Preview

this essay will talk about the conscription crisis that happened in 1917.

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
383 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
this essay will talk about the conscription crisis that happened in 1917.
Conscription crisis was a very big problem that happened in 1917. In which, the government was forcing men to go to war. Prime minister Borden asked to conscript soldiers, because of three main reasons. First, the number of casualties, which means the number of dead and missing people, was up. Second, the number of enlistments, which means the men who volunteer to go to war, was down. Third, Britain demanded that Canada send more men.

On top of that, many groups did not want to go to the war. For example, farmers, food servers and industrial workers, because they produce food, clothe for the country. Pasifists, which mean non-violent people, were against war. Wealthy people, they had enough money for their family, were considered as a high class that did not need to go to war. Moreover, The religious people did not go to war, because they were against violence. Of course, immigrants did not go because they had come from countries that were in war.

Besides, French Canadians did not want to go to war, because Britain was demanding Canada to send more men. In addition, Canada was following Britain in any war it would enter; therefore, French Canadians said that Canada would be against the whole world because of Britain. Furthermore, Britain fought against France, so the French Canadians did not want to fight against their own country.

As a result, Prime Minister Borden implemented the military service act, forcing men to go to war, because many men did not want to fight in the war. Therefore, Canadians divided over the issue.

Prime minister Borden was fighting to win the election of 1917 over the issue of conscription. Moreover, Borden gave women related to men already fighting, the right to vote for the election. In addition, he left the conservative party, who supported the war. He creates the union party to attract liberal support. Therefore, he runs as the leader of the union party, and all people from different parties who support the military service act

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    When WW1 started in 1914, Britain controlled Canada’s foreign policy. As the war raged, Canadians disagreed over Canada’s future role in the British Empire. But some people sided with the Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden, who wanted Canada to remain in the British Empire. His government used Propaganda to keep Canadian patriotism at a high pitch, during the War. To maintain the strength and numbers at the front lines, Prime Minster Robert Borden passed the Military Service Act in July 1917. The act introduced Conscription-forced military service. The conscription divided Canada, but it made little difference to the war effort. In 1919 , when Canada had to go the peace conference held in Paris, Robert Borden argued that Canadians’ wartime record give them the right to sit independently because even at that time Canada was still controlled by Britain. And Canada also signed the treaty by itself. Robert Borden did make huge difference in Canada’s identity by taking that small step and he made the world realize that we can be an independent country too.…

    • 297 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before war, Canada’s “tinpot navy” had 350 sailors and 2 warships (the Niobe and the Rainbow). When Canada first entered the First World War in August 1914. Within two months, Canada sent a contribution of 30,000 men. As the great world war continued, Robert Borden managed to get 100 000 more volunteers. He had Sam Hughes lead the military and Borden provided them with weapons, ammunition, uniforms and food. Although the weapons and the uniforms were not the best, they got the job done and saved Canada money. While some were off the war, Robert had to get the rest of Canada into “war mode”. Since Canada had to provide food for the Canadian and British military, Borden had to make sure food at home was not going to waste. Everyone had to stretch the life of their food and find ways to preserve them so that they are good for a longer period of time and the army would be able to eat. Although war came as a surprise, Robert Borden displayed phenomenal leadership by organizing a strong military and getting Canada into "war mode" quickly. As a result, Canada was a part of the winning side of…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Robert Borden Case Study

    • 1461 Words
    • 6 Pages

    He showed Canadians that his idea of conscription was well thought of and would allow for the Canadians and the allies to overcome the Germans, which allowed him to gain popularity for his election. In addition, his ideas of pro conscription were well supported by several politicians, including those from the opposing liberal party, allowing him to collectively create a political coalition, known as the Union government. Despite Borden 's cabinets refusal of the idea cooperating with the Liberals, Borden persisted to work together with pro conscriptionist Liberals. He was able to successfully persuade pro conscription liberals such as Arthur Lewis Watkins Sifton, Newton Wesley Rowell, and Frank Broadstreet Carvell to join his conscriptionist government. The Union government was officially announced on October 13, 1917, with 8 new Liberals within the new cabinet. This was significant, as Borden persuaded the competition party 's members to join his own government using the mutually accepted idea of conscription. This allowed him to eliminate competition and gain widespread support for the election. Not only was he able to successfully eliminate some…

    • 1461 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    French feared that open aid to the Americans would spark another war with Britain's and the French were weak at that…

    • 1722 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Canada And Ww1 Unit 1 Essay

