Canadian History since 1914

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• It was Canada's first major battle. Germans used chlorine, mustard gas, etc. to kill over 6,000 soldiers. Peeing on a cloth and holding it to your face was a crude way to protect yourself from the gas. Later on more efficient gas masks were created.

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• Canadian corps fought alongside British soldiers under the command of British General Haig. In one day: 57,470 casualties. Haig refuses to retreat. Battle ends 5 months later with 1.25 mil casualties on both sides and Britain advances only 11km. Canadians blamed General Haig for the many deaths of their soldiers, something which could've been avoided.

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• Canadian General Arthur Currie was ordered to capture Vimy Ridge. Curries refused to send his Canadian men into no-man's-land blindly and so came up with a plan. After carefully practiced maneuvers , plane reconnaissance and careful plotting of gun positions, every soldier knew their job. In the end Canadian forces captured Vimy Ridge, the only significant battle for the Allies in 1917.

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• General Currie was promoted and chosen to formulate a plan to capture Paschendaele. The land was covered on mud, narrow duckboards were placed in the mud but many soldiers and their horses slipped and drowned. Almost 16,000 Canadians lost their lives. The Allies only gained 7km which the Germans soon won back .

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• On the home front, women organized rallies and fundraisers. They also knitted hats, gloves, etc. to send to soldiers. Other groups also organized community fundraisers to buy soaps, writing paper, pencils and candy to send to the troops.  Girls and boys assisted in all aspects of wartime production, from factory to farm work..

1. Propaganda

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   • Propaganda posters: join the war, no hoarding, eat less meat, sugar and bread that could be sent to soldiers, buy war bonds, eat smaller portions and waste nothing, etc.
2. Politics: Conscription

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   • Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden had promised no to force anyone to joint he army (conscription) but went back on his word in 1917. This caused a rift to appear between the French/English Canadians. French wanted nothing to do with the war while English felt a loyal obligation to Britain. The tension between French province, Quebec and the Canadian government still remains today.

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• Canadian women were sent to factories  by making the weapons and ammunition and also volunteered to work oversees as nurses, ambulance drivers, in field hospitals (near the front lines)

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• Allies won WW1 and the made the treaty in Versailles, France. Its major clauses were the War Guilt Clause: Germany has to take responsibility for causing damage to the Allied Nations.                Reparations: Germany accepted responsibility so they have to pay for all the damages. It would cost over $30 billion.                           Demilitarization of Germany:  Germany had to decrease the size of its military, wasn't allowed to build tanks, planes or submarines and  couldn't put any troops in Rhineland, the part of Germany closest to France  

1. Germany's Revenge

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   • The Treaty of Versailles was said to be unfair and too cruel as it left Germany in a horrible economic state. It lead way to the next world war and the uprising of a two-faced dictator: Hitler & the Nazis in WW2

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• Allied Powers: France, Britain, USA and Canada Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy

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• Militarism: strong armies  Alliances: common threats Imperialism: extending its rule Nationalism: loyalty to home              

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• January 30th 1933 Hitler became Chancellor of Germany and when Germany's president dies in 1934 he take that office too. The Nazis then ban trade union in May 1933, conscription was introduced in 1935, Germany army expanded and submarines & air forces are created. This goes against the Treaty of Versailles but the Allies just ignore the Nazis actions.

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• The battle of the Atlantic was fought during all of WW2. German U-boats would attack Allied convoys in attempts to sink as many merchant ships as they could to cut off Britain's & the USSR's supplies

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• On May 24th 1940, British, French, Belgium & Canadian soldiers were trapped in the English channel, surrounded by German soldiers. The British navy asked for civilian assistance to rescue the Allied soldiers and in 10 days a miracle happened. Under Germany's constant aerial attacks, civilians rescued 340,000 men out of the 400,000 that had been trapped.

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• In Sicily, Italy on June 10th 1943. Germany took over Italy and made Canada and the U.S determined to push them back to Berlin. The U.S, Canada, Britain and Italy declared war and in 18 months victory went to the Allied forces.

