Sam Hughes and Overcoming Recruiting Crisis of Canadian Army at Height of First World War (1915—1916)

Abstract

The process of overcoming crisis phenomena during the recruitment of the Canadian volunteer army at the height of the First World War is analyzed in the context of the activities of the Minister of Militia and Defense Sam Hughes. The chronological framework is due to the beginning of the crisis in the recruitment of the Canadian volunteer army (October 1915) and the completion of S. Hughes’s activities as Minister of Militia and Defense (November 1916) in connection with the forced resignation. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that for the first time in Russian historiography, views are formulated and the mobilization activity of Minister S. Hughes is analyzed during the crisis in the recruitment of the Canadian volunteer army at the height of the First World War. The efforts of S. Hughes to overcome the recruitment crisis and stimulate recruitment into the ranks of the Canadian Volunteer Army are traced. The reaction of the press and the public to the mobilization activity of S. Hughes at the height of the war is studied. The reasons, circumstances and consequences of the resignation of S. Hughes from the post of minister are clarified. It is proved that during the leadership of the War Department, S. Hughes managed to achieve impressive results, however, due to his stormy temperament and personal ambitions, he often went beyond his powers, which ultimately predetermined his resignation.