Canadian Army WW1

[spidge]

Canadian Army WW1

From: http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/hist...stworldwar.htm
The First World War
The First World War was a massive conflict lasting from Aug 1914 to the final Armistice on 11 Nov 1918. The Allied Powers (including the British Empire, France, and Russia from 1914 and the United States after 1917), defeated the Central Powers (led by the German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire). The war caused the disintegration of four empires (Austro-Hungarian, German, Ottoman, and Russian) as well as radical political reorganizations in eastern and central Europe and the Middle East. The Allied powers before 1917 were sometimes referred to as the Triple Entente, and the Central Powers were sometimes referred to as the Triple Alliance.
Canada played an important role in the war, fielding for the first time in history a national corps, and contributing soldiers to the Western Front as well as Siberia after the war. The actions of the Canadian Corps are especially noteworthy and brought Canada to a position of international status it did not enjoy before the war.
Other Designations
Although properly referred to as the First World War by Canadians, the conflict is also known as "World War I." Both designations obviously only became necessary after the start of the Second World War in 1939. Previous to this, the war was popularly known as "The Great War" and less commonly by other names such as "The War in Europe" or "the war to end all wars."
Causes

The causes of the First World War are varied and complex.
Postwar analysis by some historians has suggested that the war was somehow unnecessary. Gordon Corrigan, in his book Mud, Blood and Poppycock, establishes the viewpoint that the war was firmly in Britain's national interests and lays the blame for the war squarely on Germany and Austria. The blame for the war was determined by Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles (the document that officially ended the war) in 1919, the so-called War Guilt Clause. The Austrian attack on Serbia on 29 Jul ultimately set into motion the mobilization schemes of the European states. Germany also invaded neutral Belgium on 3 Aug 1914. These two acts were considered by the framers of the Treaty to be the significant events that caused the war. Historians have debated the true causes ever since.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the popular view of war guilt shifted to the belief that no one was at fault and the war had been a colossal accident. Fearful of a repetition of such an accident, international diplomacy was encouraged, and the League of Nations was established. The failure of international institutions and agreements to prevent war became apparent in the 1930s as Italy, Germany and Japan all pursued aggressive expansionist policies.
Whatever reasons compelled the European states to react to the assassination in the Balkans, from the British (and subsequently, Canadian) perspective, several facts reveal that the war was in fact a national imperative. While the war itself was not a national interest (Britain's rivalry with Germany was a threat to economic livelihood, but it is not reasonable to suggest that anyone at the time believed that rivalry should be decided by war), once war was thrust upon Britain and the Empire, it was firmly in their interests to participate.

[rlaughton]

Originally Posted by spidge

Although properly referred to as the First World War by Canadians, the conflict is also known as "World War I." Both designations obviously only became necessary after the start of the Second World War in 1939. Previous to this, the war was popularly known as "The Great War" and less commonly by other names such as "The War in Europe" or "the war to end all wars."

Recently shown to be incorrect and that the war was known as the First World War well in advance of the Second World War. If there is an interest in this I will hunt down the reference but I recall is was circa 1921 when it was initially given that name. Surprised me I always thought that was the reason it was called WWI because the other was WWII.