Premium Essay

Vimy Ridge

In:

Submitted By emmapaterson17
Words 1000
Pages 4
Vimy Ridge: From Colony to Nation

One of the many brave and selfless Canadian soldiers who fought in the historical battle of Vimy Ridge perfectly stated, “[t]hey fought as Canadians and those who returned brought back with them a pride of nationhood that they had not known before.” War does not only change a single, individual person, but a country as a whole. The battle of Vimy Ridge changed Canada from a colony to a nation in many important ways, allowing Canada’s reputation around the world to become more independent, strong, and connected as a country. When Canada defeated the Germans at the battle of Vimy Ridge, the world saw us as a more independent country. The battle showed that we did not need Britain, and surprisingly, we ended up “emerging from the shadow.” For many years and through many battles, we depended on Britain and their guidance; however, Vimy was different. We came up with our own plan of action. We gathered strong, Canadian troops and generals, trained them properly so that everyone knew their own job, built our own trenches and brought our own artillery. The great Canadian Commander of the Canadian Corps by the name of Sir Arthur William Currie wanted and effectively tried to keep the Canadian troops separate from the British troops. These were all acts of Canadian independence. Our nation truly showed that we could fight and win against a very strong enemy and without our motherland helping us. Furthermore, during the battle, it was all Canadian soldiers, from one side to the next. It showed our Canadian independence because we did not have any troops from Britain. Canada showed the world that we were an independent nation because of this brave battle, in which we fought under our own leadership. Not only were we proving that we were an independent nation who would not take orders from anybody else, we were also demonstrating that we

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Battle Of Vimy Ridge Essay

...The great Battle of Vimy Ridge is a powerful symbol for Canadian nationalism, and a source of national pride, and identity. The unity, strength, and independence that our nation showed in this fight are the reason why this battle was a key event in Canada’s development as a nation during the World War I. The battle of Vimy ridge was a special time for Canada. Coming together as a nation, all Canadian divisions united for the first time and regained the ridge. After the French and the British had failed, the Canadians strategically planned a way to win. “In those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation” – B-General A.E. Ross. Something to take from this statement is that there was now a union, and a sense of nationalism for all Canadian divisions. This was something new, this was the beginning of a journey; it was the start of Canada. After defeating the Germans in the Battle of Vamy Ridge, Canada finally rose up from underneath the shadow of Britain and received credit for its own victory. Although Canada did not become independent and free from the control of the British until 1982, it was recognized as a nation, and as...

Words: 485 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Vimy Ridge

...Le Conquérir de le Crête de Vimy Le Crête de Vimy est le plus bonne victoire du Canada. Nous toujours rappplez l’autre bataille comme le Battille de Ypres , le priemer battille Canada a battille dans , et ils a sauves le ville de Ypres . Mais maleriousment 2000 tues et blessés. Aussi le battille de la Somme quand il a brise le ligne de Hindenburge mais nous ont predu 25 mils soldats dans 4 km ! Et le battille de Passendale quand ont gange 9 croix Victoira et prende Passchendaele . Nous ont perdu 16 mile soldats. Je pense le Crête de Vimy est le plus radical de notre battille. Le priemer raison que le Crête de Vimy ets le plus important est cet battille a donne notre preimer fois que nous ont combattent ensemble. Il ya beacoup de traville ils a fait pour d’avoir ce grand succès. Ils ont besion de crée leur tunnels et teur propre trenchés. Une nouvelle system est crée dans c’est temp le system photos aérienned. Ils ont utillise les photo de trouves ou est leur ennemis(Allemange) est mis en place. Quand il a bombarde le place les photo de aériennes déclare ils ont détruites 85% de les Allemanges chanoines AVANT le guerre on a commencé. Aussi il a crée le systeme (Vimy Glide) . Sa systeme a l’aide leur congour de le Crête de Vimy. Un autre raison que le Crête de Vimy est le plus radical est parce que il avoir beacoupe de la végétation . Ils a pas de l’arbres pour protage nous. Donald Fraser dit « The ridge of death » . Un autre radical choise est il a leur tunnels ils...