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• From July-August 1940, Germany bombed Costal Britain in hopes of taking full control of the English Channel to stop supply convoys from reaching Britain. The Germans lost due to allowing Britain "breathing time", doing daylight raids and not having heavily fortified planes.

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• Canada, Poland and Britain raided Dieppe on August 1942. They did it to gain information on German defense systems, damage German shipping and port facilities and to test for beach landings.

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• The Japanese had launched an attack on the British colony of Hong Kong on December 8th 1941 to prove their strength and increase their empire. The British joined the battle as they couldn't afford to lose the territory. Canada sent forces of 1,975 to help defend the British colony and on the 17th day of the battle it ended in defeat with the deaths of 554 Canadians.

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• Hitler attacked the Soviet Union on June 20th 1942. The Nazis had underestimated the Red army and the Russia's cold weather and on February 2nd 1943, the German 6th Army surrendered to the Soviet.

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• Operation Bodyguard was a set up by the Allies to trick Germany. Due to the Operation, Germany was outnumbered and on June 6th 1944, all beaches except Omaha by Normandy, France were captured.

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• Holocaust occurred all through WW2. It was an ethnic cleansing: genocide. It didn't occur all at once but in stages: 1) Stripping of Rights,            2) Segregation,                      3) Concentration &                4) Extermination. In the end, 6 billion Jews were killed in concentration camps and ghettos, made the Germans. The most famous, and deadly camp was called Auschwitz and is a famous historical tourist spot in the world today.

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• On August 23rd 1939, the Nazi-Soviet Pact was established between Hitler and Stalin. It was an agreement to not go to war with each other. This allowed Hitler to focus ion attack the Allies in the west without having to worry about Russia in the east. The piece ended when Hitler broke the pact and attacked the Soviets on June 22nd 1941. 

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• Massive government spending to hire, feed and clothe soldiers stimulated the economy and created thousands of jobs and thus ending the Great Depression and beginning WW2.

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• On December 7th 1941, Japan attacks US navel base Pearl Harbor and then the British colony Hong Kong on December 18th 1941. USA goes to was with Japan and Canada becomes an ally of USA. 

1. Propaganda

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   • During WW2 anti-Japanese propaganda was used by both the U.S. and Canadian government. This encourage Canada's (especially in B.C.) hate towards Canadians of Japanese descent.

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• Alcohol was made illegal in January 1920 (prohibition). It didn't stop people from drinking but encourage organized crime that supplied bootleg liquor (speakeasies). In within the span of 10 years, most provinces abandoned prohibition because the law was ignored an unpopular in Canada.    

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• African American style of music called Jazz was popular among young whites. The dances were fun and exciting. The most famous dance was called the Charleston. It was crazed and eccentric and completely unlike anything seen in polite white society.

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• High hemlines, bobbed hair, cloche hats and unfeminine shapes was the high fashion of the 20s. The women who wore these clothes were called "Flappers". They smoked, drank swore, loved fast cars, all-night dance clubs and were highly frowned upon by moralists.

1. Movies

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   • The Roaring 20s was the age of the silent movies. Early stars included, Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin and Canadian born Mary Pickford. By 1929 (the end of the Roaring 20s), talkies were taking over the big screen.
2. Inventions

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   • By 1929 3 in 4 families had a telephone. With cheaper and more accessible cars came, highways, paved roads, gas stations and parking lots.                                        In 1924 Canadian engineer, Ted Rogers invented a radio you could plug into an electric current. The invention was widely used to listen to Hockey Night in Canada.         Air mail became popular after the advancements in airplane technology.                              In 1922, two Canadian doctors, Frederick Banting and Charles Best created insulin. Though it wasn't a cure, it has kept millions of diabetics around the world alive ever since.  

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• Canadian women had jobs but they were low-paying and low-status and when they got married they were obligated to quit and look after their household and kids.                                        Only 25% of women went to high school but many were still expected to look after their family until they were married and take care of their own children.  

