The Battle of Vimy Ridge Jilleane Reynoso

Battle of Vimy Ridge Vimy Ridge was an important hill over looking the Douai plains of northern France. The battle of Vimy Ridge began on April 9, 1917 and ended on April 12, 1917. More than 10,000 killed and wounded. All 4 divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together. They planned, rehearsed and defeated the Germans. Commander Arthur Currie, the commander of the first division, helped his army succeed in capturing the German front line. He trained his soldiers for the battle before it happened. After the battle, General Alexander Ross said of the battle, “In those few minutes, I witnessed the birth of a nation”.

Why is it significant to Canada? The battle of Vimy ridge was an important event in Canadian history because of the remarkable victory. It was the first time Canada had ever planned its own attack without the British’s help. They proved Canada’s worth to the British Empire and that Canada was able to do well on its own. The success of this battle earned Canada a seat at the Paris Peace Conference. It helped Canada earn their independence from Great Britain. After the battle, Canada became an important country. They became more independent and powerful.

Cause and Consequences On April 12, 1917, Canadians controlled the entire ridge. But their sacrifice was not in vain. The 100,000 Canadians who fought there suffered approximately 11,000 casualties, nearly 3,600 of them fatal. The Canadian army fought for freedom, democracy and the rule of law. They defended with honour. It is important to recognize that this victory would not have been possible without the bravery and sacrifice of the Canadian Corps.

A step-by-step plan of the attack on Vimy Ridge and a sketch of a map of the attack plan. To capture this difficult position, the Canadians carefully planned and rehearsed their attack.

Enjoying a game of cards in a shell hole on Vimy ridge. Soldiers returning from Vimy. Canadian soldiers with a wounded German soldier.

Bibliography http://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/battles-and-fighting/land- battles/vimy-ridge/ http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first- world-war/france/vimy/battle https://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090524125835AAGGg8H http://www.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_significance_of_Vimy_Ridge_batt le http://vimyridge.blogspot.ca/p/how-did-battle-of-vimy-ridge-affect.html http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=47d11c97-c753-4b18- 86bd-3fbf6e5d8e1c http://laughton.ca/mirror/military/ww1/gvlaughton/vimy2.htm