Words: 347 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Vimy Ridge Battle Analysis

...The positive outcome that Canadian soldiers experienced in the Battle of Vimy Ridge came from lessons that they learned in two previous battles, the Battle of Second Ypres, and the Battle of Somme, namely the first day of this battle, the Battle at Beaumont-Hamel. In the battle of Second Ypres, there were two Canadian Brigades fighting during the battle. This battle began with a chlorine attack on the French, which just narrowly avoided Canada’s forces. This attack resulted in the French having to retreat, leaving a hole in the Allies lines. The Canadians fought for three days to protect their land from an exposed position. The Canadians soon faced a direct chlorine attack, but they fought through it to help buy time for British troops to arrive....

Words: 487 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Science

...Vimy ridge: April 9th 1917 is when the battle of Vimy Ridge began its also is known to be Canada's defining moments in history. This is when Canada's military contribution to WWI was successful which allowed them to capture Vimy Ridge. The battle took place at 5:30am 30,000 Canadian soliders who formed the Canadian troops accomplished something that the French and British has failed to do in two years. Leading the Canadians into battle was master and commander Arthur Currie, he was the first Canadian to lead the Canadian troop. Currie developed a new artillery war strategy called the "creeping barrage". The Canadian were given the task of recapturing the ridge, they built railroad tracks so their artillery could keep up the creeping barrage against the German position. When the Canadians weren't controling the front lines they were in a secret training area practicing their assault plan, this new tactic allowed the Canadians to advance on the German trenches that were at the base of the ridge. One of the reasons why they Canadians manage to do things successfully was because the Canadian corps soldiers were given maps of their objectives and given instructions to each individual. This allowed each man knowing what he was doing in the periods of time given, the planning was done until the very seconds to when it would happen. On April 9th 1917 at 5:30am, the Canadians corps begin firing all the field guns This battle gave Canada a new identify, an identity which would...

Words: 294 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Vimy Ridge In Canad Rhetorical Analysis

...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...

Words: 1086 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

How Did Canada Capture Vimy Ridge

...Before the Battle Prior to Canada’s involvement in this event, the British and French were hammering away at Vimy Ridge, but the battles always ended in a stalemate because the Germans had the advantage of controlling the ridge. The ridge, located in France was much higher than the rest of the flat plains which made it both an offensive, and defensive position. Apart from driving the Germans further back, this was another reason why the Allied forces wanted to capture Vimy Ridge in the first place. Finally, after many failed attempts and over 100,000 casualties, Canada was assigned to capture Vimy Ridge. Planning & Preparation In order for the Canadian corps to capture Vimy Ridge, lots of meticulous planning and training was done. The Canadians dug tunnels and bunkers underneath the ridge so that at the time of the attack, they could use them to transport troops secretly, store ammunition and sometimes even detonate areas. Likewise, they rehearsed the battle strategy countless times and finally, a week before the actual assault, the Canadians corps continuously shelled enemy bunkers and trenches to weaken their forces and to keep them from knowing when the attack would start. The Battle...

Words: 500 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Trail of Tears

...the 1790s to the 1840s. The book did not seem to really discuss the actual trail of tears but rather the Cherokees Nation rise and fall. However, the book seemed to focus on the more successful or richer Cherokees. Reflecting on the title, it is called the rise and fall of the Cherokee nation but Ehle only seems to cover the rise and fall of specific people and events. The Trail of Tears focuses mainly on Major Ridge and his family, specifically his son John Ridge and his nephews Elias Boudinot and Stand Waite and other missionaries who were sent to convert the Cherokees to Christianity. Major Ridge would not convert to Christianity but did accept some of the white ways for his family. The principal chief of the Cherokee was named John Ross who was believed by many to be in state of denial. Ross and his followers blame Ridge and his followers for selling the Cherokee out when they sign the Treaty of 1835 that puts the seal on the removal. . Major Ridge was born around 1771 and died on June 22, 1839. Ridge married Sehoya who was a mixed-blood Cherokee in 1792. Ridge could not speak or write; he had no formal education. He received his title as major in 1814 after serving alongside Andrew Jackson. After receiving the title major he used Major as his first name for the remainder of his life. He later in life moved his family to what is now Rome, Georgia. Moving to Georgia helped him develop a plantation and become a successful planter which allowed him to own thirty...

