World War One quiz

Major Battles

Battle of Ypres (April 1915, Belgium)

What happened: 

  • The first time poison gas (chlorine gas) was used by the Germans

  • When the French troops fled, the Canadians held their ground.

    • Germans made a salient in the line

Canadian actions:

  • The 1st Canadian Division used urine-soaked rags to cover their faces and neutralize the gas

  • Despite heavy casualties, they stopped the German advance.

Why it’s important:

  • It showed Canadian bravery and resourcefulness, earning them international respect. 

  • Around 6,000 Canadians were killed or wounded.

  • Held back German attacks for 3 days straight

Battle of the Somme (July–November 1916, France)

What happened: 

  • A massive Allied offensive led by the British aimed to break through German lines. 

  • Poor planning and outdated tactics led to huge losses.

  • The British shot artillery for 3 days straight but German trenches were too fortified

  • The beginning of the mass usage of tanks

Canadian actions: 

  • The Newfoundland regiment fought in the battle of Courcelette, capturing key German positions but suffering heavy losses.

Why it’s important:

  • It showed the horror of trench warfare—over 1.2 million casualties—and taught new lessons about tactics and technology (like tanks). Over 24,000 Canadians were killed or wounded.

Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9–12, 1917, France)

What happened: 

  • The entire Canadian Corps fought together for the first time under General Arthur Currie. 

  • They attacked a heavily fortified German position that the French and British had failed to capture for 2.5 years

  • Learned from the Somme and did artillery for 2 weeks, doubling the rate by the second week, catching Germans off guard.

Canadian actions: 

  • Canadians used new strategies like the creeping barrage (artillery fire that moved ahead of troops) and the Vimy Glide (advancing 100 meters every 3 minutes). They rehearsed carefully using full-scale models of the battlefield.

Why it’s important: 

  • It was a massive success—Canadians captured the ridge in four days. It became a symbol of national pride and independence. 

  • About 3,600 Canadians died and 7,000 were wounded.

  • They captured Vimy Ridge in 4 days

Battle of Passchendaele (October–November 1917, Belgium)

What happened:

  • Fought in terrible muddy conditions.

    • Artillery made craters in the ground that would fill with water, poison gas, dead bodies

  • The goal was to capture the Passchendaele Ridge, a town on a ridge.

    • British troops tried, and failed, already

Canadian actions: 

  • Under Arthur Currie’s leadership, Canadians finally took the ridge after being told it was impossible.

Why it’s important: 

  • Showed courage and determination but came at a high cost—about 16,000 Canadians were killed or wounded. It showed the senseless destruction of trench warfare.

Trench Warfare

  • Long trenches across Western Front (France–Belgium).

  • Soldiers faced mud, rats, lice, disease (trench foot from having to stand in water for days straight), constant danger.

  • The same area was being used for the war and it kept getting more saturated and affected by bombs and gunfire

  • Shells were everywhere and could still go off

  • Soldiers got PTSD/shell shock

  • Free time was spent picking out lice eggs from clothing seams

Stalemate:

  • Neither side could advance—machine guns and artillery were too deadly.

Weapons/Tech: 

  • Machine guns → mass casualties.

  • Poison gas → fear and injury.

  • Tanks → cross trenches.

  • Planes → scouting + bombing.

  • Artillery → biggest killer.

Morale: Low from fear, waiting, and death; lifted by letters, food, comradeship.

Important Canadians

Francis Pegahmagabow:

Member of the Anishnaabe First Nation (Parry Sound, ON) Best overall sniper of WW1 (of any country): killed 378 Germans and captured over 300

Billy Bishop:

Best Canadian “ace” pilot of World War One (best in the British Empire, 3rd best of the entire war): 72 “kills”

Reverend William A. White: 

A captain in the No. 2 Construction Battalion First Black officer in the British military (the only one in the entire Canadian Corps!)

Arthur Currie:

General; led Canadians at Vimy & Passchendaele; smart strategist.