    • 3661 Words
    • 15 Pages

    • For many young men the whole thing was expected to be an adventure that would be exciting and promised that they would "be home in time for Christmas". Then came Kitchener's poster campaign, "Your Country Needs YOU !" and the public conception became that anyone who did not volunteer was, by definition, an unpatriotic coward.…

    • 3661 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pro Conscription Dbq

    • 340 Words
    • 2 Pages

    • Conscription meant anyone who was capable of fighting, had to fight, whether they refused to or not…

    • 340 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagine. You're a Canadian citizen living through out World War II. As the war ends you're proud to have survived the horrific battle, but over hear someone asking what significant features Canada had with the war. How would you feel? What would you say? No matter who you were during that time frame, you would've had a notable and vital role even if you weren't a solider. Allied victory in World War II was in large part aided by Canadian involvement in the form of the BCATP, Economic Change and Women's Rights.…

    • 582 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Battle of Vimy Ridge, the expansion of women's rights and freedom, and conscription are three times in history that shaped Canada's identity as an independent nation during WW1. Canada was automatically sent to go to war on August 4, 1914, when Britain declared war. However, Canada was not prepared for war. During the war, Canada’s priorities shifted from defending their mother country Britain to defending their own country. When the war started Canada had 33,000 volunteers (enough to form one division) and by 1916 they had four divisions which, was just the start of Canada as an independent nation.…

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1918 the army was decommissioned which gave the coalition government and Lloyd George problems. At first they attempted to release key holders of civilian jobs and leaving the ordinary ‘rank and file’ soldiers last. But this alarmed the public causing them to protest which made the government change its tactics of how they were going to achieve things. The government adopted a ‘first in, first out’ policy which luckily rebooted the public’s opinion and avoided disaster. By late 191 over 4…

    • 1531 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    ^ allowed to take place in the south – establishment of the Republic of South Korea…

    • 2359 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Canada Prepares for WWI

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “In Canada, the summer of 1914 was like every other summer” (Swettenham, 2). Although great in size, Canada’s population had always been small compared to that of other countries, and was still only a growing nation. Canada was small and far away from any real threat of war, therefore how could they have thought to prepare themselves for a war the size of the Great War? It is shown through how Canada was a slowly developing country during the time of the war, how the Canadian economy was affected under the weight of the war, and the fact that Canadians did not have the proper equipment for a modern war, that it is proven Canada was not prepared for the First World War.…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Canada became an important battleground in the War of 1812 because – British forces were weakest there…

    • 4727 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Conscription forced young men to fight away from their home country. Many people saw this as unfair and wrong. One of the main problems with the war was the issue of conscription.…

    • 1198 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In 1914 Prime Minister Laurier spoke on behalf of a great many Canadians when he said: “It is our duty to let Great Britain know and to let the friends and foes of Great Britain know that there is in Canada but one mind and one heart that all Canadians are behind the Mother Country.”[3] The Canadians considered themselves a colony of Britain, and showed immediate support for Britain as they went to war. With a contingent of 3,110 men the Canadian expeditionary force was off to Britain. After an accelerated training during the winter of 1915, the Canadians deployed to France with a false sense of preparedness. The battle fields as they had pictured it and the glory they had dreamt about, quickly faded as they embraced the cruel reality of the cold and muddy French battlefields.…

    • 1768 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociology

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages

    For the sake of national unity, Prime Minister of Canada Mackenzie King of 1935- 1948 did not want to repeat mistakes that had occurred in the past (Quinlan, 50). As World War 1 unfolded Mackenzie King was forced to change his views on conscription (Quinlan, 50). Canada’s military had let in new troops and prepared them for war, during this time they believed conscription would not be necessary (Nelson, 42). The first military conscription divided the country (The diary of William Lyon Mackenzie King). On September 3rd, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland by German troops. Mackenzie King held a special seating of Parliament with a vote directly following the debate in the House of Commons; a referendum was the elite alternative to his dilemma. “Are you in favour of releasing the government from any obligations raising men for military service?” this was what Mackenzie King had come up with. After the vote, 82.3 percent of voters, voted yes in Ontario, In British Columbia 79.49 percent vote yes. In Quebec 72.4 voters said “Non” (Quinlan, 50). This was when Mackenzie King found himself in the same position as Borden during the World War 1. Mackenzie was forced to decide between French and English voters. Firstly, for the first time being, Mackenzie King did not enforce conscription, “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary.” (Quinlan, 51). Furthermore, Mackenzie King had just made his first general tough decision that did not initialize conscription just yet but had to send men to war under the NRMA draft. Lastly, there was an election and Mackenzie made promises that he could not keep. This tells us a lot about Mackenzie and his contribution to the war.…

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays