When Britain declared war on Germany in 1914, it meant that Canada was at war, too. Most Canadians supported the war, although many opposed conscription. The Canadain Expeditionary Force earned a formidable reputation for taking and holding territory on the battlefields, and Canadian flying ace Billy Bishop became a hero back home for his heroics in the air. Victories by Canadian soldiers in battle at the Somme, Vimy Ridge, and Passchendaele helped give Canada a presence on the world stage.