vimyfin

Created by: D. VandenBerg


Victory at Vimy

“Many historians and writers consider the Canadian victory at Vimy a defining moment for Canada, when the country emerged from under the shadow of Britain and felt capable of greatness. Canadian troops also earned a reputation as formidable, effective troops because of the stunning success. But it was a victory at a terrible cost, with more than 10,000 killed and wounded.”

- Canadian Museum of Civilization


Victory at Vimy

“The fight to take Vimy Ridge cost Canada dearly, but it would become the cornerstone of the nation's image of its place in the world. In four days, 3,600 Canadian soldiers died, another 5,000 were wounded. But the ridge was taken, much of it in the first day. The valour of the troops, the originality of the plan, the success where larger, more established armies had failed, all contributed to a new nation's pride.”

- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation


Victory at Vimy

“Vimy Ridge would become the most influential battle of World War I and the model for the great allied offensive of 1918. It dramatically revealed how innovative tactics combined with iron courage and heroic self-sacrifice enabled Canadian soldiers to transform a field of slaughter into a field of glory…The Capture of Vimy Ridge is renowned in Canadian lore, but few understand how it was an important progression in the development of the Canadian soldier and Canada itself. Vimy was graduation day”

- History Television


Background

• German occupying troops controlled the ridge using a network of trenches – Ran along the ridge and down into the valley– Connected with another network of natural caves.

• 150,000 French and British soldiers had died trying to take it back.

• Allied commanders believed the ridge to be impregnable.


Arthur Currie• Sam Hughes instructed

that the Canadian Corps Divisions be permanently attached

• Arthur Currie helped plan and coordinate the attack at Vimy– He studied battles, such as

the Somme, and tried to learn lessons from these events

• Currie’s Philosophy: – “A thorough preparation

must lead to success; neglect nothing”


Preparation

• All details of the attack, except the date, were shared with the soldiers

• What is the Vimy Glide?

• What was the effect of issuing maps to the soldiers?


Rolling or Creeping Barrage

• A military tactic where artillery and infantry move together, in the same direction, at a calculated pace– Destroys defenses– Forces defenders to find cover– Creates a protective dust cloud


Trench Raids• Trench raids were

used to gather information about terrain and defenses

• Currie favoured an attack focused on enemy strong points

• Mixed platoons were created to make them self sufficient


Artillery

• Currie recognized that artillery had formerly targeted enemy infantry but not enemy artillery

• Explain how Currie and Byng located enemy artillery guns with flash-spotting and sound-ranging


Indirect Fire

• Explain why machine guns were sometimes not aimed directly at the enemy.


Tunnels

• Tunnels were used to:– obtain control

under no-mans land

– Achieve surprise by moving troops and supplies to forward positions


Vimy


The Attack and Outcome


Significance

• In four days:– 3,600 Canadian

soldiers died– another 5,000 were

wounded.

• But the ridge was taken

• Biggest success of the war so far


Legacy

• Large source of pride for Canadians because:– of valour of the troops, – the originality of the

plan, – the success where

larger, more established armies had failed


Vimy Today

• Today, there's a large park at Vimy Ridge, dedicated to Canada. The striking memorial features a 30-tonne limestone figure carved from a single block, a hooded figure representing Canada herself, gazing down on a single tomb overlooking the Douai plain.

• The twin stone pillars list the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose remains were never found.


Vimy Memorial


Conclusion

• Explain why the events at Vimy Ridge support the ‘myths’ summarized at the start of this presentation?


Vimy


Sources

• www.civilization.ca/cwm/vimy/sculptures_e.html • http://www.history.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=22826• http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/vimy/• National Film Board: Far From Home

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