1. Famous Five: "Persons" Case

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   •  Alberta's famous five (Emily Murphy, Irene Parbly, Nelly McClung, Henrietta Edwards & Louise McKinney) challenged the Supreme Court that declared that only men were 'persons' in 1928. F5 took their case to the Judicial Committed of the British Privy Council who overturned the Supreme Court in 1929 and ruled Canadian women 'persons' under the law. Without this case, women in Canada would lead different lives and have different dreams.

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• After the postwar, Canada's economy began to recover (except for Maritime provinces). People bought cars and new electrical appliances on credit and invested in the stock market to make a "quick buck."

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• Canada gained more independence during the 1920s. Prime Minister Mackenzie King won the1926 federal election by criticizing Governor-General, the British Lord Julian Byng, who had interfered in the Canadian political process

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• On Black Tuesday, October 29th 1929 stocks on Wall Street were plummeting. Investors panicked and sold all their stocks. This caused the stock market to crash and many stocks became worthless.

1. Depression

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   • The Wall Street Crash wasn't the only cause of the Depression but it was the main one. The Prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) were hit the hardest. They had large debts from buying modern farm equipment and wheat (exported) prices were dropping from $1.60 to $0.30 due to Depression in other countries. They were also hit with droughts, dustbowls and grasshopper infestations. It was the longest economic crisis in history.
   1. Life in the Depression

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      • Jobs became scarce and many people believed the women (especially wives/mothers) should've given up their jobs and returned to their "natural placement" in the home. Immigrants were also treated like this. Racism and discrimination increased as many Canadian-born citizens believed that immigrants (who were willing to work for less) were stealing jobs away from people who "deserved them." Also, during Bennett's time as Prime Minister Canadians were so poor they couldn't afford gas anymore and had to take the motor out of their cars and have horses pull them along. They were nicknamed "Bennett Buggies"  

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• 1930 Richard B. Bennett and the Conservatives won the federal election. He introduced the Unemployment Relief Act that gave $20 mil to poor Canadians. In 1932 unemployed men lived in relief camps under military control and were given boarding and 20 cents a day fro manual labour. In 1935 Bennett announced his "New Deal": unemployment insurance, minimum wages & limited work hours, fair trade & anti-monopoly legislation, etc. Later in the year, Bennett would lose the election to Mackenzie King and the Liberals              

1. CCF

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   • Co-operative Common Wealth (CCF) was established in 1933 by Tommy Douglas in Saskatchewan. It rejects capitalism and communism but favours socialism.  
2. Social Credit Party

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   • Social Credit Party Leader was William Aberhart. SCP became a formal political party in 1935. 
3. Union Nationale

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   • I was formed in Quebec in1935 under the leadership of Maurice Duplessis. 1936 they won the Quebec provincial election.

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• In June of 1935, 1,200 relief camp striker in B.C boarded freight trains and headed east, planning to got to Ottawa to see Prime Minister Bennett about their demands for higher wages. Bennett's government had the RCMP stop the strikers before they could reach Ottawa.

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• To meet its financial obligations, due to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany printed large amounts of its currency, causing hyperinflation. As a result, by mid 1920s Germany's economy was in ruins. Germans sought for a strong leader. Hitler promised Germany to rip up the Treaty and return Germany to its former glory. Hitler told the people what they wanted to hear and in 1933, became Chancellor of Germany. This was the beginning of the Nazis and WW2.

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• Canada was economically stable and it was a good time for the people of Canada.

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• Natives think the Indian Act is racist and outdated. With the Constitution in Canada they had hoped to finally be seen as a nation but they hadn't been even been included in the Meech Lake Accord. Aboriginals are still seen as a lesser people today.

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• Bilingual negotiations cause tension between French & English speaking Canadians. Some provinces only allow the French language while others only allow English. Languages Act is passed in 1969 but fights still break out between different ideals, especially in Quebec.

1. Referendums

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   • Quebec's Parti Quebecois came to power in 1976. The referendum asks permission for sovereignty. To decide if Quebec becomes it own nation or stays with Canada they votes among themselves. In the end almost 60% of Quebecers vote to stay as one nation with Canada. If the vote had been different, Quebec would have been its own Nation today.

