Justification of the Canadian Participation in the Boer War
The storm of war never comes alone, as it bring along extreme tragedy.
“In 1899, the whole country was electrified when heard about the
Imperial request from Britain.”[1] The Britain requested Canadians for
help to defeat Boers in South Africa. This was the opportunity for
Canada to demonstrate its importance in the British Empire and share
in its military responsibilities but the “Canadian Prime Minister, Sir
Wilfred Laurier, did not believe that Canada should be involved, but
he faced growing agitation in English.”[2] Ultimately, the final
decision, without any approval of Parliament[3] was to support the
Imperial request. This was Canadian army’s first major overseas
campaign. However, the decision to participate in Boer war resulted in
a vast range of problems for a young country. First of all, the war
had nothing to do with Canadians, it further increased conflicts
between French-English Canadians, resulted in many other home front
problems and even after all the efforts, Canadian contribution was not
fully recognised.
In the first place, interference in the war was absolutely unnecessary
as the war had nothing significant to do with Canadians, “Although
Laurier, too, was reluctant to commit Canadian troops and resources to
a war that would not benefit Canadian interests; he found it more
difficult to resist the pressure in English Canada for Canadian
involvement.” [4] The war was completely an issue of the Britain. This
south African War had its origins in more than sixty years
conflicts between the British in South Africa, Boers were mainly
concentrated in the...
... middle of paper ...
...seen these horrific
four years.
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1 Benoit. Horizon Canada 7. Centre for the study of teaching Canada
[2] Canadians and Conflicts. Edmonton Public School Board.
3 Wade. Mason. Search for a Nation. The Bryant press Limited, Toronto.
1967
[4] Canadians and Conflicts. Edmonton Public School Board.
[5]Canadians and Conflicts. Edmonton Public School Board.
6 Miller. Carman. Canada’s Little War. James Lorimer & Company LTD.
Toronto
[7] Canadians and Conflicts. Edmonton Public School Board
[8] Haas. Suzanne. History Television. 2004
[9] The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum. 27 December2001
[10]Reid. Brian. Canada at war and peace volume 1. Esprit Dr corps
Books
[11] Canadians and Conflicts. Edmonton Public School Board.
In changing his mind, he lost many citizens’ trust in their government. The majority of those opposing Borden were French-Canadians. While Canada's involvement in WW1 was supported by the vast majority of English Canadians, the issue of conscription clearly and sharply divided the country. For some Canadians it was an important and necessary contribution for a faltering war effort. However, for others it was an oppressive act passed by a more British government than Canadian. Many francophones living in canada during World War 1 were not to fond of the idea of a draft army and were more reluctant to enlist as they felt a little attachment to Britain. They did not believe that it was their war, as a result they felt suppressed by the canadian government and that their opinion, linguistic and cultural independence was ignored. The French-Canadian’s reluctance to enlist had much to do with the fact that little accommodation was made for those soldiers that did not speak English. Francophones were expected to understand the English commands given by British officers, which they resented. Their linguistic barriers were ignored and the feel of having conscription being imposed on them led to public displays of resentment. Former Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier claimed that conscription "has in it the seeds of discord and disunion". He was correct since
One of Canada’s largest military endeavors was the battle of Vimy Ridge during World War One. It was a fierce battle between Germans and Canadians. Canada was trying to take over the German controlled ridge, which ran from northwest to southwest between Lens and Arras, France. Its highest point was 145 feet above sea level, which was exceptionally helpful in battle because of the very flat landscape. Already over 200,000 men had fallen at Vimy, all desperately trying to take or defend this important and strategic ridge. As a result of its success in taking the ridge, Canada gained a lot more than just the strategic point. Canada was united as a nation, and the victory changed the way other counties viewed them. Canadians no longer viewed their soldiers as merely an extension of allied forces; they now viewed their troops as an independent and unified entity.
Canada was one of Great Britain’s empire who fought under British units or in the Canadian Corps, formed by the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. These Canadians who fought aside with Great Britain earned a recognition of becoming an independent strong fighting force. They earned this reputation through one of World War One’s battles called, Vimy Ridge. Canadian soldiers who were in the Canadian Corps had an awful General named, Sam Hughes who preferred to use the Ross rifle. This type of weapon was too heavy and often jammed too many times to be used as a rifle for upcoming horrific battles. Thus, a new general replaced Sam Hughes and that was, Arthur Currie. General Currie had the desire for the Canadian Corps’ four divisions to fight together to take hold of Vimy Ridge. Arthur Currie made precise plans of military tactics that no general had done to their troops. General Currie gave his troops maps and had a duplicate model of Vimy Ridge so that troops are able to have an ideal look of what they should be taking hold of. Als...
