2.8A Canadian Battles (summarized) Flashcards
What were the four major battles?
The second battle of Ypres
The battle of the Somme
The battle of Passchendaele
The battle of Vimy Ridge
What was the history of the second battle of Ypres?
When? April 22nd to May 25th,
1915
Where? Belgium
Who? Allied armies (including
Canada) against Germany
Why? For control of the strategic
town of Ypres
What? The Germans had the higher
ground (able to shoot in to
trenches). First use of poison gas
How was the second battle of Ypres significant for Canadians?
First major Canadian appearance on a European battlefield
Able to establish themselves as a formidable fighting force
First use of poison gas
Canadians paid a high price. 6000 men killed, wounded, or
captured
What was the history of the battle of the Somme?
When? July 1 to November 18,
1916
Where? France
Who? Allied armies (including
Canada) against Germany
Why? The French were taking
major losses at Verdun and the
allies thought it would help to
distract some German resources
elsewhere
What? Lasted 5 months with over
1.2M casualties. 18km of land
captured by Britain
How was the battle of the Somme significant for Canadians?
First use of tanks in battle. It was not successful
Known for outdated tactics (whistle blows and then you run over
the top)
Led by British commander Sir Douglas Haig
What was the history of the battle of Passchendaele?
When? July 1917 to November
1917
Where? Belgium
Who? Allied armies (including
Canada) against Germany
Why? To draw Germany away
from Channel ports and eliminate
U-Boat bases on the coast
What? Allied victory but at the
expense of 500,000 soldiers (both
sides). A few months later the
Germans recaptured the land
How was the battle of Passchendaele significant for Canadians?
Known as the “battle of the mud”
Haig’s outdated tactics continued here; meant there was
desperation for a victory
Canada was briefly victorious; however this was short lived as
Germany soon regained the territory
Tanks kept getting stuck in the mud
What was the history of the battle of Vimy Ridge?
When? April 9 to 12th, 1917
Where? France
Who? Allied armies (including
Canada) against Germany
Why? This was an important
vantage point (only significant rise
on the Western Front). Provided
siteline for kilometres
What? Canadian soldiers were
prepared to take over the leadership
role. Extensive preparation led to
rapid victory
How was the battle of Vimy Ridge significant for Canadians?
First time Canadian troops all fought together (four divisions)
Overall the battle didn’t really have a significant effect on the war
but it did for Canadian nationalism and autonomy