Words: 378 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

History

...this fact. Around 17 or 18 families moved onto Cherokee land and began living in Cherokee homes, and according to Boudinot, there were even some reports of retaliation by the Georgians when the Cherokee people tried to keep their homes. Not only were homes up for the taking by the Georgians, but the Georgians began to steal horses and livestock that belonged to the Cherokees as well. Although the Cherokee people lodged complaints, General John Coffee admitted that while it was legally Cherokee land, it was the responsibility of the Principle Chief to throw the Georgians off of the land. Although this strategy of throwing Georgians off the land had not worked in the past, Major Ridge gathered a group of Cherokee people and dressed up in war-like attire and went to confront the white families. Major Ridge and his troops gave the white families time to evacuate the stolen homes and then they set the homes on fire and demanded that the white families leave the land permanently. This was the Cherokee peoples attempt to send a clear message to the Georgians that they were unwelcome. 2. In the report from Major William M. Davis to Secretary of War Lewis Cass, Major Davis accuses reverend J.F. Schermerhorn of submitting a false treaty. Major Davis lived in a Cherokee county during the time that the treaty was signed and he states that he is concerned over the actions that Schermerhorn took to negotiate with the Cherokees and the overall manner in which the treaty was obtained. Davis...

Words: 880 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Aja Paper

...Thao Luong Instructor: Christopher Collins History 17A January 9, 2014 Legislating Women's Sexuality: Cherokee Marriage Laws in the Nineteenth Century Nineteenth century was a time of social upheaval and enormous political in the Cherokee Nation. Most readers will probably be familiar with the tragedy of the “Trail of Tears " when federal troops Cherokee Indians forced to give up land in Georgia , Alabama , Tennessee and North Caroiina settled in India Territory ( present day Oklahoma ) in 1838-1839 . What may not be widely is known to kill just one of a number of significant changes are experienced by Cherokee Nation in the nineteenth century. The Cherokees radical transformation of political institutions and their legal at the beginning of the century; survivors internal conflicts, which verged on civil war, as a result of the removal policy of the 1830; beyond the American Civil War and its reconstruction as they struggled to combine their slaves into society, and face federal efforts to dismantle the sovereignty of India as the century drew to a close. In many respects, the legal institutions of the nineteenth century Cherokee Nation like those of the United States. The Cherokees split their government into three branches: an executive expressed by the Minister, a judicial body with district and supreme courts and legislatures have created laws for the nation. This article will review some of the laws passed by the legislature of Cherokee governments, especially those...

Words: 648 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

The Cherokee Nation

...The Cherokee Nation: Individualism, Collectivism, Power, and Quality of Life Individualism/Collectivism “In the beginning there was no land; just water and the sky. The animals lived above the solid rock vault that formed the sky, but they were very crowded”(Perdue, 2007). This is the introduction of the Cherokee people’s birth and come to being on this earth. Like our tale of Adam and Eve, the Cherokee also had their version of it and their people were named Kana’ti and Selu. They had both lived in a paradise that was created for them, but had a flaw of wanting more and thus were cast out of their own Garden of Eden. When the original Cherokee people were cast out of their paradise they found themselves having to hunt and harvest their food. They developed methods to help kill the bigger animals and trounce on the smaller ones with little to no regard for their lives. The story goes on to tell that the Cherokee people began to get sick from the animals they were eating and their harvest were not growing the way they intended either. The animals were punishing the humans for not respecting their right to live along side with them. The Cherokee soon realized that they must perform rituals to avoid the diseases, give thanks to the animals and land for what they used, and that is when they began to understand the importance of respect for all living things and not dominion over them (Perdue, 2007). Cherokee’s today believe that they are one with their environment...