Sam Hughes

Minister of Militia; organized Canadian Expeditionary Force; criticized for poor equipment (Ross rifle and McAdams shield shovel)

Robert Borden

Prime Minister; introduced conscription; gave voting rights to women in relation of soldiers because they would vote for him and his idea of conscription

Henri Bourassa

French-Canadian leader that opposed giving voting rights to women because he thought that it would give them too much power and turn them away from obeying men

Grace MacPherson

Ambulance driver; symbol of women's efforts in the war


General Andrew McNaughton

Invented techniques to locate enemy artillery based only on flash detection and sound location “The best artillery commander of any army in the war” – British General Sir Frederick Pile

Jeremiah Jones: 

A Canadian soldier recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal

Henry Norwest: 

Canadian army sniper, member of the Cree nation of Saskatchewan

Curley Christian: 

Quadruple amputee as a result of wounds suffered at Vimy Ridge. He helped start the support program for disabled war veterans that still exist in Canada today.

The Home Front

Women: 

  • Took over men’s jobs; nurses/drivers

  • Needed to make supplies for soldiers in factories but paid less

    • Now that they could earn money on their own, they proved their independence and equality

    • Without their efforts the war might have been lost

  • Gained right to vote in 1918

    • Been fighting for this right since late 1800s

Victory Bonds: 

  • Citizens lent money to fund the war.

  • They were promised the money back plus interest after the war and they managed to raise 2 billion by the end (45 billion in today's money)

  • Business owners became richer because they could invest more money into victory bonds

    • The government needed the supplies they sold

    • Even though faulty products were sold, the government had to pay

Profiteering: 

  • Companies overcharged for cheaper quality supplies = controversy.

Conscription Crisis (1917):

  • Borden enforced mandatory military service because fewer and fewer men were enlisting after learning the truth about war

    • There was already good pay in factories and farms and if they joined the war, they would be paid less and also risk dying

    • Borden wanted to support Britain

  • Relatives of soldiers supported conscription because they want more soldiers to support their sons in the war for higher chance of survival

  • Business owners supported conscription because the more soldiers, the more supplies the government needs to buy from them

    • Most of them were older and conscription did not apply to them

    • Owners could replace their workers with women and pay them less

  • Farmers were against conscription because they would not want their sons to go to war instead of harvesting crops on the farm

    • It was hard to hire women because owners did not want to let strangers on the farm and have to teach them from scratch

  • English Canadians supported because they wanted to support Britain as a colony

  • French Canadians opposed because they did not want to associate with Britain or France since they in a British colony but they speak French

Military Voters Act (1917): 

  • Gave the vote to front line soldiers

Wartime Elections Act (1917): 

  • Gave vote to women related to soldiers; removed vote from some immigrants born in enemy countries like Austria-Hungary

War Measures Act (1914): 

  • Suspension of habeas corpus (to have the body) and Canadians could be arrested without being charged

  • 8600 immigrants from Austria-Hungary were sent to concentration camps and were not released til 1920

Halifax Explosion

  • Cargo ships travelled in convoys (groups) protected by warships

    • Protection against German U-boats

  • Dec 1917 2 ships collided in Halifax harbour 

    • The Mont Blanc ship was carrying 2600 tonnes of TNT and other explosives

    • Largest human-made non-nuclear explosion in history to this day

    • Wiped out half the population of Halifax

    • 25,000 people were left homeless

    • 2000 died and 900 were injured

      • Most were orphans who got hurt by flying glass

    • The next day a blizzard dropped 40cm of snow and Canadians finally realized the violence and costs of total war

    • Boston sent help

Studying Sources

Primary source: Created during the event (letters, diaries, photos).

Secondary source: Made after the event (textbooks, documentaries).

Ask: Who made it? When? Why? Biased or reliable? What perspective?

Propaganda

Elements of successful propaganda/advertising

  • A simple message

  • Famous spokespeople

  • Vibrant colours

  • Appeal to emotion

Aimed to:

  • Encourage enlistment.

  • Promote Victory Bonds.

  • Increase nationalism.

  • Demonize the enemy.

Importance: Unified support for war; controlled public attitudes

  • The government used to be Laissez-faire

    • Hands-off and told people to manage their own lives and do what they want

    • They had no minimum wage and did not care how workers were treated

  • This changed with less and less people joining the war, starting propaganda