History Unit 1

By Andrew Chen

Unit 1 focuses in on the different causes and battles in World War 1. This note will have many different sections all of which will be tested. ## Causes of World War 1 ### Militarism * an arms race was occurring between the British and the Germans * dreadnoughts were being built up by both the British and Germans * spending on the military increased 300% in the main European countries between 1870 and 1914 ### Alliances * the Triple Entente formed between Britain, Russia, and France * the Triple Alliance formed between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy ### Imperialism * industrialized countries needed markets for their goods in the form of colonies * Germany believed that overseas colonies would be a sign of great power to the rest of Europe * Austria-Hungary also wished to expand its empire through conquering Serbia and the rest of the Balkan states. It recently annexed Bosnia angering Russia and Serbia. ### Nationalism * Russia was defeated by Japan in the Russo-Japanese War and wanted to prove she was still powerful * Italy was newly unified and wanted to declare its power in Europe * the Austrian empire was made up of many different nationalities who all wanted to separate from Austria. ### The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand * Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir apparent to the Austro-Hungarian empire was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip on June 28th, 1914 * This was orchestrated by the Black Hand, an organization from Serbia * An ultimatum was sent to Serbia from the Austro-Hungarian empire with the following demands: 1. Stop all hatred against Austro-Hungary 2. Punish all of those involved in the assassination 3. Allow Austro-Hungarian police to destroy the Black Hand (this was not acceptable)

After this ultimatium was rejected, Russia mobilized to protect Serbia. Germany responded by declaring war on Russia to protect Austria-Hungary. They then declared war on France, Russia’s ally.
In the invasion against France, Germans go through neutral Belgium, triggering Britain (Canada included) to join the war on the side of France and Russia. World War 1 was now in full swing. ## Canada’s Entry into World War 1 ### Initial Reaction
Borden’s government passed the War Measures Act giving the government the powers of
- censorship
- price and wage controls
- pass laws without parliament
- arrests, detentions, and deportations without trial ### Sam Hughes
appointed by Borden to recruit and train new troops
he set up Valcartier Camp in a few weeks near Quebec City which was built to house soldiers before they headed to Europe
he helped Ontario to industrialize
he had four main contreversies through his tenure
1. Shovel shield - a tool that was ineffective at being a shovel or shield and was eventually sold for scrap
2. Ross rifle - a rifle that was ineffective and jammed in mud
3. Munitions production was of low quality leading to accusations of corruption
4. Religious bigotry against the French, leading to lower enlistment ### Minorities in World War 1 #### Japanese and Chinese Canadians
strong desire for a vote and acceptance in the country #### No.2 Construction Battalion
informal segregation of Black Canadians made it difficult to join the army
this non-combatant battalion was formed as the first black battalion in Canadian history #### First Nations, Metis, and Inuit
joined for
- a regular wage
- adventure
- friends and family had enlisted
- travel the world
- honor the relationship set in the War of 1812 between the Indigenous and the Crown
- chance to be a warrior
the Indian act made it so that those who fought in World War 1 and lived off the reserves could vote and were expected to pay taxes
many FNMI became snipers or scouts ### Misc. Terms
Social Darwinism provided scientific explanation and social justification for inequality and exploitation
Imperialism caused belief in white superiority and that the British principles of government were the superior ones

Battles and Strategies of World War 1

Schlieffen Plan

put into effect to try to avoid a two-front war
to avoid a war with France and Russia simultaneously, Germany would send 90% of its troops towards French territory thru the Low countries, quickly defeating France

they believed that the Russians could not mobilize and attack Germany’s Eastern border fast enough, and that the entire army would be back from defeating France fast enough to defend against Russia

Expectations	Reality
Russia would take 6 weeks to mobilize	Russia mobilized in just 10 days
France would be defeated in 6 weeks	The war lasted 4 years
Belgium would not resist	The Germans were held up by the Belgian Army
Britain would not be involved	They joined right away upon hearing of the Belgian invasion