...ton, Pierre. Marching as to War: Canada's Turbulent Years, 1899-1953. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2001. Print.
participated in the war, by the end of the war, Canada was left with a very strong armed forces
An angry Trudeau replied: "There's a lot of bleeding hearts around who just don't like to see people with helmets and guns. All I can say is go on and bleed." "How far are you going to go?" Ralfe insisted."Just watch me!" said Trudeau. And Canadians across the country watched as, at 3 o'clock in the morning, Friday, October 16, Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act. The Press Gallery was packed. Trudeau was careful, cold, analytic - and brilliant. The invocation of the War Measures Act meant the suspension of traditional Canadian civil l...
Canada also became a leader internationally as well. With such an enormous military contribution during the war, other countries began to recognize the success of Canada. People wanted to know more about Canada. Consequently, the war advanced Canada’s sense of identity.
Prime Minister Borden had promised to provide 500,000 troops to aid in the war against the axis. When news of the gruesome trench conditions and the staggering number of casualties began to reach Canadians on the home front, the number of volunteers diminished at an astonishing rate, and the lack of reinforcements to the front lines proved detrimental to the Canadian war effort. Borden argued that obligatory military service of all men from the ages of 20 to 45 was the only way to provide these necessary reinforcements. The Francophones detested the idea of being forced to fight amongst those who had discriminated against them for years and had shown them and their culture little respect. Riots quickly ensued, and the divide between English and French Canada quickly
Eden Robinson’s short story “Terminal Avenue” presents readers with the dystopian near-future of Canada where Indigenous people are subjugated and placed under heavy surveillance. The story’s narrator, Wil, is a young Aboriginal man who struggles with his own inner-turmoil after the suicide of his father and his brother’s subsequent decision to join the ranks of the Peace Officers responsible for “adjusting” the First Nations people. Though “Terminal Avenue” takes place in Vancouver there are clear parallels drawn between the Peace Officers of Robinson’s imagination and the Canadian military sent to enforce the peace during the stand-off at Oka, Quebec in 1990. In writing “Terminal Avenue” Robinson addresses the armed conflict and proposes
The special thing about this war was that part of it was over the influence of the territory later Canada (Upper Canada history, 2011).... ... middle of paper ... ... Retrieved May 15, 2014, from McCord Museum website: http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/explore.php?Lang=1&tableid=11&elementid=105__true&contentlong. Official voting results -.
“Quebec Divisible” in The Economist(US) December 6, 1997 v344 n8046 pg 36 Bowen, Bruce “Jeffrey Simpson: Will the Quebec Secessionists Succeed?” in New Zealand International Review, May-June 1997, v22 n3 pg 30.
Thompson, John Herd, and Mark Paul Richard. "Canadian History in North American Context." In Canadian studies in the new millennium. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. 37-64.
Battles such as Vimy Ridge, the Second Battle of Passchendaele and the Battle of the Somme were some of the worst battles that the world can find Canadian's. Our northern nation had boasted over 600,000 soldiers to the battlefields whilst also providing vital manufacturing facilities and training soldiers from across the world. The strong imperial bond between Canada and the 'Motherland' was an important factor in Canada's decision to participate wholeheartedly in World War I, and influenced many in their decision to join the army. Most Canadians felt a strong connection to the British Emp...
Canada's sacrifices and contributions to the war changed its history and enabled them to become more independent and they friendship with Britain grew stronger and stronger. Canada was first inducted into the World War 1 when Britain declared war on Germany, August 4, 1914. Canada being allies with Britain had to support those in the war even know they weren’t in there and fighting all on the front they were backup just in case the German soldiers broke through the trenches and head towards France. Later on the Governor General also declared war on Germany but the Canadians fought under the ruling of a Britain commander. The achievements of Canadian military during the First World War came during the Somme, Vimy Ridge, and Passchendaele battles and what later became known as "Canada's Hundred Days". They help fight for the freedom and peace for the small village of Passchendaele and however as it was a muddy hell, they still persevered throu...
If I believed in the social conflict perspective, my views on the reasons why Canada would participate in the war in Afghanistan would be that the basic human rights of Afghan women are being violated, lives of Afghan citizens and insurgents are being sacrificed for the betterment of living conditions. In order for the people of Afghanistan to live better lives, the higher income nations such as Canada and the United States need to intervene. However, there is a human and economic cost to achieve this goal. With any war, there will be casualties of war due to friendly fire and missiles that miss their intended targets.