Department of History | World War I, Episode 3 | Women at War

Summary

During World War I, Canadian and American women played pivotal roles in the war effort, both domestically and abroad. They organized and participated in various activities, including victory gardens, knitting, sewing, canning, and volunteering as farmerettes. Women also collected Sphagnum Moss for medical dressings and raised funds for the Red Cross. Over 3,000 Canadian women trained in first aid, with many serving overseas, while nurses filled administrative roles and were granted officer status. The war led to advancements in public education, health, and living standards, benefiting women significantly. However, it also fractured the women's movement, with some embracing the war effort and others opposing it.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Canadian women were not expected to serve in combat during WWI but played a crucial role in the domestic war-time economy.
• 👥 Women in both Canada and the United States were involved in various aspects of war work, including victory gardens and conservation efforts.
• 🍎 The 'food will win the war' campaign saw women producing supplies such as canned fruit to send overseas.
• 🧶 Women contributed to the war effort through knitting, sewing, and volunteering as farmerettes to replace men in agricultural work.
• 💰 Canadian women raised significant funds for the war, with the IODE collecting 1.5 million dollars for the Red Cross and other agencies.
• 🌿 Sphagnum Moss was collected by women volunteers for use in medical dressings, highlighting the importance of natural resources in wartime.
• 🩺 The scale of first aid and medical attention needed during the war was unanticipated, leading to increased recognition of women's contributions.
• 🏥 Over 3,000 Canadian women trained as voluntary aid detachments, with about 1,700 serving overseas, including in administrative roles in hospitals.
• 🌍 Canadian nurses served globally, dealing with challenges such as poor sanitation and dysentery, and some were decorated for their service.
• 🎖 Canadian nurses were given officer status, a unique recognition not offered by American or British services.
• 📚 The war incentivized improvements in public education, health, and living standards, benefiting women and leading to social welfare measures like the Sheppard-Towner Act.
• 💔 The war fractured the women's movement, with some feminists and pacifists frustrated by the support for war among women's rights activists.

Q & A

What was the initial expectation of Canadian women's role during the outbreak of war in 1914?

There was no expectation that Canadian women would serve in any active combat role in the military, but it was anticipated that they would play a key role in the domestic war-time economy.

How were Canadian women prepared to contribute to the war effort before 1914?

Canadian women were well poised to contribute because they had been forming various local, national, and international organizations for about twenty years prior to the war, which were ready to take action during the war.

What was the significance of women's organizations in the United States during the war?

Women in the United States became very involved in various aspects of war work, including victory gardens, conserving materials, and producing supplies such as knitted items, sewn goods, and canned fruit to be sent overseas.

How did women contribute to the agricultural sector during the war?

Women volunteered to be farmerettes to help with the harvest, replacing the many men who had left agricultural regions to enlist in the military.

What fundraising efforts did Canadian women undertake during World War I?

In 1917, the IODE (Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) collected 1.5 million dollars to send to the Red Cross and other agencies providing supplies for Canadian troops.

What was the role of Sphagnum Moss in the war and how was it collected?

Sphagnum Moss was a natural product wanted by the Red Cross for dressings. It was collected, dried, packaged, and sent overseas by volunteer labor, mostly women, who produced 20 million units by the end of the war.

How did the war impact the recognition of women's contributions to society?

The war provided opportunities for women to take advantage of their roles and get the government to recognize their contributions, such as through the training of 3,000 Canadian women as voluntary aid detachments and their service overseas.

What was the status of Canadian Nurses during the war and how did it differ from other countries?

Canadian Nurses were given officer status, which meant they were technically in command of the male soldiers they oversaw. This was unique as neither the American nor the British services offered that status to their nurses.

How did the war influence the improvement of public education, health, and living standards?

The war provided states with a powerful incentive to improve public education, health, and living standards, and women, on average, benefited significantly from these improvements, partly due to the strong women's movement prior to the war.

What was the impact of the war on the women's movement and their views on health and beauty standards?

The war fractured the women's movement, with some suffragettes siding with the war and others remaining pacifists. However, the war also led to increased participation in health campaigns, such as the Children's Year initiative, which contributed to the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act in 1921.

How did the war affect the unity and perspectives within the feminist community?

The war caused divisions within the feminist community, as some like Nellie McClung were frustrated by the enthusiasm for the war shown by others, while figures like Cora Hind were staunch supporters of the war effort.