Bodies litter the shattered landscape of France in No Man's Land in front of the Canadian lines, the Somme, October 1916 as shells burst in the air and in distant trenches
Photo Credit: W.I. Castle / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-000786

The ripple effect of the First World War

The end of July marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. Canada as a strong member of the British Commonwealth was automatically drawn in with Britains declaration of war against Germany.

Though it ended four years later, it’s effects have rippled down through the decades to political situations and conflicts of today.

Johnathan Vance is a distinguished professor and J.B. Smallman Chair in the Department of History at the University of Western Ontario.

Listen

One of the effects that Canadians have to deal with every year, is that of income tax.

null
Professor Jonathon Vance is an expert on the First World War at the University of Western Ontario © Paul Mayne

Many do not know however, that it was introduced during the First World War, as a “temporary” measure to finance the war effort.

The war changed Canada in many ways, bringing a sense of nationhood to the young land, and also resulting the beginning of change for the status of women in society, many of whom began to enter the workforce for the first time. In some cases, communities ceased to exist after the war as so many men never returned

It was a war that toppled empires and monarchies, led to the rise of communism.

It may have been called, “the war to end all wars”, but that certainly didn’t hold true, setting the stage itself for WWII and later many smaller conflicts around the world.

null
Canadian soliders look at giant shell craters in the blasted remains of a forest near Bapaume, the Somme, in 1916 © Library and Archives Canada/PA-000884

The roots of the Vietnam war for example can also be traced back to WWI, and many of today’s conflicts, from the Balkans, to the ongoing clashes in the middle east and Ukraine also have their origins in the artificial boundaries and policies created after the war.

Although it began almost 100 years ago to the day, and lasted only four years, Professor Vance says WWI is very much still with us today.

Categories: Economy, International, Politics, Society
Tags:

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.