WWI: Stories and Perspectives

Performance Learning Program 9
Seycove Secondary
2020

World War I : Stories + Perspectives

Table of Contents

Introduction • Ms. Emily Maxwell

The Assassination of ArchDuke Franz Ferdinand • Angelo Guistino

The Triple Alliance • Malaika Javer

The War at Sea • Gabriel Altomare

Technology of Artillery • Noah Louie

Tools Used in the Trenches • Kaden Douglas Pluff

Role of Animals in the War • Rhiann Hutchison

Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) • Ryan Chowne

WWI Tanks • Owen Cree

The 2nd Battle of Ypres • Anders Bergman

Vimy Ridge • Felix Labistour

Battle of the Somme • Alex Veitch

Eastern Front and Russian Revolution • Matthew Telford

Conscription • Brenton Chesko

Propaganda in WWI • Anthony Shudra

The Schlieffen Plan • Grace Leishman

Passchendaele • Thomas Jaakkola

The Halifax Disaster • Emily McGee

Minorities in the War • Ciara War

Shell Shock • Kaia Rasmussen

Chemical Warfare • Holly Robinson

Changing Borders of Europe WWI • Asha Calaminus

Treaty of Versailles • Benjamin Dinh

The Unknown Soldiers • Ally Tuck

About the Authors

Works Cited

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World War I 1914 - 1918

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This is a book outlining some of the major events and topics around Canada’s involvement in the First World War.

From the moment Canada entered the war alongside the United Kingdom in 1914, Canadians proved they were diligent and brave soldiers. From the fields of Passchendaele to the victorious plains of Vimy Ridge, it is true that the First World War was a major turning point for the identity of Canadians from Prince Edward Island to British Columbia.

The First World War was a learning experience for all nations involved. The war on the sea, in the trenches, and on the home front left all countries mourning the loss of millions of lives, and rethinking peace agreements between nations.

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The First World War was fought between two major forces, the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Great Britain). There were many reasons why the war began: the assassination of an Arch Duke, the arms race, and the competition for nations to be the most powerful. Yet more than anything, it was the alliances of nations that turned a small conflict in Europe to one of the bloodiest battles in history.

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Learning about the alliances and the some specific battles that were fought between nations involved, was all part of creating our class book about the Great War.

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Introduction

A focus of our studies in the creation of this book was to take on historical perspective. Learners were encouraged to ask themselves “how can we overcome our current concerns, beliefs, and values to understand those of people in the past?”

Along with the creation of individual topic pages, learners in the class explored three novels with the setting of the First World War: War Horse by Micheal Morpurgo, Generals Die in Bed by Charles Yale Harrison, and Private Peaceful also by Micheal Morpurgo. It was through these stories and the individual Canadian experiences listed throughout this book that pushed students to answer our driving question:

How can exploring stories and text help us to understand the impact of WWI on Canada’s identity?

Something to note about this project, was that it was completed from start to finish by students through distance learning during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. Research and inquiry was led by the students themselves using reliable sources cited at the end of our book. The topics and pages in the book were designed individually chapter to chapter, and based around individual inquiries within our class. Each topic is also accompanied by an individual soldier story from the First World War.

The Assassination Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

By: Angelo Giustino

Photo of the archduke and his wife

On June 28, 1914, a tragic event happened that play a big role in history. This event was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His death led to a domino effect of battles and conflicts between many countries. This was all because of one person's action. This person could have never imagined that his action would unfold a global wars.

That day, the Archduke was driving in an open car with his wife Sophie, following a parade route. Once the assassins saw him coming up in the parade, one of them ran up to the car with a hand grenade. He threw the hand grenade at the car but the hand grenade missed and injured civilians. The parade was put to a stop and the Archduke's car drives away. They captured the man who threw the bomb and he was brought to be interrogated. Instead of leaving the town, the Archduke heroically decides it would be a good idea to visit the people in the hospital injured even after everything that had happened.

Archduke Ferdinand was killed by an ordinary man named Gavrilo Princip. On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip and a group of nationalists and terrorists showed up to Sarajevo. This group was known as The Black Hand. The black hand was a group that at times used terrorist meathods to promote the liberation of Serbia. That day, these men expected to kill the Archduke.

The assassins realized they missed their chance to kill the archduke and have no clue where he’s going. Gavrilo Princip decides to leave and get food. The driver of the Archduke's car end up getting lost on there way back to the hospital and decided to reverse. This leads to the cars engine stalling and the car being put to a stop. Gavrilo Princip leaves after getting some food and looked up to see his target right in front of him. Gavrilo Princip then whiped out his pistol and shot the archduke and his wife.

That day, the Archduke decided to go to Sarajevo to watch the anniversary of the battle of Kosovo. Some of the Serbs felt like the archduke only came to rub in their face that Sarajevo was held by a non-Slavic empire. The Serbs didn’t like that.

Photo of Gavrilo Princip

Black Hand Logo

That day, the Archduke was driving in an open car with his wife Sophie, following a parade route. Once the assassins saw him coming up in the parade, one of them ran up to the car with a hand grenade. He threw the hand grenade at the car but the hand grenade missed and injured civilians. The parade was put to a stop and the Archduke's car drives away. They captured the man who threw the bomb and he was brought to be interrogated. Instead of leaving the town, the Archduke heroically decides it would be a good idea to visit the people in the hospital injured even after everything that had happened.

The assassins realized they missed their chance to kill the archduke and have no clue where he’s going. Gavrilo Princip decides to leave and get food. The driver of the Archduke's car end up getting lost on there way back to the hospital and decided to reverse. This leads to the cars engine stalling and the car being put to a stop. Gavrilo Princip leaves after getting some food and looked up to see his target right in front of him. Gavrilo Princip then whiped out his pistol and shot the archduke and his wife.

In the open car with the Archduke and his wife was his bodyguard. Click the sound bubble to hear a quote from his bodyguard Count Franz Von Harrach and his perspective on the event.

Map of Austria-Hungary

The Austria-Hungarians didn’t think that it was just some random person that killed their next in line king. They thought that it was a Serbian government plan to rid of the Archduke. This led to them getting into a big argument and eventually war. If you want to learn more about this topic and the events that followed, I suggest you listen to the podcast below.

Dan Carlin Blueprint For Armageddon (WW1 Podcast)