Canada on the Battlefields of WWI. April 2 nd, 2014

Transcription

1 Canada on the Battlefields of WWI April 2 nd, 2014

2 Canada in WWI: Essay Assignment Which battle was most historically significant for Canada in WWI? Structure of Argument Style of Writing/Organization Research Spelling & Grammar

3 Historical Significance 1. Significance depends upon one s perspective and purpose. 2. Significance depends upon our ability to link a person or event to larger trends and stories that reveal something important for us today. 3. To assess the historical significance of something we must define criteria for significance

4 Criteria for Significance Importance at the time Resulting Change Profundity: How were people affected by this event? Scale: How many people were affected? Durability: How long lasting have the results from the event been? Legacy How does the event shed light on issues we face today?

5 Ypres The Somme Vimy Ridge Passchendaele Strategic importance of the battle during the war Profundity: How were people affected? What role did Canadians play? Scale: How many people affected? How do we relate to it today?

6 For King and Empire 2005 Hosted by military historian Norm Christie Examines Canadians role in WWI Primary sources featured include photographs, footage, letters and first hand accounts. Features walking tours of actual battlefields Watch it here: For King and Empire

7 Key Battles The Second Battle of Ypres (1915) The Battle of the Somme (1916) The Battle for Vimy Ridge (1917) The Battle of Passchendaele (1917)

8 The (Second) Battle of Ypres Fought around Ypres, Belgium. On the Western Front Canada s first appearance on the European battlefield Germans released 160 tons of chlorine gas and broke through French lines Canadians held them off until reinforcements arrived At this battle John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields Victory for the Allied forces

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10 Ross Rifle Lee- Enfield Rifle

11 The Battle of the Somme

12 The Battle of the Somme The French had been fighting to defend the town of Verdun The British were under pressure to launch an offensive to help out British General Haig planned to break through German lines The Big Push He launched an attack along the 20 mile front, near the Somme River in Northern France Casualties were very high 60,000 Allied troops in the first day! A total of nearly 700,000 men had been killed by the time fighting ended. Both sides were forced to withdraw their forces, Allies advanced approx. 10 km Germany was never able to assemble an effective fighting force after this

13 The Battle of Vimy Ridge

14 The Battle of Vimy Ridge 1. First time all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force fought together 2. They achieved victory, against great odds 3. Legitimized Canada as a nation on the world stage

15 Background In March 1917 the Germans withdrew to strong defenses called the Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line was heavily fortified. Concrete Bunkers Machine Gun Nests Heavy Belts of barbed wire Underground tunnels Vimy Ridge was one of the strongest points on the H. Line and provided an unrestricted view of enemy positions French and British forces had tried unsuccessfully to capture the ridge in the past It took the Canadians three days

16 Squire nagged and bullied till I went to fight, (Under Lord Derby's scheme). I died in hell (They called it Passchendaele). My wound was slight, And I was hobbling back; and then a shell Burst slick upon the duckboards: so I fell Into the bottomless mud, and lost the light At sermon-time, while Squire is in his pew, He gives my gilded name a thoughtful stare; For, though low down upon the list, I'm there; "In proud and glorious memory"... that's my due. Two bleeding years I fought in France, for Squire: I suffered anguish that he's never guessed. I came home on leave: and then went west... What greater glory could a man desire? - Siegfried Sassoon (1918)

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18 The Battle of Passchendaele AKA the 3 rd Battle of Ypres Fought for control of Passchendaele ridge as part of a bigger campaign to capture railways and eventually U-Boat ports in the North. Due to low geography, heavy shelling and constant rain, the battlefield was a quagmire Canadians were led by one of their own Sir Arthur Currie Causalities were very high, but the battle was a success. Nine Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross