Canada passed the Wartime Elections Act in September 1917. The act was part of the Conservative government’s efforts to maintain power later that year during the federal election. The act, however, was not without controversy. The act followed the nation’s conscription crisis that split the nation between those of English decent, who favored conscription, and […]
5 Things I Learned While Writing A Tale of Two Nations
If you’ve been studying a subject for as long as I have, you might not think there is anything left to discover or surprise. I’ve been studying World War I and how it changed the lives of ordinary people since I was a teenager. When I embarked on writing A Tale of Two Nations, my […]
An Army of Housewives: The Women’s Committee during World War I
The following post was written by a guest blogger. If you would like to contribute a guest blog post, read the guidelines. An Army of Housewives: The Women’s Committee during World War I By Thomas Richardson The home front directed factory production, agricultural output, and local community energies to the war effort in World War […]
History of Burn Treatments: Making Patients as Comfortable as Possible
The need to threat burns in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was great. Women’s skirts would catch fire while cooking, or children’s clothing while playing too close to the fireplace or stove. An overturned kerosene or gas lamp would set a home or barn ablaze in minutes. During World War One, men also […]
Blood Transfusion Saved Lives During World War One
If war does have a silver lining, it’s the medical advances which come as a result. One of these advances is the blood transfusion. Blood transfusion was nothing new in 1914. Doctors had experimented with it since the 1600s. These early transfusions were from person to person, and sometimes didn’t work. Doctors weren’t sure why […]
Battle of Oppy Wood: Casualties were Less than 2,000
The Battle of Oppy was fought May 3 and June 28, 1917, in Arras, France. The skirmishes were part of the large Battle of Arras. Capturing the highlands was of strategic advantage, offering a view of the surround area. The nations involved were Canada, Great Britain and Germany. “Two infantrymen stand to the left of the dug-out entrance, one […]
Battle of Passchendaele: Controversial in 1917 and Today
The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was fought July 31, 1917-November 10, 1917 in Flanders, Belgium. The goal of the attack was to gain Allied control of the ridges around the city of Ypres and to force the Germans to divert resources from the channel and their U-boat bases. The nations […]
Battle of Hill 70: A Forgotten, Yet Important Battle
The Battle of Hill 70 was fought August 15-25, 1917 near Lens, France. The attack relieved pressure on the Allies near Passchendaele. The idea was the attack on Hill 70 would divert German reinforcements. The nations involved were Canada and Germany. “Yet the critical battle of Hill 70, fought in August of 1917, and squeezed out between […]
Battle of Vimy Ridge: Canada’s Coming of Age
The Battle of Vimy Ridge is the next World War One battle mentioned in Angel of Mercy. Here are some facts about the battle. When: April 9-12, 1917 Where: near Arras, France Who: The nations involved were Canada Great Britain Germany What: The major events of the battle were Learning from the mistake during the […]
Military Service Act: Canada’s Conscription Crisis of 1917
Nothing can split a society more than a controversial issue with two passionate sides. Such was the case in Canada when the passage of the Military Service Act of 1917 split the nation along ethnic lines. Lines Are Drawn The Military Service Act passed July 24, 1917. The legislation was designed, in part, to deal with the […]
The Russian Revolution of 1917
Understand the history of Russia and you understand modern Russia. It is nation that has been plagued for centuries by tyrants, wars, political unrest and social equality. This all came to a head during The Russian Revolution. The revolution also led to the Russia withdrawing from World War One via the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Peace […]
Federal Election of 1917: Nation in Crisis
Canada’s federal election of 1917 was a vicious, heated contest. This speaks volumes considering the 1911 election had enough rhetoric, half truths and mudslinging to make a 21st century politician feel right at home. The election was fought primarily with one issue in mind: conscription. For this reason, it also is known as the Khaki Election. […]