Greatest moment in Canadian history

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Greatest moment in Canadian history
Historically, all nations of the world have at one point in time gone through an event which made them who they are. This is because majority of nations have either improved from their past through an intensive battle against their colonial masters. Canada is not an exception to this, as it has endured many adventures to reach their current state. The most memorable of all is the battle of Vimy Ridge which eventually freed the Ridge from German’s control in April 1917. During this time the Canadian military troops resolved the crisis by stepping in and doing what their French and Briton counterparts had perceived to be impossible. The Canadian troops used new strategies and techniques which eventually enabled them to conquer the ridge. The battle was however an extra-ordinary one since its transformed the lives of many people living along the ridge.
Vimy Ridge
World war one was among the largest conflicts the world has ever experienced since the beginning of mankind. It was brought about as a result of complex military alliances that were in Europe. The international crisis that caused the war to begin was brought about by the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. The war lasted for four years and it saw France, Russia and the British Empire lining up against Austria-Hungary and Germany. One of the greatest moments in the Canadian history is the battle that took place at Vimy ridge in April 1917 (Brewster 62).At this time, Germany was considered a part of the powerful British Empire. The victory however can with a huge sacrifice, since approximately 3,600 Canadians were killed and more than 7,000 injured. The seizure of the ridge significantly boosted the Canadian confidence and also elevated their sense of devotion and pride. It also increased their armed forces trust. Until today, the battle is considered a turning point as it led to the independence of the entire Canadian nation. Because of the victory they attained in the Vimy Ridge battle, Canada started to be viewed as a country and not a colony. Even to date, those who died in the battle are still remembered in the Canadian history.
In order for one to understand the significance of the battle that took place at Vimy ridge, one has to take some facts into consideration. At this time, Canada was under the control of Britain. In order for Canada to become sovereign, Canada played an enormous contribution to world war one. This made Canada become internationally recognized. The war that took place at Vimy ridge proved to be the greatest sign of sovereignty during world war one. Canada showed assertiveness against the Germans by winning the battle and escaping the shadow of the British that covered Canada.
In every battle, losses must be incurred. In this case, Canada lost a lot of lives to the war, but it gained respect all over the world. Over 3,000 people were killed during the war and an about 7,800 people were wounded (Brewster 64). Vimy ridge was tremendously important during world war one because its occupants had an added advantage by being able to see the enemies approaching from a distance.
The ridge rises over 61 metres above the Douai plain and is approximately 13 kilometers to the north-east of Arras. At the time, the Germans had full control of the ridge. Arras had a railroad which the Germans used to their advantage. Artillery proof trenches were constructed by the German troops to prevent infantry attacks from their enemies. The battle for Vimy ridge in 1917 played an important role in modern warfare strategies. The Germans took Vimy ridge in 1914 and since that time the Canadians were slowly invading the Germans using their infantry.
The Canadians dispersed their troops evenly throughout the Western front. British Lieutenant General Sir Julian Byng was to give the order to attack the ridge once all troops had arrived at Vimy. They were to attack together, and the attack was planned by Major-General Arthur Currie. General Currie carried out the attack in a manner that had never been witnessed before. Within General Curries plan, tunnels were dug continuously for months in order to come closer to the enemy’s front line day by day. The subterranean passages totaled to five kilometers.
Before the attack, the Canadians built an exact replica of the ridge. They practiced their attack strategies on the replica. General Currie was determined to keep the Canadian divisions together during the war instead of mixing them with other British units. The “creeping barrage” was part of the plan that General Currie developed to attack the enemy. This term refers to a strategy of war whereby troops would advance towards an enemy unde...