vimy ridge
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Vimy Ridge. By: Ian Brackman, Usman Taj, Matthew Hart & Robert De Luca. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWjZAX0ZWpI. The Event: Why Did It Work?. Most famous Canadian battle of WW1 Mixture of tactical and technical innovation Meticulous planning Powerful artillery support - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
By: Ian Brackman, Usman Taj, Matthew Hart & Robert De Luca
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWjZAX0ZWpI
At 5:28 A.M. April 9 1917 the Canadians attacked Vimy Ridge
They began to put into action their highly practiced plan to work
Captured much of the ridge in the 1st day of the attack
- Most famous Canadian battle of WW1
- Mixture of tactical and technical innovation
- Meticulous planning
- Powerful artillery support
- Extensive training
The Canadian troops were lead by Lt.-General Sir Julian Byng and Major General Arthur Currie
Given (and overcame) seemingly impossible task
Big reason for the victoryLearned from previous battle
mistakes
Byng studied the French failures at the Battle of Verdun as well as every detail of Vimy Ridge
Byng projected the Canadians could advance 4000m and have much of the Ridge by 1pm on the first day
Involved four colored objective linesCanadians were incredibly well-prepared and trainedDistributed 40,000 topographic maps of Vimy so
each group would understand its part
Located in Northern France In the Pas-de-Calais regionVery near the Belgium
borderThere is a village there
called VimyKey locationThe high point is 110 meters
and runs for 8-10 kmGermans had clear and
perfect view of Douai PlainRidge was equipped with
Barbed wire and machine guns
Many underground tunnels made at Vimy
Stable and easy to dig chalk ground
Canadians used tunnels to get across the no mans land
Ammunition Stores, water reservoirs, hospitals
The Germans had constructed decent living quarters underground
Key locationThe high point is 110 meters and runs for 8-10 kmGermans had clear and perfect view of Douai PlainRidge was equipped with Barbed wire and
machine guns
Forced the Germans to change their defensive strategy in the area
Instead of mounting a counter-attack, the Germans retreated to the Oppy–Méricourt line enforcing a scorched earth process along the way
The victory at Vimy Ridge was a turning-point for the Allies (Entente)
Canada was granted a separate signature on the Versailles Peace Treaty that ended the war for their efforts in the war
The battle, which included soldiers from across the country, gave Canadians back home a sense of national identity and unity
Canadian troops earned a reputation of being a formidable fighting force
It was significant as Canadians sensed like Brigadier-General A.E. Ross that, "in those few minutes [they had] witnessed the birth of a nation"
The Canadian Vimy Ridge Memorial was unveiled in 1936 to honour the 60,000 Canadian troops who gave their lives in the war
“It has often been said that Canada’s sons left their home as young colonials but returned as Canadians. Vimy is
indeed the birthplace of “Canadian Nationhood”. The price was heavy: 10,500 casualties, including 3,598 dead.”
May They Rest in Peace - Never To Be Forgotten
http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14742