At home, women greatly contributed to the war effort. Self-service restaurants were popular and consisted of local workers and volunteers who offered simple and affordable meals to the public. This was part of the government's plan to combat hunger because Germany's U-boats were disrupting Britain's food supply and there had to be enough for allied troops to eat as well. Around 2,000 people were being fed every day at national kitchens. Women also enlisted as nurses, took over farms, and were encouraged to work jobs that were traditionally 'male'. Heavy industry developed in Canada and people were needed in machine shops, munition plants, aircraft factories, and shipyards. During the war, cargo ships, explosives, weapons, and shells were all produced with the help of Canadian women.
|
The graph above shows how the number of casualties become much higher than the number of enlistments. The military was in desperate need of soldiers. They were losing men a lot faster than they could replace them, sparking conscription. The Military Service Act was enforced by the government in 1918. Single men between ages 20 and 35 had no choice but to serve in the armed forces. This controversial issue caused violent protests and riots as many Canadians opposed conscription.
The Halifax Explosion is a very important and memorable event in Canadian history. During WWI, Halifax was a port taken over by the Canadian Navy to supply Britain with munition. On December 6, 1917, the Mont-Blanc had collided with the SS Imo. Both ships were abandoned but people on shore stopped to watch, and because there was no apparent danger, they had moved even closer to the fire. After a long moment of silence, the Mont-Blanc immediately exploded with a detonation equivalent to almost 3,000 tons of TNT. The effects of the explosion were devastating. 1,600 people were killed and 9,000 wounded. In response, Massachusetts quickly sent over a train full of doctors, nurses, and medical supplies to set up hospitals, along with shiploads of money and household goods to Halifax. To show gratitude for the state’s relief efforts, Nova Scotia presents a Christmas tree to Boston every year.
|