the battle of vimy ridge Flashcards
who led the Canadian forces?
British commander Julien Byng
what was the task given to the Canadian forces?
going into the dreaded Vimy region
to which country did Vimy Ridge belong to since the start of the war?
Germany
what was Vimy Ridge known for?
its valuable coal fields and strategic high elevation
how many French and Canadians had been lost in attempts to dislodge the Germans from the Ridge?
200 000
what led to Arthur Currie’s rise in the ranks throughout WWI and what was his role?
leading soldiers through the 2nd Ypres and the Somme; became 1st division commander
what was Currie known for?
his uncompromising goals to save soldiers and to avoid full frontal attacks (crash tactics); he preferred precise, slow attacks
what 3 recommendations did Currie make for the Battle of Arras?
- overwhelming artillery was needed
- all soldiers needed to be made aware of their goals and targets in case superiors get killed
- destroying German guns must be made a priority
why was Currie respected by soldiers?
he had removed the Ross Rifle for the Lee-Enfield and made soldiers feel important to the war
what created great camaraderie between Canadian soldiers?
for the first time throughout the war all four Canadian divisions were located in one place (totalling 97 184)
what did training begin with?
steady marching sessions to create timing
what was tunnel digging essential for?
move soldiers and supplies throughout the ridge; maintain gains during the battle
what was distributed to expose the roles, targets, and issues facing each soldier?
40 000 maps and a massive model of the ridge was made
soldiers also learned __________ just in case
the roles of others
how many types of communications did Currie use during the battle; name 2 examples
7 / airplane observation, pigeons
