WW1 Reflection

During World War 1 in Canada, there was a big political issue and that issue was conscription. Conscription is when young male adults and teenagers are sent overseas by the government to fight for their country on the frontlines. Their names would be put on a list and they would be forced to fight overseas. By now you would believe that this is a bad idea, but it wasn’t for most of the Canadians. Many Canadians believed that Conscription was a great thing as many of them wanted to fight for their country so that they would feel as though they did a great service to their nation whereas others would do it so they can be revered and looked at like some kind of war hero. Women would take over the men’s jobs while they were fighting overseas while the other women would encourage their husbands, neighbours, and even sons to fight in the army. They would do this by belittling and harassing the non-conscripted men, making them feel ashamed and eventually want to join the army. This was encouraged by the government as more Canadian soldiers were dying than those who conscripted and therefore the government had to find any means necessary in getting more men in the army.

While many of these Canadians agreeded with conscription, the French-Canadians did not as many were Roman Catholic and did not believe in violence whatsoever. These French-Canadians were known as pacifists and therefore refused to join the army and did not encourage others to join.

Many of the immigrants reading the newspaper would be inspired to join the army after reading about the successful battles and hearing stories over the radio about how their country has been saved yet again. These immigrants who came from all over the world would also show their gratitude by fighting for their country in return for being allowed to live in the country that they would emigrated to. Black Canadians that were enslaved during the war were set free and promised land in Britain if they promised to fight for the country and many of them did so. With the help of the black Canadians, Britain and Canada, the two allied countries at the time, would have another group of soldiers known as the  “a company of coloured men” at their back helping them with any of the axis countries that they’re facing.