The young Dominion of Canada at the turn of the 19th century had no active professional military service. The Canadian militia was a social institution that provided an amateur paramilitary service to aid in domestic issues and uprisings. As a dominion to the British empire, the onset of World War One propelled the inexperienced militia force into the horrific realities of trench warfare in the European theatre. With few expectations from the major powers in the war, Canada established itself as a strong and reputable force in the trench of Ypres. Throughout the entire First World War Canadians would demonstrate through the trenches of the Western front of Ypres, Vimy Ridge and countless other combats that the Canadian armed forces were evolving into a mature and respected professional military organization.
Canadian Militia Pre WW1 The history of the Canadian military stems from a modest militia beginning. Before Confederation, each province had their own individual militia that was united as a whole after the Militia Act of 1868. The united Canadian militia provided the government with a paramilitary service domestically and internationally. But this act did little to modernize or improve a system in which had not been changed since the 1700s. Following Canada’s successful participation in South Africa, Canadians
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The inexperienced Canadian militia endured a steep learning curve but maintained a strong work ethic and the perseverance to succeed. The improvements of the Canadian Corp can be studied through battles such as of Vimy Ridge. At the battle of Vimy Ridge, 15000 Canadians rose out of the trenches to obtain an unprecedented victory as all four divisions of the Canadian Corp captured the objective of Vimy Ridge. Following the battle, Brigadier-General A.E Ross declared, “in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a
(Sarty, 5). At the end of the war, the Royal Canadian Navy were the fourth largest navy in the world with 100,000 men and 400 fighting ships (Canada At War). Without the Royal Canadian Navy’s efforts and contributions to the Battle of the Atlantic, Britain would not have any supplies, no one would be able to bring over supplies, and troops would not be able to get transported across the sea. They would have not been able to assault the axis held
Bumsted, J.M. “1919: The Winnipeg General Strike Reconsidered.” In The Beaver: Exploring Canada’s History. June/July 1994. 27-44.
Thanks to the gathered Intel these guns were vulnerable to artillery fire, thus easing the Canadians dangerous path to combat. The artillery also fired well before the attack on Vimy Ridge proceeded. This demolished the Germans trenches and wire entanglements, thus further increasing the Canadians chance of survival. The capturing of Vimy Ridge helped unite many Canadians in pride of the soldiers who came from their country
The battle shows Canada's ability to act independently and without Britain’s command. It gave Canadians the chance to been seen as equal to countries like France and Britain. General Arthur Currie was able to outsmart any of the British and French generals plans when he came up with the idea of the creeping barrage. The creeping barrage resulted in a swift capture of Vimy ridge and less deaths than both the British and French failed attempts. “The Canadian achievement in capturing Vimy Ridge owed its success to sound and meticulous planning and thorough preparation, all of which was aimed at minimizing casualties.”
This was the first time all of Canada’s 4 divisions were fighting together. Prior to this, Britain and France were unsuccessful in taking control of a German stronghold on Vimy Ridge which leads to Canada being their only hope, Canadians.
[Map] Situated in northern France, the heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge held a commanding view over the Allied lines. The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties. First World War - Vimy Ridge -naval 12 inch howitzer in action to capture this difficult position, the Canadians would carefully plan and rehearse their attack. To provide greater flexibility and firepower in battle, the infantry were given specialist roles as machine-gunners, rifle-men and grenade-throwers. These same soldiers underwent weeks of training behind the lines using models to represent the battlefield, and new maps crafted from aerial photographs to guide their way.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was an incredibly important battle that signified the turning point for Canada during World War 1. During the battle, all four divisions of the Canadian Army fought together as a single force. Unlike previous battles that were fought by the Allies in the war, a large amount of planning had been put into the assault in order to assure victory for the Canadians. The attack took place on April 9th, 1917; on Easter Sunday morning. The Canadians attacked the German lines, however, the Germans were not expecting the Canadian Corps’ new strategy.
The Canadian Armed force play a crucial role within the Canadian government and its success. They may have one of, if not the most important role of protecting Canadian and its citizens. This leaves the Canadian Armed Forces needed a direct and effective organizational structure to ensure their continued success. Since the inauguration of the Canadian Armed Forces, they have operated using the traditional or classic organizational structure. At the time it was the only way organizations operated but as time has gone on and organizational structures have evolved, the Canadian Armed Forces has elected to stay with the traditional organizational structure for the many advantages it gives them (Kerzner, 2013).
World War 1, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, had a huge impact on Canada's political, social, and economic landscape. Canada was part of the British Empire and automatically entered the war when Britain declared war on Germany. The country's participation in the war had far-reaching consequences. Politically, World War 1 marked a significant turning point for Canada. It was the first time that Canada had participated in a major international conflict as a fully independent nation.
The legacy of Canada’s contributions to the First World War was small but significant. Throughout Canada’s years as a powerful nation, they acquired the harsh realities of war and why it is important to separate themselves from Britain and start gaining independence and nationhood. The First World War was truly the period where many nations fought against one another leading to the immensity of destruction. Although at the end of the war, Canada was no longer seen merely as the colony of Britain , but a nation with full independence that had been shaped into a strong and powerful country it has become today.
His in-depth understanding of military tactics, combined with his meticulous planning and attention to detail allowed him to effectively analyze complex situations and make intelligent counter strategies. Currie's strategic brilliance enabled him to make well-informed decisions, adapt to changing circumstances on the battlefield, and exploit weaknesses in the enemy's defenses (2). This approach not only maximized the effectiveness of his forces but also minimized casualties and achieved significant victories. Currie's strategic brilliance was evident during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He meticulously planned every aspect of the battle, from troop movements to artillery placements.
Canada has been defined by its contributions at home and abroad in WWI, WWII, and peacekeeping. World War I played an important role in Canada’s history. It shaped Canada by giving women suffrage and by the war creating a greater divide between French and English Canadians. By the end of WWI, the Canadian government
This battalion was a separate unit and the first and only all-black battalion in Canadian military history (Ruck, Lindsay. " No. 2 Construction Battalion. " The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web.
As a country Canada’s strengths included, gaining autonomy through persevering and showing just how mature and ready Canadians were to be in charge of their own army; and be recognized as a separate country from Britain. Another one of Canada’s strengths was how calmly autonomy was achieved after the war. Canada did not need to make a fuss about becoming their own country because it was obvious that they were already ready for that. Their proof was presented in how they planned and executed their battles, and fought alongside Britain to successfully defeat
During World War II, Woman’s were assembled for duty in the Canadian Armed Forces, for the first time. The armed force was shy of men in war services and administration, which lead the Canadian government to choose and declare on August 13, 1941 to give woman’s the privilege to take an interest in war utility. 50,000 women were enlisted and more than half provided service in the Canadian Army. Most were doled out occupations including customary female work, for example, cooking, clothing and administrative obligations, also woman had pioneer roles in the mechanized and specialized fields. The Canadian Women 's Army Corps (CWAC) performed fundamental administrations, both at home and abroad, that achieved Allied victory.