With the mythical nature of Vimy Ridge in Canada fully fleshed out and debunked, why is it that the myth even exists? The need for a definitive symbol of Canadian identity is the answer. Jeff Keshen argues that “the rapid growth of autonomy in Australia and Canada following the Great War helped to ensure that popular discourse continued to depict superior, courageous and noble soldiers.” As nationalist politicians in both dominions sought greater autonomy, the image of a strong national army representing the nascent nation was no doubt invaluable. For example, Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King drew heavily on the battle’s symbolism in his rhetoric. The unity that the myth built was necessary in moving towards an autonomous Canadian nation, and “the power of the mythicized version of the war experience, then, was considerable.” Rather than delve into the more technical examples Canadian successes during the First World War, it is far easier for a politician to capture the romantic, nationalist spirit of an audience with a …show more content…
John Pierce published an article in Laurier University’s Canadian Military History journal in 1992, which suggested that in the summer of 1936, “the historical reality of the battle was re-worked and reinterpreted… to symbolize Canada’s coming of age.” The construction of the memorial at Vimy began in 1925, and was intended to represent the entire contribution of the Canadian Corps to the First World War. Further, the monument served as a commemoration to the 19,000 Canadian soldiers who had been buried in unmarked graves. The inscription of the names of these men, the vast majority of which had not given their lives at Vimy, had the effect of “transforming Vimy into hallowed ground, an empty tomb, a place of pilgrimage” according to