Battle of Vimy the First World War

Battle of Vimy The First World War was truly a world affair, not only was it fought all over the world, but it also contained soldiers from all over the world. Each of the major combatants, particularly the Allies, called upon their colonies around the world for manpower. Answering the call for the British Empire were soldiers from many regions including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and of course, Canada. While each fought under the overall British command, each colonial unit was also uniquely proud of it's heritage.

As a result of the successes of some of these colonial troops, their homelands developed a sense of nationalism. And this nationalism, and sense of national sacrifice, initiated these colonies toward the goal of national independence.

One particular instance of this phenomenon came in April of 1917 when "the Canadian Corps left it's trenches all along it's front and stormed the German positions at Vimy Ridge" (Williams 74) The success of this attack stunned the Germans, as well as the Allies, and brought about a feeling of Canadian pride which gave rise to the Canadian nationalist movement. And it was the brilliant use of new techniques, learned through years of failure, which allowed the Canadians to achieve this stunning victory.

In other words, the Canadian used new techniques and weapons to win victory at Vimy Ridge, and this helped form Canada as a nation. Most combatants entered the Great War expecting that maneuvering their armies was going to be the key to success, as it had been during the Napoleonic Wars of the 19th century. Unfortunately, while the technology of war had evolved, the tactics and strategies had not. As a result, the war bogged down into trench warfare with armies moving feet and yards, instead of miles.

Each side was unprepared for this type of stagnant warfare and each sought ways to break the stalemate. After two years of slaughter, the Allies finally began experimenting with new tactics. The Allied armies developed a system of coordination between the infantry and artillery, along with air support; all supported by better information and planning. For example, during the build up before the battle of Vimy Ridge, nearly 1000 artillery guns were brought up to support the troops.

That meant there was one heavy artillery gun for every twenty yards of front line. (McKee 53) These guns were necessary as the allies had developed the "creeping barrage" tactic which maintained a line of fire from the artillery which slowly moved forward. Attacking troops would come in behind the barrage and move forward with little or no resistance; and as the barrage continued to move forward, the troops would continue to advance behind it.

Airplanes, which had come of age during the war, were used at Vimy not only to fight other airplanes, but also for photo reconnaissance, to spot for the artillery, and even to strafe ground targets. (McKee 56) Beside the airplane, "the British turned to a new machine," strangely called the "tank." (Nieberg 198) This large, armored, vehicle used a tractor's caterpillars tracks to safely cross he open "no-man's land" between the trenches and destroy German machine guns clearing the way for the infantry.

48 of these new weapons were committed to the battle of Vimy Ridge. The Allies also used the latest in poison gas technology to keep "the Germans pinned to their positions and… impeding the resupply of ammunition and other supplies to the men at the front." (Nieberg 238) And in the build up to the battle, the Canadians were well prepared, having extensively photographed the area, making accurate maps which all soldiers were familiar with, and even rehearsing the battle beforehand.

There were schedules and timetables, all made out beforehand, which the soldiers were to follow. As a result of all this preparation, training, and attention to detail, the new tactics worked brilliantly. "The Canadians succeeded in advancing past all three German lines on Vimy Ridge. They captured 9000 German prisoners and recovered the entire ridge." (Nieberg 238) This was an amazing feat as both the British and the French had been repulsed in their attacks on the same ridge earlier in the war.

And as the Canadian attack was more of a diversion, their success was not only unexpected, but was not one of the places where the Allies planned to take large amounts of territory. The Canadians captured an area eighteen kilometers long and six kilometers deep, (McKee 195) and "represented the single largest territorial gain in one day for the British Army to date." (Nieberg 238) Canada had not always had a single national identity, prior to confederation in 1867, Canada had been a divided country.

Canada was divided into upper and lower Canada, it was divided into English speaking and French speaking, and it was divided into east and west. Much like the United States, but to a lesser degree, immigrants had created Canada. However, when Britain called out to her colonies for support in the Great War, Canada, like many British colonies, responded.

It was in the crucible of the Western Front, where whole units were wiped out in a single day, and massive losses were the order of the day, that Canada was born. Through the suffering and loss of it's young men, as well as the pride in victories made by those same young men, Canada slowly developed a sense of nationalism. They were Canadians who were fighting and dying in the trenches, not just another unit of the British Army.

And when the Canadians won one of the greatest victories to date in the war, the Canadian people and the Canadian nation were born. One writer, in a 1920 article wrote "In the Great War the maple leaf badge came to be recognized as the symbol of a strong national spirit…and which contributed in a substantial measure to the breakdown of the German defenses…." (Martin) Overall, there were 628,462 Canadians, both men and women, who served in the Great War, with 60,661 sacrificing their lives.

(Duguid) Out of this sacrifice came the nation of Canada, and as one historian wrote "the capture of Vimy Ridge, & #8230;provided Canada with a context of nationhood and a sense of pride in an achievement not accomplished by either the French or British…" (Winegard) And years later, during a speech at the dedication ceremony for a war memorial to those who fell at Vimy, one Canadian General who was present during the battle, commented "I thought then…that in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation." (Winegard) "The Great War was a.