vimy ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge April 9th, 1917 will forever be remembered in Canadian history. This was the day the battle at Vimy Ridge was staged in France. The capture of Vimy Ridge by Canadian troops was a key event that led the way for Canada to receive recognition on the world stage. ... It was a key turning point for the allies as the ridge was one of the keys to the Germans’ defence system. No more than a year and a half after the capture of Vimy, the war was over. ... The battle of Vimy Ridge was part of a massive offensive launched by the Allied forces and marked the first time that all four Canadian divisions were fighting together as one unit under Canadian command. Vimy Ridge was a very key German stronghold because it protected an area where mines and factories were in full production for Germany in occupied France. The terrain of Vimy Ridge was very favourable to its defenders as its western slope was very gradual, thus providing little cover for the attacking forces. All the previous attempts to recapture the ridge from the Germans had failed, costing the allied forces 200 000 casualties along the way. So under the command of General Julian Byng and Major General Arthur Currie the Canadians were given the seemingly impossible task of taking Vimy Ridge. Intricate planning and strategy were the key points to Canadian success in this major attack on Vimy Ridge. ... When the day of the attack finally arrived the Canadian troops were so well prepared that it took only thirty minutes for them to capture the ridge. At 5:30am on the morning of April 9th, 1917 the Canadian assault on Vimy ridge was launched. ... The third division reached the crest of Vimy Ridge by seven thirty that morning, this was their final objective. ... But most importantly they had the long coveted ridge.