2. Why did Canadian men volunteer to fight in the Great War? What reasons can you think of which might explain why nearly 32000 Canadians and 750,000 Britons volunteered to fight in only the first two months of the war (August and September, 1914)?

3. The reasons for volunteering were varied. They included: Patriotism – love for Canada and British Empire Patriotism – love for Canada and British Empire Peer group pressure – sign up to be with your friends Peer group pressure – sign up to be with your friends A sense of shame or cowardice if you didn’t volunteer A sense of shame or cowardice if you didn’t volunteer Revenge for German atrocities Revenge for German atrocities A desire for adventure A desire for adventure Escape from unemployment and a chance to earn money – $1 per day for infantry men and 3 meals a day Escape from unemployment and a chance to earn money – $1 per day for infantry men and 3 meals a day Convincing propaganda and effective recruitment posters Convincing propaganda and effective recruitment posters

4. Look at the following six posters and decide which category of reason for volunteering they fit in: patriotism / peer pressure /shame / revenge / adventure / unemployment. Explain in three or four sentences why you have made your choice. In some cases, two or more reasons could apply to the same poster.

5. Poster A Poster B

6. Poster CPoster D

7. Poster E Both the British and the Australian governments promised groups of men who volunteered together that they would be allowed to serve together in the same battalions. These special units were called ‘Pals Battalions’.

8. This poster shows Lord Kitchener. He was a hero from an earlier war and was the British Minister for War until he was drowned when his ship was sunk in 1916. Poster F

9. 1. Which reason for fighting wasn’t in any of the posters. Why do you think the government didn’t use this a reason to persuade men to enlist? 2. Now write a couple paragraphs explaining why so many men volunteered to fight in the very early stages of the war. 3. Why do you think recruitment numbers gradually began to decline after 1914?