Words: 1066 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Trail of Tears: Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation by John Ehle

...emotional narrative that would be sympathetic towards the Cherokee people, but it was a mixture of narrative plus historical facts. The book portrays the actual history, through the use of the many primary sources mentioned earlier, of the Cherokee people, but I believe that the author used that to frame the personalities of his characters as to what their decision making might have been like at the time. Having no connection to this part of history, I empathized with the Cherokee nation and cannot image the amount of suffering they faced in this time. This is something that I think the author did well, portraying the history of the people and the sheer magnitude of suffering the Cherokees went through. The major players at the time were John Ridge and John Ross....

Words: 1034 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

How Does Continental Drift Spread

...Continental drift, seafloor spreading and plate tectonics have many similarities. They also have many differences. Sea floor spreading is when new molten material comes up through the mantle onto the ocean floor. Continental drift is when the continents break apart and move. Plate tectonics is what the continents and ocean are on and moving on. Continental drift, seafloor spreading and plate tectonics are all related. Continental drift, seafloor spreading and plate tectonics are all similar in many ways.They all have many processes and in them. Seafloor spreading and continental drift are two of the major processes in plate tectonics. They also deal with moving on the plates.They also are all part of the lithosphere and mantle. The plates...

Words: 336 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Spread Research Papers

... Sea-Floor Spreading, plate tectonics,and continental drift. Are all parts of the earth,that make the Earth still survive today.Seafloor Spreading is a geological process in which tectonic plates, large slabs of Earth’s lithosphere split apart from each other. Seafloor spreading helps us in many ways. One way is that, it makes up the the oceanic crust. Another way is that it makes large mountain ranges, that rise from the ocean floor.Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth’s outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky inner layer above the core. These plates make up Earth’s outer shell, called the lithosphere. (This includes the crust and uppermost part of the mantle).There are 3 plate boundaries, Transform, Divergent, and Convergent. Transform boundaries are where the plates move sideways in relation to each other. Divergent boundaries are plates that move apart, And Convergent boundaries are plates that collide.When these plate are tugged, giant troughs form. Just like the one in Africa called the Great Rift Valley.Continental Drift, is the theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth’s surface. All of the continents look like they could fit together like giant puzzle pieces. Even though these scientific theories help us, they are still alike and different in many ways. For instance, Alfred wegener proved that the continents moved apart. But he could not prove how they moved. We later found out it was from plate...

Words: 474 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Essay On Plate Tectonics

...the strong outer layer is referred to as. Developed between the 1950s all the way through to the 1970s, plate tectonics is the up-to-date version of the theory first proposed in 1912 by the scientist Alfred Wegener, called continental drift. Alfred Wegener couldn’t explain how the continents move around the plant but researchers now do. Convection in the mantle is the driving force that is plate tectonics. Near the earth’s core hot material ascends & cooler rock from the mantle descends. Plate tectonics are driven by convection through a combination of spreading & pushing away from each other at mid-ocean ridges & pulling and plummeting downward at subduction zones. But scientist still continue even to this day to study & debate the mechanisms that are responsible for the movement of plates. Mid-ocean ridges are openings between tectonic plates in the earth’s mantle, at the ridges scorching magma wells up, creating new ocean crust & pushes the plates away from each other. 2 tectonic plates meet & one slides underneath the other back into the mantle at subduction zones. When 2 tectonic plates move away from each other, this is known as a divergent boundary. Along these margins, lava spews from the lengthy geysers & fissures that squirt superheated water. Along the rift regular earthquakes. Beneath the rift, molten rock (often called magma) rises from the mantle. After it oozes up into the gap & hardens into solid rock, it creates new crust on to the plates torn edges. Magma...

Words: 1769 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Plate Tectonics: Article Analysis

...which is recognized as the mid-ocean ridge system, and spreads out horizontally away from them. This statement was the primary reasoning behind the development theory of plate tectonics. In 1960, an American geophysicist, Harry Hess suggested new found discoveries about the deep ocean floor in regards to sea floor spreading. He believed based on his discoveries that the molten material from Earth’s mantle endlessly shafts up along the ridges of the mid-ocean ridges that wind for 50,000 miles all throughout the earth’s oceans. When...

Words: 492 - Pages: 2