Canada and The Great War

Canada andThe Great WarTrench Warfare and Weaponry

February 13, 2014

The Master Plan Tuesday: Intro to WWI, Causes, Alliances

Wednesday: Analyzing Propaganda

Thursday: Trench Warfare & Weaponry

Friday: Major Canadian Battles

Monday: Conscription Crisis

Tuesday: War on the Home Front

Wednesday: End of The Great War

Thursday: Review Games

Friday: WWI Quiz

Review Q’s

• Describe how Canadians reacted to joining the war?

• What were some of the reasons why Canadians voluntarily signed up for military service.

• What was The War Measures Act?

• Name two policies, programs or organizations created through the WMA.

•What is propaganda?

• Name two ways in which the Canadian government used propaganda to influence Canadians during WWI.

•Horrible Histories – First Time in the British Trenches

Weaponry

Jigsaw!!!

The Western Front

Trench Warfare Average trench was 7 ft deep, 6 ft wide

Persistent cold and dampness resulted in trench foot

Oversized rats, bloated by the food and waste of stationary armies, helped spread disease in unsanitary conditions

Lice tormented the troops

Random shelling and sniping created earth-shattering noise

“Shellshock” = Mental trauma caused by war (crying, fear, paralysis, or insanity)

High casualties, poor food, and lack of sleep threatened to undermine soldier morale Desertion, SIW, Malingering

First Day in the Trenches

A War of Attrition

World War One was as a war of ATTRITION

Strategy was to wear down the enemy by repeated attacks until it ran out of soldiers, or until it lost the will to continue fighting.

Traditional tactics + Modern Weaponry = Mass Casualties

Repeated battles produced high casualties with little ground gained

Christmas Truce of 1914 Through the week leading up to Christmas, German

and French soldiers began to exchange seasonal greetings and songs.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, some soldiers even walked across no man’s land, gifting food and souvenirs.

Joint burial ceremonies occurred

Troops from both sides were friendly enough to play football

The truce is often seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of human history

Joyeux Noel Trailer

Homework! Imagine you are a soldier fighting in the

trenches of WWI. Write a letter home describing the trench conditions to a family member or friend.