The End of World War I

Direction of the War Changes Two important events changed the course of the war in 1917: 1.Sinking of the Lusitania  U.S. enters war 2.Russia signs a peace treaty with Germany  allows German troops to move to Western Front and try to capture Paris before U.S. troops arrive

March 1918: Germans used mass attacks to break into France Positions won by Canadians at high cost were lost in weeks (Ypres, the Somme, Passchendaele) By summer, the new front line was only 75kms from Paris! Allied troops were on the verge on a new offensive…

The “Hundred Days” The new offensive began when soldiers and artillery were secretly gathered in Amiens When the forces attacked, the Germans were completely surprised and began to retreat

As they retreated, the Germans destroyed roads, bridges, towns, etc. to slow the Allies’ pursuit as the Germans tried one last time to establish a last defensive line at the German border Canada’s offensives during the “Hundred Days” were among the most successful of any during WWI  defeated ¼ of the German army

The End of WWI The Central Powers collapsed one by one The fighting ended at 11:00am on November 11, 1918 Canadian Private, George Lawrence, was the last Canadian soldier to die in WWI

Paris Peace Conference The war ended formally with the Paris Peace Conference held in 1919 at the Palace of Versailles The formal agreement that ended the war was called “The Treaty of Versailles”

Terms of The Treaty of Versailles: 1.Germany had to agree to a War Guilt Clause accepting responsibility for causing WWI 2.Map of Europe would be redrawn, reducing the area of Germany (newly independent Poland) 3.Germany had to pay war damages ($30 billion!) 4.The German army and navy would be strictly limited

Germany hesitated to sign such a harsh agreement but eventually did because the Allies threatened to resume fighting Despite concerns on both sides, the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919 Prime Minister Borden was included in those who signed it

Europe Before WWI (1914)

Europe After WWI (1918)

Canada’s Coming of Age What was the lasting impact of WWI on Canada? A time when Canada matured as a nation and asserted independence in international affairs It has been argued that the Allies could not have won the war without the support of Canada The role of Canadian women in the war helped them gain the right to vote in federal elections by 1918

Costs of WWI enlistments; dead/missing The gross national debt soared from $544 million in 1914 to almost $2.5 billion in 1919 When soldiers returned home from war, many were met with unemployment -caused political and social unrest As soldiers returned home from around the world, the Spanish Flu swept across the world and killed over Canadians

Achievements of WWI Canada asserted herself on the international stage Demonstrated military strength Demonstrated independence from Britain Canadian women gained the right to vote Women demonstrated ability to be part of the workforce