The “NEW” Styles of Fighting…

• As has been mentioned, the war envisioned versus what was actually the case in Europe when the Canadians engaged the Triple Alliance, was a rude, and often horrific awakening…

• New techniques and technologies made the battles of the 1800s a distant part of military history.

Battle of Attrition

• Also known as “grinding down”– Result of trench warfare

• Neither side could gain the upper hand because so opposing forces would try and wear each other down until their opponent “lost their will to fight”– Traditional “frontal attacks” were a thing of the past– The machine gun was the main culprit for this

• This also why the first three years of the war saw little movement in regards to who had the upper hand…

Total War• Total War = All of a nation’s resources, are organized for one

purpose, and one purpose only… WIN THE WAR!– Previously, a nation’s interest on the battle field had little

impact back at home• Relationship forever changed, a solid war effort at home was

established as a vital tool in a nation’s attempt at conquest• Not to be seen as another battle front, the home effort was

responsible for:– production of needed materials, enlisting troops, finance,

and an overall organization of the war movement less worries for those leading and fighting the war overseas…

Strategies used to maintain Total War philosophy

• Countries introduced conscription– Compulsory military enlistment

• Despite the “rift” created in Canada… – Main reason: Casualty list was growing far too fast

• Industrialization was re-tooled– Domestic products were put on the back burner, all

production was aimed at war needs• Financing plans were established to pay for the war

– War Bonds (buy from Government, like a loan)– Income Tax introduced

• The teacher, lawyer, & businessman became as important due to their contribution at home as was the soldier abroad – created a further sense of pride…

War movement Propaganda• Propaganda - form of communication aimed towards influencing the

attitude of the community toward some cause or position by presenting only one side of an argument.

Further changes as a result of ‘Total War’

• Roles of the home front changed– Women took on different roles, especially as jobs became

vacated with men enlisting and/or being conscripted– Children even were used to collect scrap metal to aid in the

process of production

• Total war emphasises the fact that the TOTAL population was, and needed to be involved…

Changes in Technology• Tanks:

– Used for the first time (Battle of the Somme)

– Solve the trench warfare stalemate

– At first, tanks = clumsy; by 1918 they were major reason for Allied Victory

• Poison Gas:– Used first by Germans– Chlorine Gas pumped into no

man’s land• Blindness, stripped lining of

lungs, “drown to death”• Bodies would swell and bloat… • Before Gas Mask: Pee on cloth and

cover mouth & nose…

Machine Gun:Accounted for most of the deaths during war

• Changes @ Sea:– Submarines; small and

inefficient, torpedoes could still sink the largest ships

– Germans used to eliminate supply routs to Britain• Attempt to

starve Britain into submission– Foreshadow to

USA involvement…

• Changes in the Air:– Single pilot airplanes– Engage in “dogfights”– More or less use in

experimental role– 1 hour flight length before

refuel (if you made it that long)

Changes in Technology II

Canadians in the Air…• Canadians had to join the British

Air Force– 1914: 40% were Canadian

• German Ace: Red Baron– Germany’s most successful

Fighter Ace with 80 kills.• He was shot down by

Canadian Capitan Roy Brown.• Canadian Ace: Billy Bishop

– Credited with 72 kills– Received Victoria Cross, British

Military honour for courage and bravery.

The Land Battles: Western Front • Battle of Ypres, April 1915

– First case of Canadian trench fighting w/ French

– First use of Poison Gas by Germans • 6,000 Canadians died before

reinforcements arrived– “In Flanders Fields” was

written by Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae following this battle

The Land Battles: Western Front

• Battle of Verdun, February 1916– Germany vs. France– Lasted 6 months– French lost 500,000 men– Battle of Attrition– The French did not

recover “psychologically” from this battle…

The Land Battles: Western Front • Battle of the Somme, July

1916– Allied attack on Germans

while they were busy with French

– Means to end trench warfare– Failed:

• 20,000 Canadians killed; NFLD Regiment had 90% casualties (killed or hurt). – 57, 000 British killed, biggest

loss ever…

– After 5 Months, moved a few miles…

Battle of the Somme: Key Points• Led by British GENERAL DOUGLAS HAIG:

– pro-cavalry warfare old strategies that cost thousands of lives “unavoidable death”• REASONS IT FAILED:

– 1- Allies shells to weak to penetrate German concrete bunkers buried deep underground– 2- Underground explosions did not dislodge wire protecting German trenches allies were

trapped in no-mans land– 3- The allies were carrying 25-60 kilograms – 4- A mine was detonated 10 minutes early Germans were warned & the element of

surprise was gone– 5- Also, they attacked in broad daylight (too many delays)…– 6- Continued with the battle despite the casualties – 7- 23 Canadians were shot ‘at dawn’ as they refused to return to the front

as they were suffering from shell shock• IN THE END:

– 600,000 Allied casualties– 236,000 German refer to it as “das Blutbad” –the blood bath

• At this point of the War, both sides casualties had reached 1.25 million

The Land Battles: Western Front • Battle of Vimy Ridge, April

1917– Canadian troops attacked

Germans (150, 000 French & British had died already)

– Extensive amount of planning went into this battle• Underground tunnels etc

– CAN losses 3,000 killed, 7,000 injured

– Allies regained Vimy, turning point in the war

Vimy Ridge: Significance for Canada

• The capture of Vimy Ridge was the first time Canadians worked together as one, independent of British; this became the first symbol of Canadian Nationhood

• Canadians recognized as some of the best troops…– “… whenever the Germans found the Canadian corps coming into the line they

prepared for the worst…”• British PM Lloyd George

• Arthur Currie was promoted to replace British Gen Byng– This marked the end of British leading Canadians

Vimy Monument

• “Super-cenotaph”– Nothing of its kind in war

torn France

• Completed in 1937 during the depression.– PM Mackenzie King

The Land Battles: Western Front • Battle of Passchendaele,

October 1917– Canadian troops vs. German– Gen Currie was hesitant

because he thought that troops could not fight through the mud he was overruled! • Canadians were successful and

took the town, holding it until reinforcements arrived

• 1 out of 5 survived, 16,000 died– Only gained 7 kilometres of

mud, of which the Germans soon won back