FOR CONSCRIPTION AGAINST CONSCRIPTION

- send more troops to the front (stream of
volunteers had dried up)
- win say in imperial affairs
- honour promises to Britain
- honour sacrifices of troops
- fight the evil Germans
- help speed the end of war
- counter waning enthusiasm for the fight
arising from public knowledge of the realities
and miseries of war
- upset farmers losing their sons and hired
hands
- sent those who truly didn’t want to go
- increased French/English tensions
- sent married men to war (leaving their
families to struggle)
- neglected diplomatic options that might
end the war (rather than heightening the
levels of combat)
- hurt homefront production
 Women in the War

Canada’s women made great contributions to the war:

• Canada’s primary war contribution came in the form of food and munitions, women were at
the heart of this effort on the homefront
• on both the farm (farmerettes) and on the factory floor (munitions industries), women
entered the workforce to take the place of the men off fighting
• many women went to the battle front and served as nurses (Bluebirds or Nursing Sisters),
others contributed by volunteering on the homefront (fundraising and producing care
packages for the troops)
• the government did not provide child care and the involvement of the women in the
workforce was always considered to be temporary (they got half the pay given to the men)
• it was expected that they return to their traditional roles after the war (maids, wives and
mothers, teachers)
• many women got the right to vote during the war

Important to know:
Farmerettes / Munitions Factories Bluebirds (Nursing Sisters) The vote for Women

Enemy Aliens

Canada had an issue with “Enemy Aliens” during the war:

• there was a great deal of mistrust surrounding the recent immigrants from the countries with
which Canada was now at war: Germany & Austria-Hungary
• considered a possible threat, individuals from these places of origin would be forced to
register with the police and carry identification papers
• eventually Canada would intern the members of these immigrant communities that caused
the most suspicion: young, single and unemployed men as well as those belonging to suspicious
groups • these so-called “Enemy Aliens” were taken away to internment camps and kept there
until the war ended (most were Ukrainians)
• in the camps they were forced to perform hard labour
 Profiteering

Britain’s desperate need for munitions means big business for Canadian industrialists
• Minister of Militia, Sam Hughes, champions numerous sub-standard, Canadian-made goods
(Ross rifle, useless trenching shovels) and forms the “shell committee” to bid for British war
contracts
• Hughes was guilty of cronyism (friends benefit from war contracts he bestows upon them)
• certain undeserving Canadian businesses profit as contract deals are not fulfilled or late
• Canada’s public is outraged by the dishonest dealings
• finally the British, under munitions minister David Lloyd George, express their outrage and
demand an overhaul of Canada’s munitions industry
• Hughes is fired in 1916

* Trenches, Black Canadians refer to worksheets and Powerpoints *

 CHARACTERISTICS OF PROPAGANDA:
- sweeping generalities are used
- images/notions of freedom, peace, family values are common
- typically make appeals to humble, ordinary people
- use symbols (waving flag etc.)
- provide testimonials of key personages to endorse the cause
- encourage people to join their fellow citizens in a common cause

Treaty of Versailles
• France and Britain in particular wish to punish the Germany
• the Americans prefer a more generous peace and want to see self-determination
for European peoples (Slavs, Poles, Czechs)
• President Wilson also wanted a League of Nations created
• the Allies (the Big Four) agree that the Central Powers should pay reparations,
give up territory, and be prevented in future from developing strong military
forces
• Germany is also forced to accept responsibility for the war
• new nations are formed (Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, etc.) with lands
taken from the Central Powers
• Germany in particular is left embittered by the treaty’s terms and will turn to war
once again