Major Battles of WWI

Major Battles of WWI

Second battle of Ypres (April 1915):          

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In Belgium Absolute chaos This battle is a draw German’s introduced poison gas (chlorine gas) Soldiers peed on rags and held them to their mouths to stop the effects of the gas People choked and gagged on vomit and blood More than 2000 died; 6035 Canadian casualties Germans wanted to get rid of a Ypres Salient (the British/Allied line pushes into a concave bend in the German line) First major engagement in the war for Canadians (first taste of action) How is it historically significant to Canadians? o Canadian troops became known as a formidable fighting force o Many thought they wouldn’t be able to hold on, but they did, barely o Canadians are also known for being rowdy (Ypres changes this a little) o Revealing of what was to come  What the war was going to be like  The rate of injury and deaths o The number of people effected (consequence) How did it contribute to the development of a Canadian identity? o Pride  It was Canadians who held the line

The Battle of the Somme (1916):

Joint French and British attack The plan was to attack on the Western, Eastern and Italian Front New steel helmets, armored tanks Canadian casualties = 24 029; Allied casualties 650 000 Over 200 000 killed on both sides Germans name it das Blutbad (“the Bloodbath”) Canadians come in at Courcelette o Takes a series of trenches  At first, Germany attacked  Offensive attack was launched to reduce pressure on the French at Verdun o July 1, 1916 – “Big Push” o Hope to score a breakthrough and end the war quickly o British suffered 50 000+ casualties that day o Newfoundland Regiment is decimated at Beaumont Hamel  July 1 = a day of commemoration  How is it historically significant to Canadians? o Canadians gained reputation as hard-hitting “shock troops” or “storm troops”       

o Sheer number of casualties/number of people effected o Lot of lessons were learned from the failure here  How did it contribute to the development of a Canadian identity? o Canada’s reputation affects their independence  Different from British

Vimy Ridge (1917):    

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Canadian success Began at dawn of Easter Monday (April 9th, 1917) By the next day, the ridge was captured Technique used: creeping barrage = the Vimy Glide o Artillery was fired and Canadian soldiers would run up behind the “wall” of artillery being fired o The “wall” of artillery would move forward, and the soldiers would follow o Soldiers moved forward incrementally behind the artillery o The Germans couldn’t see the Canadian troops/could 10 602 Canadian casualties Vimy Ridge was a good position that Allies wanted o Lots of planning went into it Allies had previously attempted to capture it, but had failed How is it historically significant to Canadians? o The first time all 4 sections of the CEF fought and won together o Reveals how valuable Canadian troops were to the British o Number of people effected o Vimy Ridge is viewed as a defining moment of Canadians  All four sections  Took a stronghold that no one was able to take before How did it contribute to the development of a Canadian identity? o Began to feel like they could accomplish something on their own (as a nation) o Moment of collective pride

Passchendaele (1917):

Canadian defeat (kind of) – pyrrhic victory Began Oct 30th, 1917 – for Canadians Aka the Third Battle of Ypres In Belgium There was mud and heavy rain, made the conditions really bad Around 16 000 Canadian casualties; 4000 killed Britain really wanted this land, but it was kind of pointless land Britain, Australia and New Zealand had tried to capture this land before, but had failed  Captured the ridge but the gain wasn’t very significant  Douglas Haig tells Arthur Currie to go back to Ypres and take Passchendaele  How is it historically significant to Canadians?        

o Canadians captured the ridge o Number of people effected o Revealing about the futility of war  So many people died for something so insignificant  How did it contribute to the development of a Canadian identity? o They had the feeling that they could accomplish something as a nation/country

The Last Hundred Days:              

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Last three months of war (August –November) Russia surrendered to Germany in early 1918 USA had entered the war in late 1917 (turns the tides in the Allies’s favour) No one can match USA’s industrials manufacturing Germans launched an offensive attack on the Western Front because they knew the US troops were coming The Canadians pushed back Canadians captured Amiens, Arras and Canal du Nord 6000-7000 killed; 40 000 wounded Took about 32 000 prisoners 3800 artillery pieces Canadians were at the front of the troops in their (the Allies’s) offensive attacks Took 130 km in 3 months – very fast The Germans got very close to Paris; they launch a series of attacks in 1918 How is it historically significant to Canadians? o Canadians had advanced 37 km into German-held territory by Oct 11 o They pushed through to the Belgium city of Mons – late Nov 10, 1918 o Helped Canadian troops gain reputation o Number of people effected How did it contribute to the development of a Canadian identity? o The last Canadian success in the war o Helped end the war