Among the battlegrounds Canadian soldiers have toiled and fought, Vimy is aptly the location of Canada’s largest war memorial, symbolic of the selfless exploits of Canadian soldiers. The Battle of Vimy Ridge awakened nationalism and pushed the country out of Britain’s shadow, while other battles such as those of Passchendaele and Somme were counterproductive, leading to fruitless sacrifices that deflated Canadian morale and a costly stalemate that created internal and external rifts for Canada, respectively.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge marked Canada’s transition from a country controlled heavily by Britain to one that would dominate world affairs. The event was a turning point - one that united soldiers and civilians alike, and moved the country …show more content…
Unlike the low casualty rate at Vimy, the Battle of Passchendaele led to sacrifices that were not met with any gain; in addition the battle’s senseless nature also disappointed the entire country. British forces insisted Canadian Corps take Passchendaele Ridge in late 1917, and although battleground conditions were dangerous, Britain felt little to no concern, and demanded Canada act immediately. Canada defied expectation and took the low ridge within two weeks of hard fighting, but all ground gained was evacuated in the face of a looming German assault. It is obvious that Passchendaele is not a place for commemoration, but a place to remember the war’s darkest and most tragic moments. Passchendaele is thus a symbol of the madness and unavailing slaughter of the First World War; the insensitivity of British commanders and the decimating of Canadian soldiers is the opposite of the efficient strategies and few deaths at Vimy. In addition to the high battle costs, Passchendaele tore the country apart. Unlike the success of Vimy, which ignited nationalism among soldiers and civilians alike, Passchendaele showed the nation the horrors war was capable of producing. Prime Minister Robert Borden was one that was shaken by the battle, vowing “if there is a repetition of the battle of Passchendaele, not a Canadian soldier will leave the shores of Canada so …show more content…
The Battle of Somme was an ineffective exploit that did not offer much for Canada and the Allies. Heavy casualties for the French army meant increased British and Canadian responsibility, and by the end of the battle, Canada had lost more than 24,000. With more than three times the number of deaths at Vimy, Canada’s immense sacrifices were met with no territorial or strategic gain. Britain and Canada’s faulty leadership, much different from the tact shown at Vimy, was deemed the culprit for the high number of deaths. In addition to the waste of personnel, disagreements between Canada, Britain and France shortly followed - this led not only to communication errors but strained relationships and international criticism for British and Canadian commanders. This did not reflect well on Britain and Canada at all: unlike the tight-knit cohesiveness that Vimy introduced to the Canadian Corps, the failure at Somme polarized internal relationships in the Canadian military and also inhibited progress in the battles that followed shortly after. For Canada, Somme was not an event of triumph - it is instead a gloomy experience to learn from and to hopefully not repeat. While the events at Somme should be remembered, the location itself should not be
The Battle of Vimy Ridge marked Canada’s transition from a country controlled heavily by Britain to one that would dominate world affairs. The event was a turning point - one that united soldiers and civilians alike, and moved the country …show more content…
Unlike the low casualty rate at Vimy, the Battle of Passchendaele led to sacrifices that were not met with any gain; in addition the battle’s senseless nature also disappointed the entire country. British forces insisted Canadian Corps take Passchendaele Ridge in late 1917, and although battleground conditions were dangerous, Britain felt little to no concern, and demanded Canada act immediately. Canada defied expectation and took the low ridge within two weeks of hard fighting, but all ground gained was evacuated in the face of a looming German assault. It is obvious that Passchendaele is not a place for commemoration, but a place to remember the war’s darkest and most tragic moments. Passchendaele is thus a symbol of the madness and unavailing slaughter of the First World War; the insensitivity of British commanders and the decimating of Canadian soldiers is the opposite of the efficient strategies and few deaths at Vimy. In addition to the high battle costs, Passchendaele tore the country apart. Unlike the success of Vimy, which ignited nationalism among soldiers and civilians alike, Passchendaele showed the nation the horrors war was capable of producing. Prime Minister Robert Borden was one that was shaken by the battle, vowing “if there is a repetition of the battle of Passchendaele, not a Canadian soldier will leave the shores of Canada so …show more content…
The Battle of Somme was an ineffective exploit that did not offer much for Canada and the Allies. Heavy casualties for the French army meant increased British and Canadian responsibility, and by the end of the battle, Canada had lost more than 24,000. With more than three times the number of deaths at Vimy, Canada’s immense sacrifices were met with no territorial or strategic gain. Britain and Canada’s faulty leadership, much different from the tact shown at Vimy, was deemed the culprit for the high number of deaths. In addition to the waste of personnel, disagreements between Canada, Britain and France shortly followed - this led not only to communication errors but strained relationships and international criticism for British and Canadian commanders. This did not reflect well on Britain and Canada at all: unlike the tight-knit cohesiveness that Vimy introduced to the Canadian Corps, the failure at Somme polarized internal relationships in the Canadian military and also inhibited progress in the battles that followed shortly after. For Canada, Somme was not an event of triumph - it is instead a gloomy experience to learn from and to hopefully not repeat. While the events at Somme should be remembered, the location itself should not be