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The Effects Of World War One On Canada?s People Essay

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When Britain called on Canada to help in World War One, Canadians dutifully volunteered. Many Canadians thought that this would be a glamorous adventure that they could not miss. However, Canadians were in for a rude awakening as this glamorous adventure turned out to be more than they bargained for. This was a new kind of war, one that cost Canadians dearly. Poor organization among troops, appalling war conditions Canadians endured and lack of effective leadership that did not support the best interests of Canadian troops all contributed to the pointless suffering Canadians endured in this supposed glamorous adventure. In the beginning, the poor organization among the troops resulted in some of the mishaps that occurred in battle. In …show more content…

In this, we are given the impression that the Canadian troops were provided with adequate boots; however they did not fit properly. The evident lack of organization caused unnecessary anguish for Canadian troops and their misconception of the war. Canadian soldiers endured much pointless suffering through the appalling conditions they encountered. The worst experience for Canadians was in the trenches. These endless zigzag trails were the soldiers’ home for as long as they were assigned duty to them. The trenches were often infested with “rats and lice… ‘There are millions! Some are huge fellows, nearly as big as cats…’ The soldiers often went weeks without washing or changing clothes, and most were infested with body lice” (Newman 141). Conditions were so wet and dirty and the men had to live with it. As a result of the wet and dirty conditions, many soldiers got ‘trench foot’. “Their feet swelled up to two or three times their normal size and went numb…but when the swelling went down, the pain was agonizing. If gangrene set in, the soldiers’ feet and legs were amputated” (Newman 141). Soldiers were expected to patrol in sometimes knee-deep trenches with only the large, clumsy boots provided. Their feet were always cold and wet, basically meaning they were in constant discomfort. Many Canadians were committed to battles in which they had no chance of surviving and those who survived,

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