History WW1

MANIA

Militarism, Alliance system, Nationalism, Imperialism, and Assassination — the five main causes of World War I

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's strategy to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France through Belgium, then turning to fight Russia

Propaganda

Government-produced material used to encourage enlistment and shape public opinion about the war

Trench warfare

A defensive style of fighting where soldiers dug long ditches to protect themselves from enemy fire

No Man's Land

The deadly stretch of land between opposing trenches, exposed to constant fire from both sides

Going over the top

When soldiers climbed out of their trenches to advance across No Man's Land toward enemy lines

Shell shock

A psychological condition caused by the trauma of combat, now recognized as PTSD

Trench foot

A painful foot condition caused by prolonged exposure to cold, wet, and unsanitary conditions in the trenches

Battle of Ypres

A series of battles in Belgium where Canadians first faced poison gas attacks; significant for Canadian military identity

Battle of Vimy Ridge

A 1917 Canadian victory capturing a heavily fortified German position; considered a defining moment of Canadian nationhood

Battle of Passchendaele

A 1917 battle in Belgium marked by extreme mud and massive casualties with minimal territorial gain

Battle of the Somme

A 1916 battle with catastrophic Allied losses on the first day; saw early use of tanks

Arthur Currie

Canada's first native-born commander of the Canadian Corps, known for careful planning that reduced casualties

Flying aces

Elite WWI fighter pilots who achieved five or more aerial victories; conditions were dangerous and life expectancy was low

Merchant marine

Civilian sailors who transported vital war supplies across the Atlantic, targeted by German U-boats

U-boats

German submarines that conducted unrestricted submarine warfare to cut off Allied supply lines

Convoys

A naval strategy of grouping supply ships together with military escorts to protect against U-boat attacks

Victory Bonds

Government-issued bonds purchased by Canadians to help finance the war effort

Victory Gardens

Civilian vegetable gardens planted to supplement food supplies and reduce pressure on military food production

Conscription

Mandatory military service introduced by PM Robert Borden in 1917 through the Military Service Act, causing a national crisis especially between English and French Canadians

Women's suffrage

The movement to grant women the right to vote; Canadian women gained federal voting rights in 1918

Nellie McClung

A leading Canadian suffragette and activist who fought for women's rights and political representation

No. 2 Construction Battalion

The only all-Black battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, formed because Black soldiers faced discrimination in other units

William White

A Black Canadian soldier who served with the No. 2 Construction Battalion

Buckam Singh

A Sikh-Canadian soldier who overcame racial barriers to serve in WWI and was awarded for his bravery

Frederick Lee

A Chinese-Canadian soldier who enlisted despite Chinese Canadians being denied citizenship rights

Francis Pegahmagabow

An Indigenous Canadian soldier and the most decorated Indigenous soldier in Canadian history, renowned as a sharpshooter

Russian Revolution

The 1917 overthrow of the Russian tsar and rise of the Bolsheviks, leading Russia to exit WWI through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Lusitania

A British ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, killing 1,198 people and helping shift American opinion toward entering the war

Hundred Days Campaign

A decisive Allied offensive from August to November 1918 that broke through German lines and ended the war

Armistice

The ceasefire agreement signed on November 11, 1918 at 11:00 AM, ending the fighting in WWI

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 peace treaty that officially ended WWI, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany and widely seen as planting seeds for WWII

Creeping barrage

A tactical artillery technique where a barrage of shells is fired in front of advancing troops, allowing soldiers to move forward under the cover of the shelling.

Training techniques used at Vimy Ridge

Canadian troops utilized extensive training, including mock battles, coordination among infantry and artillery, and the use of the creeping barrage to practice synchronized attacks and improve effectiveness in combat.

Robert Borden

Prime Minister of Canada during WW1

Red Baron

A famous German fighter pilot, Manfred von Richthofen, known for his aerial combat skills and distinctive red aircraft, credited with shooting down 81 enemy planes during WW1