Trench Warfare

How did Trench Warfare come to be?

after the Schlieffen Plan failed, the Germans implemented trench warfare to stop the British and French armies
- a war of attrition; both sides tried to wear down the other
military leaders tried to end trench warfare by attempting a breakthrough, but to no avail

Features of Trench Warfare

many commanders of the British forces employed the usage of over-the-top, a strategy that involved rushing at the enemy trenches
duck boards were wood boards nailed together to form a bridge over mud
no-man’s land was the area between the opposing trenches
mud, lice, and rats were everywhere in the trenches
- rats contaminated food
- lice caused trench fever
- mud caused trench foot, an ailment that rendered the foot numb, swelling, and smelly
barbed wire was a defensive construct used to stop infantry
shell shock was a nervous disorder resulting from exposure to artillery bombardment #### Other Military Technologies
artillery
- fired different types of shells including ones that contained shrapnel and explosives
chemical warfare
- chlorine gas caused the lungs to fill with pus, leaving the victim to drown
airplanes
- allowed reconnaissance flights
- guns eventually became a presence on these flights, with the Germans developing a device that allowed a gun to fire without hitting a propeller
tanks
- counter to machine guns, but often got stuck in the mud
u-boats
- submarines used to prevent countries to reach supplies

Battles of World War 1

Second Battle of Ypres

first usage of chlorine gas in World War 1
no ground was gained or lost
In Flanders Fields was written during this battle
this was the first battle in which Canadians participated

Battle of the Somme

designed to relieve the French offensive at Verdun
joint British and French offensive
massive amounts of losses on both sides
little land (about 8km) was gained by the Allies
introduction of the tank as a counter to machine guns #### Battle of Vimy Ridge
carefully planned attack that was rehearsed beforehand with infantry given maps and specific tasks
engineers dug tunnels to minimize areas where soldiers could be killed
first successful usage of the creeping barrage where soldiers would advance behind a wave of artillery
this battle was lead by Julian Byng of Britain and Arthur Currie of Canada
- Byng was originally the leader of the Canadian corps but after Vimy Ridge, Currie was given full reins of the Canadian corps #### Passchendaele
only 6km of land was gained, with many casualties
- military victory for the British, but massive morale loss for Britain
Haig was convinced that the Battle of Passchendaele would push a German army close to collapse to fall
the bombardment by the British destroyed the drainage system which was combined with heavy rain and resulted in mud everywhere #### Canada’s Hundred Days
Allied capture of Mons, spearheaded by the Canadians
Breach of the Hindenberg line
involved the breach of the Canal du Nord by Currie, a plan that was extremely daring but given the seal of approval by General Douglas Haig of the British Army
Canadian troops were truly marked as elite here
- Canadian corps launched a series of attacks that broke German lines #### Hindenberg Line
German defensive position built between 1916 and 1917
parts of it were held until the end of the war
many parts captured during the Battle of Arras including Vimy Ridge

Turning Points

Russian Departure from the War

in February of 1917, Russia leaves the war as Nicholas II is overthrown
the treaty of Brest-Litvosk in March 1918 gives a large amount of land to Germany and Russia is able to leave the war
Lenin’s communist revolution begins in full swing #### Americans Joining the War
Germans employed a strategy called unrestricted submarine warfare after it had been blockaded by Britain
through this strategy, they would destroy the Lusitania which was a British ship carrying American passengers
- this would prompt American entry into the war on the side of Britain and its allies ### The Home Front #### Conscription
where all men of age 20-45 and good health are forced to go fight in war
Borden uses the War Measures Act to pass two other acts
- the Wartime Elections Act gives votes to women and takes away votes from Ukrainians and Germans (deemed aliens)
- the Military Voters Act gave votes soldiers overseas in any riding while taking the vote away from conscientious objectors and pacifists
Borden wants conscription to pass so that Canada can win the war faster and gain a voice in post-war politics
farmers wanted to stay in Canada and produce food instead of fighting
- Borden temporarily granted this request, but later reversed the decision
status First Nations peoples were exempt from serving as they were not citizens of Canada
- they could still be called to non-combatant roles in Canada
French-Canadians were reluctant to serve as they were viewed as below the English-speaking troops

