Essay On The Effects Of World War One On Canada

In 1914-1918 World War One devastated Canada and the world. But for the the new country of Canada it may have brought some good. There is no doubt about it World War One was a very, very bad event... or was it? If we didn’t participate in the Great War would Canada be the same? Simply put, NO. Canada may have been a new country but our patriotism shows through when more than half a million men volunteer for the Great War and many from different backgrounds and ethnicities. While the men from Canada were out battling in the trenches, the Canadian women were waging their own war on the homefront. Finally Canadians distinguished themselves as an independent country throughout the war. Canada in 1920 was very different from the Canada of 1914 after

being united by the experience of World War One.

Canadians were united by the experience of World War One because of our loyalty to Britain. For most of the Canadian population Europe was called home not that long ago. The Canadian British people wanted to go fight in World War One with and for Britain as it was their home and the land of their empire it also helped that the Prime Minister was VERY pro-British, the French Canadian people wanted to go to defend France,the French culture and the language. The Japanese and Black immigrants wanted to go to escape prejudice, but they soon were welcomed back with a heroes welcome. Some of the British and French populations still had families back overseas that they wanted to help save. Other groups went to show loyalty to Canada to be part in the growing sense of Canadian Nationalism. As much as British people didn’t like French people and French people didn’t like British people they managed to put their differences aside and managed to rally under the Canadian flag alongside Natives(that they still are trying to assimilate) and other Canadians. If you threw some British, some French, a couple natives, and a pinch of Japanese into a dirty mud-filled,parasite infested trench you would probably think they would tear each other apart but au

contraire, they rallied and fought alongside each other as if they were brothers. In dire situations with crazy odds these Canadian men with so many differences from language to appearance kept fighting for Canada and for each other. The other thing that brought these Canadians together is that they spent a lot of time together from training to the trenches these Canadians could be from anywhere across the country. (1)“Most Canadians had no contact with each other. Many still clung to their roots, whether they were immigrants or born in Canada. The war, however, built bridges among Canadians from different origins and different parts of the country. Canadians who volunteered to fight in the war found themselves in training with people from across the land, fist at Valcartier, then at bases in England. The trials of boot camp brought them closer together.” This is how Canada united and sent more than 500,000 men to go fight, fight for Canada.

Along the Western Front Canadians united and distinguished themselves greatly as soldiers.

Throughout the battles of Ypres, Somme, Vimy Ridge ,and Passchendaele Canadians held the line and fought bravely, and in the case of Vimy, Canadians captured a major military objective in only four days, where the British and French failed to do so. One British said (2)“We Were in Witley Camp [in England] and right alongside us was a battalion from French Canada. We didn’t speak much French and they didn’t speak much English, but they were the finest sports you ever saw…. I got an entirely different opinion of French Canadians because of being with these people.” Canadians started to distinguish themselves which added to the Canadian pride and sense of nationalism as well as other people seeing them as not just apart of the British empire but as their own country,Canada. At Ypres,French and Canadian people experienced gas for the first time and while the French line broke and scrambled the Canadians held their ground and fought the incoming Germans. The battle of Somme and Passchendaele were hollow victories with millions of casualties. At all of these battles, Canadians distinguished that they were Canadian and not British, but the most uniting battle was Vimy Ridge. (3)“Headlines such as: “Canucks Crash Through Huns” heralded the great victory to Canada and the world. The Canadian Corps, recognized as the Allied “storm troops,” developed confidence and pride. The Battle of Vimy

Ridge was an important turning point for Canada because it brought both world recognition and a strong sense of Patriotism.” The Canadian pilots and sailors also united as they distinguished themselves as well in their respective fields.