WW1 Timeline

World War I Begins

August 4, 1914: WW1 began

Canada did not have choice

• During this time, Canada was still under the British Empire and were pulled into the war (because they were allies with the British)

Economy

• Canada's economy was struggling because men had to go to war, leaving the labour force empty
• Women had to start fillling in for them
• However, the war still had a negative impact on Canada's finances
• Canada's debt started to increase dramatically
• Canada had to rely on the U.S and Britain for help

Significance

• Approximately 650,000 fought in the war
• More than 60,000 lost their lives
• More than 150,000 were seriously wound in the war

Opportunities For Women

August 1914: Opportunities For Women

As most men were serving in the war, Canadian women had to do jobs that were tradtionally held by men, as well as support the war. This included:

Military involvement

• Over 2,500 Canadian nurses that helped in the war
• Women participated in munitions manufacturing

The Spanish Flu

• During the war, a deadly virus known as the Spanish Flu broke out across the world; Canadaian nurses provided aid
• Over 50 million people died from teh Spanish Flu worldwide
• female nurses were the ones taking care of sick people and wounded soldiers

Soldiers say that"they put themselves in harms way in order to help those in need"

Significance

• Gave women more opportunities to join the workforce
• Women demonstrated that they have the same capabilities as men and should be treated equally
• This led to increased advocacy for gender equality

War Measures Act

August 22 1914: War Measures Act

The War Measures Act was imposed in Canada in August 1914

• This Act allowed the Canadian government to suspend the rights of "enemy aliens" in the country, citing it was in the best interest of Canada's safety and protection
• "enemy aliens" had their rights violated just because they were from"enemy" countries (countries Canada were fighting against in the war)
• These people were taken prisoners and put into internment camps where they were forced to do physical labour
• families were sperated
• over 100 people died in these camps
• some were shot because they were trying to escape
• many died from dieseases and work related injuries
• some even died from suicide

Significance

• Peoples rights were being violated just because they were from another country
• this was the first time the Canadian government utilised this kind of power (to suspend the rights of people)

The Second Battle Of Ypres

May 25, 1915: Second Battle Of Ypres

• This battle lasted from April 22, 1915 to May 25, 1915
• This battle was the first major battle fought by Canadian forces
• During this battle, German troops fired 160 tonnes of gas at Canadian troops, making it the first major gas attack in the war
• Some Canadians survived the gas attacks, but over 2,000 Canadian troops died

Significance

• During the battle, Lieutenant-Colonel John McRea created the famous poem, ‘In Flanders Field”
• This poem showed support to all soldiers serving in the war, and to soldiers who have died
• During the war, Canadian troops showed their courage and tenacity, which added to their reputation as one of the fiercest countries in the war

Battle Of Vimy Ridge

April 12, 1917: The Battle of Vimy Ridge

• This battel took place on April 12, 1917
• It is recognized as Canada's most celebrated military victory
• took place at the western front in northern France
• All four divisions of the Canadian Corps were fighting in this battle (first time they fought togeher)

Significance

• “Birth of Canadian National Pride andAwareness”
• This battle symbolized the birth of Canadian nationalism
• Although many Canadians died, this battle united Canada together as a country
• Soldiers from all over Canada came together to fight in this war (all four Canadian corps divisions)
• Brigadier-General Alexander Ross (soldier fighting in battle) said “in those few minutes, I witnessed the birth of a nation.”

Income War Tax Act

1917: Income War Tax Act

In 1917 the Government created the Income Tax Act to help support and win the war

• During the war, Canada's debt increased
• During the war, Canada was spending over their budget to support their soldiers and allies
• They first turned to the British for help, but then had to ask the U.S. for financial help
• By 1915, Canada’s debt had grown to $449 million
• In 1917, the Minister of Finance at the time (Sir William Thomas White) created the Income War Tax Act (federal tax on any source of income)
• The Act was established o finance the resources of the 100,000 soldiers fighting overseas
• It began as a 4% tax on income
• Only 2 to 8 % of Canadians completed tax returns

Significance

• This was only supposed to be in effect during the war, but came into effect permanently in 1949 because of Canada's debt ($1.6 billion)
• Today, approximately half of the government's revenue comes from income tax
• Today, 80% of Canadians file tax returns

Federal Election of 1917

1917: Federal Election

In the 1917 election, one significant issue separated the country

• The issue being debated was conscription in Canada
• This divided the French Canadians and the English Canadians
• Conscirption is when men (at that time only men were allowed to fight in the war) that meet the country's requirements were automatically drafted into the war
• most men were forced to fight in the war

Significance

• French Canadians did not believe in conscription because theydid not have a connection (nationalism) to the British empire
• As well, many farmers made up most of the French Canadians and they believed they could help Canada in others ways instead of sending men to fight the war
• They believed they could support the economy with financial aid and necessities like crops
• The English Canadians believed in conscription because they felt a great sense of nationalism towards the British Empire and wanted to help them win the war

Wartime Elections Act

1917: Wartime Elections Act

This Act gave female relatives of Canadian soldiers serving in the war the right to vote in the 1917 election

• this included wives, mothers, and sisters of soldiers serving in the war
• The Prime Minister that passed the Act was Robert Borden
• This was an attempt to gain more votes (for the conservative government) to win the 1917 election
• In the end, Sir Robert Borden won the election for the conservitave party wih majority vote

Significance

• This was the first time in Canadian history that women were allowed to vote
• However, the Act also took away the right of "enemy aliens" (Canadian immigrants from “enemy” countries) to vote

WW1 Ends

Novermber 11, 1918: WW1 Ends

Thw War officially ended on November 11, 1918 (with the peace treaty being signed in 1919)

• More than 61,000 Canadian soldiers died
• More than 170,000 Canadian soldiers were seriously wounded during the war
• The Income Tax Act wa still in affect
• With the war ending, there was finally peace among all of the countries
• It gave people an opportuity to reflect on all the death caused by the war

Significance

• A treaty was later entered into to keep world peace
• Germany was to take responsibility for their actions and was to pay for the damages caused by th war
• This was also an opportunity to put limitations on Germany's army to make sure this would not happen again

Treaty Of Versailles

Jume 28, 1919: Treaty Of Versailles

This Treaty was imposed on Germany by Allied Victors to set peace terms

• June 28,1919, this treaty was signed in Versailles
• Included specific Treaty terms
• Germany was to take full responsibility and blame for WW1
• Imposed limitations on German empire (# of soldiers, weapons, etc)
• Germany was to pay the French billions of dollars in order to repair damages caused by them

Significance

• The Treaty created a League of Nations (worldwide intergovernmental organization created to maintain world peace)
• This would allow Canada to represent themselves as an independent country (not under the British Empire)
• This is one of the first steps towards Canada becoming an independent country