Propaganda and Paying for the War

the government paid for the war through a variety of methods
- taxes on business
- personal income tax
- victory bonds which would only be paid out if Canada won the war
they used propaganda heavily to promote Victory bonds

Women and their Role in Society

women were a major part of workforce for the first time in World War 1
- they had lower wages
- the unions didn’t want them
- fired for returning soldiers after the war
- bad hygiene standards
women that were related to soldiers or who were nurses were given the right to vote in 1917 through the Wartime Election Act
- all women were given the right in 1918 with the passing of the Federal Women’s Franchise Act ### After the War #### Peace
the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 was held to discuss terms of peace
- gathering of 32 nations, including Canada
- Canada could not vote but had 2 seats
the big three people calling shots were
- Georges Clemenceau of France
  - wanted to ensure protection of the French
- David Lloyd George of Britain
  - increase British holdings in terms of colonies
- Woodrow Wilson of the USA
  - wanted his fourteen points to be passed
Germany had to make many concessions after World War 1
- restricted army size
- war reparations through the War Guilt Clause
- lost territory in many areas of the world
- forbade union with Austria
- forbade troops in the Rhineland
- the port of Danzig became a “free city” as Poland was given access to the sea
- Sudetenland was given to Czechslovakia even though it was a German majority region
The Fourteen Points by Wilson were the basis of the Treaty of Versailles, however much of it was left out as others viewed it as idealistic
unsatisfactory peace, as the Germans had agreed to the Fourteen Points, a much less harsh peace

The Economy

the economy after World War 1 was not very healthy
- unemployment caused by the closing of munitions factories
- huge debts that would take years to pay off
Germany had the brunt of the economic costs, as the War Guilt Clause forced them to continue paying reparations until 1984
- the German economy became extremely unstable, leading to hyperinflation by 1922
quality of life in Canada after the war was poor
- unemployment rose as the war ended
- food and fuel were more expensive and in short supply
- wages were low, and prices were high
the veterans were not treated well when they came back
- expected to go back to their civilian responsibilities with very limited support from the government
- many of them could not go back due to shell shock or PTSD
many workers wanted to have a partnership of unions in the form of the One Big Union
- this union would have enormous bargaining power with employers, making it easier to achieve their demands
Canadian workers were unsatisfied and began to demand three things
- recognition of their unions
- 8 hour workdays
- improved wages
- these were not given by employers, and thus lead to the Winnipeg General Strike #### Winnipeg General Strike
members of Winnipeg’s building-trade union went on strike
- they were soon joined by many different workers from different industries
- this became a general strike, one that involved every non-essential worker
the strike disrupted daily life in Winnipeg and was strongly opposed by the Citizen’s Commission of 1000
- made up of business owners, politicians, and bankers
- they spread propaganda that this was a Communist revolution and hired scabs to replace workers
On June 21st, 1919, Bloody Saturday occurred where RNWMP officers on horseback charged into a protest
- the army occupied the city, and workers went back to their jobs
the Winnipeg general strike did lead to positive changes later on with laws recognizing the rights of workers and strike organizers becoming politicians
- J.S Woodsworth, an organizer, became a founding member of the NDP #### Spanish Flu
influenza epidemic caused by a strain called H1N1
no historical data showing where it started
killed young healthy adults
started in March 1918 and ended in June 1920
called Spanish Flu as the Spanish press were the first to report on it
- all the other countries affected involved in World War 1 had censored the event
20 to 100 million killed
- the flu caused an overreaction in the immune system leading to death

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