1. WWI CANADA GOES TO WAR; MAJOR BATTLES

2. FIRST Let’s check-in

3. CANADA GOES TO WAR Canada automatically entered the war as part of the British Empire Prime minister Robert Borden (1911-1920) Sent a force of 25,000 men Called for volunteers 10,000 men did And hundreds of women

4. CANADA GOES TO WAR Why did Canadians volunteer? PatriotismAdventure Most volunteers were recent immigrants from Britain War was the “great adventure”

5. TRAINING Sir Sam Hughes Minister of Militia and Defense Hughes was responsible for overseeing/coordinating the training and outfitting of Canadian troops Training Camp set-up at Valcartier, Quebec

6. EQUIPPING The Ross Rifle One of the best rifles for accuracy! Canadian made! Terrible in trench warfare

7. SAM HUGHES The Ross rifle is an example of one of the major criticisms of Sam Hughes Others included: Poor administrator Inefficiency and confusion Profiteer Allowed patronage E.g. boots, shells He was dismissed in 1916

8. THE CANADIAN CORPS When Canadian soldiers arrived on the Western Front in 1915: They were formed into the Canadian Corps Canadians fought as one unit alongside (not within) the British units Pride at home; unity amongst the troops in Europe! What about Newfies? Newfoundland was not part of Canada yet Newfoundlanders joined the Newfoundland Regiment At first commanded by a Brit, General Julian Byng In 1917, command was given to a Canadian (!) Lieutenant-General Arthur Currie

9. SCHLEIFFEN Didn’t work! Germany made it through Belgium (with heavy resistance) but were stopped in Northeast France. Neither side could breakthrough. One result: A two-front war One outcome: A STALEMATE: The war would remain in Northeast France for the next three years!

10. STALEMATE Trench warfare was the result of this stalemate Protected from: machine gun fire Vulnerable to: artillery, bombs, gas Let’s look at the anatomy of the battlefield

14. BATTLE OF ATTRITION/TOTAL WAR Two things that made WWI unique in world history Battle of Attrition (or War of Attrition) The name of the game (like Survivor) was OUTLAST Grinding the other side down Total War All resources went towards the war. The home front (a new term to describe civilian society during the war) was becoming as important as the battle front

15. FIVE BATTLES Ypres, 1915 Somme, 1916 Vimy, 1917 Passchendaele, 1917 Last Hundred Days, 1918 GAS FRONTAL CANADIAN CORPS MUD WORN OUT