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• FTA was a free trade agreement between Canada and the U.S. It would secure about 2 million jobs and create 250,000 new ones. Later on Mexico would join the agreement and become NFTA-North American Free Trade Agreement.

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• In 1981, Trudeau turns his focus into bringing home the Canadian Constitution from England. It will give Canadians a charter of their on right and freedom. On April17th 1982 the Charter of Rights is brought to Canada and signed; a spectacular moment in Canada's history.

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• Its a war that happens when opposing forces use other countries as substitutes to fight each other indirectly. Proxy Wars were common during the Cold War because the two nuclear-armed superpowers, USA & USSR, didn't want to fight each other as there was a risk of nuclear war.

1. Korean War

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   • After WW2 was over, the Soviet Union occupied the Northern half of Korea and the U.S. occupied the southern half. On June of 1950, a North Korean army invaded South Korea. The UN Security Council ordered N-Korea to withdraw its forces and sent Canadian military forces to S-Korea to enforce their order. Canada's victory in Kapyong prevented the N-Koreans from occupying Seoul (S-Korea's capital). Korean War ended in a truce in 1953 but the country stayed divided.
2. Suez Crisis

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   • On 1956 Egypt' head of state wanted the Suez Canal that acted as a short cut for ships instead of going around South Africa. This had alarmed Israel, Britain and France. They attacked Egypt. The Soviets threatened to defend Egypt and the U.S. said they'd intervene if the Soviets tried anything. Lester B. Pearson convinced the UN to remove all foreign troops from Egypt and create UNEF. This kept the peace between rival armies until an agreement could work out. Because of this, Pearson won a Nobel Prize in 1957.

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• On October 16th 1962, President John Kennedy is informed that the Soviets were building nuclear missiles in Cuba. In the end, after long talks, the Soviets agreed that they wouldn't attack the U.S. (Florida) as long as the U.S. didn't invade Cuba. This gave crisis gave way for a direct communication link that became known as the "hotline" to prevent dangerous confrontations to arise again.

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• NATO, Warsaw Pact & NORAD

1. NATO

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   • On April 4th 1949, the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed. Twelve democratic countries signed the treaty: Canada, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands & the U.S. The NATO alliance combined strength hoped to discourage the Soviet Union from attacking NATO members.
2. Warsaw Pact

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   • It was an alliance between the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland & Romania. It was made in response to NATO. It divided Europe; NATO and the democrats or Warsaw and the communists. 

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• The UN was formed on April-June 1945.. Its aim was to band together to avoid war, encourage co-operation among countries, defend human rights and improve living conditions for people around the world. The UN Security Council had 5 permanent members: Russia, Britain, France, USA & China and they each had veto power over any decision made.

1. Declaration of Human Rights

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   • In 1946, a Montreal layer, John Humphrey set up the human rights division of the UN Secretariat and wrote the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Independence. He also helped in the development of the final version in 1948. The Declaration stated: Human rights are for the basis of peace, justice & freedom; humans rights must be protected by law; friendly relations between countries must be promoted; equal rights for men and women.

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• USSR and the U.S. competed to complete nuclear weapons. From nuclear war heads to nuclear bombs. That's why Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.) was formed in 1986. M.A.D made it clear that the two superpowers wouldn't attack each other using nuclear weapons as it would completely destroy each other.

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• Canada and the U.S. were always on the watch out for Soviet nuclear attacks and so made a means of defense. The North American Air Defense (NORAD) was an air defense of two countries under joint command. If their was a nuclear attack from the USSR, defensive maneuvers would be directed from NORAD headquarters.

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• There was a lot of tension between Canada, the U.S. & the USSR. The Ussr thought their way of ruling was supreme while Canada and the U.S. strongly believed in democracy. 1917, the Summit Series was introduced. A "friendly" hockey match between Canada and the USSR though in truth it was a test of government beliefs and superiority. Canada won the Summit and gained recognition as hockey's best.