Women in WWI

Roles Women provided crucial support as wives, mothers, and sweethearts of the men who fought They campaigned and recruited men Maintained a strong wartime economy and kept public moral high.

RED Cross- They worked for the red cross rolling bandages, knitting sweaters and socks, and packing the food parcels that were important! Roles they fulfilled

3,000 women served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps as Nursing Sisters Canadian women were the only nurses who received the rank and pay of officers. Over 300 were ambulance drivers! Continued………….

New Roles Women assumed non-traditional roles –5 to 6 thousand became Civil Servants –The Imperial Munitions Board employed women in factories

Post War Reactions Roles of women changed. Women eventually were given the vote in 1918 Enactment of industrial legislation was a direct result of their involvement in wartime industry. However, women were still seen as a temporary phenomenon

Racism Natives Germans Austrians Hungarians Ukrainians Blacks

Aboriginal Soldiers Volunteered in large numbers –More than 4000 –They donated thousands of dollars as well. –35% of Natives enlisted –Question How often do we hear about natives in the war?

Aboriginal Soldiers Numbers of Aboriginals who served in the war is not known because there was no accurate records of them. Government initially would not allow aboriginals to serve overseas Government discouraged them from enlisting

Enemy Aliens Under the War Measures Act (1914) the government gave itself powers to restrict civil rights and arrest and detain people. Foreign languages were banned and against the law. Under the War Measures Act, the government also introduced censorship…it banned the publication and distribution of books and magazines in “enemy” languages People of German heritage in the town of Berlin, Ontario tried to show their loyalty to Britain by changing the name of their town to Kitchener, after the British war minister.

Enemy Aliens When the war broke out, there were about 500,000 German, Austrian, and Hungarian people living in Canada. Others, like the Ukrainians, came from territories or allies of the German and Austrian empires 6000 men were put in 24 various concentration camps. Others had to register with the local police and report on a regular basis. Some had their homes and businesses vandalized. Even after this, they enlisted in large numbers and forged documents to sound more “Canadian”

Black People Known as second rate people Segregated from other soldiers Often used in the front line Given menial and labour intensive jobs –Dug Trenches, served food, served the men