World War IWorld War I

War on Land, in the Air, and at SeaWar on Land, in the Air, and at Sea

LANDLANDRecap: Trench WarfareRecap: Trench Warfare

Canada Goes to War…Canada Goes to War… The Canadian government The Canadian government

encouraged men to enlist in encouraged men to enlist in the warthe war

They said the war would be They said the war would be safe, with hardly any safe, with hardly any fighting, and the boys would fighting, and the boys would be home for Christmasbe home for Christmas

They used advertising They used advertising posters to encourage this posters to encourage this ideaidea

Digging In…Digging In… The Schlieffen Plan had failedThe Schlieffen Plan had failed The Germans could not advance; the British The Germans could not advance; the British

and the French could not drive them backand the French could not drive them back Both sides set about digging in – fortifying their Both sides set about digging in – fortifying their

positions on the Western positions on the Western FrontFront

They dug trenches to protect their troopsThey dug trenches to protect their troops Each trench was about 2 metres deep, topped Each trench was about 2 metres deep, topped

with sandbagswith sandbags Soldiers could stand in the trench without being Soldiers could stand in the trench without being

seen by the enemyseen by the enemy

No-Man’s LandNo-Man’s Land A narrow strip, called No-Man’s Land, lay A narrow strip, called No-Man’s Land, lay

between the Allies and their enemiesbetween the Allies and their enemies Rifle and machine gun fire spattered Rifle and machine gun fire spattered

across no-man’s land whenever a soldier across no-man’s land whenever a soldier detected movement in enemy territorydetected movement in enemy territory

Shells flew from artillery behind the front Shells flew from artillery behind the front lines, spraying shrapnel everywhere lines, spraying shrapnel everywhere

Over the TopOver the Top

Officers would sometimes order an advance, Officers would sometimes order an advance, which meant “going over the top” of the trench which meant “going over the top” of the trench and across No-Man’s Land fully exposed to the and across No-Man’s Land fully exposed to the enemy’s fireenemy’s fire

Over the TopOver the Top Occasionally, the troops managed to Occasionally, the troops managed to

capture the enemy’s front linecapture the enemy’s front line The enemy would then retire to its The enemy would then retire to its

reserve trenches a short distance awayreserve trenches a short distance away Barbed wire stretched across the new Barbed wire stretched across the new

patch of no-man’s landpatch of no-man’s land A few metres of land had been lost or A few metres of land had been lost or

wonwon

Life in the TrenchesLife in the Trenches Soldiers fought, died, and slept in the Soldiers fought, died, and slept in the

trenchestrenches The Canadian government and the The Canadian government and the

media presented war reports that were media presented war reports that were told in heroic terms – this would increase told in heroic terms – this would increase public support of the warpublic support of the war

Later, veterans told a different storyLater, veterans told a different story

No smiling and relaxed faces…

No clean uniforms…

Their equipment is scattered everywhere…

Boredom and sleep are obvious…

The Trenches!

Canadians at War Canadians at War ScrapbookScrapbook Using pages 8 and 9 in the Canadians at War Using pages 8 and 9 in the Canadians at War

Scrapbook, answer the following questions:Scrapbook, answer the following questions: Why were rats plentiful in the trenches?Why were rats plentiful in the trenches? Why could the men who died in No-Man’s-Land not Why could the men who died in No-Man’s-Land not

be buried?be buried? What is shrapnel?What is shrapnel? When was gas used for the first time? Who used it When was gas used for the first time? Who used it

first?first? When did the first effective use of gas take place?When did the first effective use of gas take place? Which of the fifteen ‘Defensive Measures against Which of the fifteen ‘Defensive Measures against

Gas Attacks’ do you think are most effective? Why?Gas Attacks’ do you think are most effective? Why? How long did men generally spend in the trenches?How long did men generally spend in the trenches?

The War in the AirThe War in the Air

The airplane was The airplane was still a relatively still a relatively new inventionnew invention

It was originally It was originally used for observing used for observing enemy positions enemy positions and was not and was not armedarmed

At the outbreak of At the outbreak of WWI, Canada had no WWI, Canada had no planes or pilotsplanes or pilots

War in the AirWar in the Air By 1915, planes were armed with By 1915, planes were armed with

machine guns and bombsmachine guns and bombs A pilot who shot down five enemy A pilot who shot down five enemy

planes earned the title of aceplanes earned the title of ace

DogfightsDogfights Meetings between warring aircraft often Meetings between warring aircraft often

became deadly “dogfights”became deadly “dogfights” Pilots tried to tailgate enemy plans so that the Pilots tried to tailgate enemy plans so that the

enemies could not return the gunfireenemies could not return the gunfire Being shot down usually meant instant deathBeing shot down usually meant instant death The average lifespan of a pilot was only three The average lifespan of a pilot was only three

weeks longweeks long They called their planes “flying coffins”They called their planes “flying coffins”

Billy BishopBilly Bishop One of the leading “aces” He shot down 72 enemy

planes which made him the greatest ace in the British Empire and earned him the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery under fire

War at SeaWar at Sea

At the beginning of the war, Canada had no At the beginning of the war, Canada had no real navy and only 350 naval personnel with real navy and only 350 naval personnel with 250 reserves;250 reserves;

Canada had two ships and two submarines Canada had two ships and two submarines which were given by the British Navy;which were given by the British Navy;

Early main activities were in port in Halifax, Early main activities were in port in Halifax, coastal protection and shipping movement coastal protection and shipping movement and port inspection; and port inspection;

War at SeaWar at SeaHMCS NIOBE

HMCS RAINBOW

War at SeaWar at Sea

At first it appeared that Britain At first it appeared that Britain would dominate the war at seawould dominate the war at sea

It had the larges and most modern It had the larges and most modern fleet. fleet.

The greatest danger faced by the The greatest danger faced by the fleet was the German submarine or fleet was the German submarine or U-boatU-boat

Atlantic ConvoysAtlantic Convoys

Canada’s main role in the war at sea was Canada’s main role in the war at sea was in shipping Canadian troops, food, and in shipping Canadian troops, food, and munitions to Europemunitions to Europe

The British started to collect ships in to The British started to collect ships in to large groups called convoyslarge groups called convoys

Convoys would sail together from Convoys would sail together from Quebec, Halifax, or St. John’sQuebec, Halifax, or St. John’s

The convoy system greatly reduced the The convoy system greatly reduced the number of ships sunknumber of ships sunk