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Trench warfare in world war 2
Trench warfare in world war 2
Ww1 trench conditions quiz
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It was at Vimy, in 1917, that all four Divisions of the Canadian Corps attacked simultaneously for the first time, about 100,000 men taking part in the battle. Vimy Ridge was an important part of the Germans' defenses, barring the way to the mines and factories in the Douai plain, which had been of great use to them in their continuation of the war. The very nature of the Ridge gave it strong, built-in defense, but these natural defenses had been supplemented by strong points, elaborate trench-systems and underground tunnels linking natural caves. All previous Allied attempts to capture the Ridge had failed, and there was a strong body of opinion among the Allied commanders that the Ridge was possibly impregnable and incapable of ever being taken by a direct attack. Preparations for the battle were thorough and extremely detailed. Behind their lines, the Canadians built a full-scale replica of the ground over which their troops would have to attack, giving all units the chance to practice their attacking movements and so understand what they (and neighboring units) were expected to do on the day.
Regular reconnaissance patrols, assisted by information gathered from aerial photography, meant that records of changes to the German defenses on the Ridge were always up-to-date. Tunnellers dug “subterranean” passages under the Ridge - a total of five kilometers in all on four levels - allowing the attacking troops to move close to their jumping-off positions in some safety. Once the battle had begun, these same tunnels allowed the wounded to be brought back under cover and also provided unseen and safe lines of communications. The Infantry attack was preceded by a powerful artillery bombardment, which lasted almost three weeks, involving about 1,000 guns, including huge, 15-inch howitzers. For the first two weeks, some guns were not fired at all, so that the Germans would not be able to locate their positions but eventually, these guns joined in the bombardment, too.
Although the shelling was aimed at the German trenches and defensive positions on the Ridge, the Canadians also shelled enemy batteries. They had become adept at locating German gun-positions and had identified the positions of 80 per cent of them. April 9th. 1917 - Easter Monday - dawned cold, with freezing rain and sleet.
The ground conditions were very bad, with slippery mud waiting for hamper the Canadians as they began their assault. Heavily laden, the men began to cross the shattered No-Man's Land, skirting as best they could the shell-holes and craters, until they came to the muddy, slippery slopes of the Ridge itself.
The prelude to the Battle of the Bulge began on a winter day in mid-December of 1944. Three powerful German divisions, were the last German offensives in the west at that time during World War II. They began after the Normandy invasion in June 1944. Allied had forces swept rapidly through France but became stalled along the German border earlier that year in September. On December 16, 1944 taking advantage of the weather, which kept the Allied aircraft on the ground, the Germans launched a counteroffensive through the semi-mountainous and heavily-forested Ardennes region in Germany, and advanced 31 miles into Belgium and northern Luxembourg near the Meuse River. Their goal was to trap four allied armies, divide the Americans and the British to force negotiated peace along the western front, and retake the vital seaport of Antwerp in Belgium. Thinking the Ardennes was the least likely spot for a German offensive, American staff commander chose to keep the thin line, so that manpower might concentrate on offensives north and south of the Ardennes known as the "bulge" in the Allied lines. These American lines were thinly held by three divisions in the Allied Army and part of a forth division, while fifth division was making a local attack and the sixth division was in reserve. Division sectors were more than double the width of normal defensive fronts, therefore there were more men scattered along a larger area. The German advance was halted near the Meuse River in late December. Even though the German Offensive achieved total surprise, nowhere did the American troops give ground without a fight. Within three days, the determined American stand and the arrival of powerful reinforcements insured that the ambitious German goal was far beyond reach. In snow and sub-freezing temperatures the Germans fell short of their interim objective- to reach the rambling Meuse River on the edge of the Ardennes. But they managed to avoid being cut off by an Allied Pincer movement.
Division. He led the “Red Patch” at Mount Sorrel, through the horror of the Somme in 1916 and at Vimy Ridge, Arleux, and Fresnoy in the spring of 1917. In June, Currie had been knighted and named commander of the Canadian Corps, now four divisions strong.
With careful planning, co-operation, good leadership and courage, Currie managed to bring out the characteristics of a well thought out success at Vimy Ridge in April of 1917 (Dancocks, 1985). Sir Arthur Currie’s responsibility was to command the 1st Canadian Division (Hyatt, 1987). He pushed his troops to undergo rigorous training and to prepare themselves by using a life-size course, with every trench marked by tape and a flag (Dancocks, 1985). Currie designed very accurate maps and he had a small-scale plasticine model built so that it could be studied by all soldiers. Arthur Currie insisted that his division’s knowledge of the enemy was excellent (Dancocks, 1985).
At daybreak, August 19th, 1942, the Allies began their raid on the French coastal city of Dieppe occupied by Germany. The raid has extreme Canadian significance, as it pertains to 5000 Canadians involved in the campaign, 3,350 of which became casualties and 916 died on the bloodstained beach at Dieppe. The Dieppe raid is widely considered a failure on every level and has left a dreadful mark in Canadian military history because of how poorly it panned out. Operation Jubilee remains one of the most hotly debated Allied aspects of the war. Tactically, it was a complete failure as little to no objectives were attained. This essay will explain that Dieppe failed because of the tactical errors on the part of the Allies, in conjunction with the fact the entire operation was very poorly planned out. It will do so by discussing 4 major points: poor allied planning, how Dieppe was a difficult place to attack, that the assault was launched for political rather than military reasons and finally, how it failed to upgrade morale.
Zuehlke, Mark. Terrible Victory: First Canadian Army and the Scheldt Estuary Campaign, September 13-November 6, 1944. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 2007. 15. Print.
"I am a good enough Canadian to believe, if my experience justifies me in believing, that Canadians are best served by Canadians." Sir Arthur Currie. This statement Sir Arthur Currie, Major General for the Canadians at Vimy Ridge, could not describe any better why the Canadians were so successful at Vimy Ridge. Thought to have been a near impossible task to take Vimy Ridge as both the French and British had tried and failed miserably with substantial losses the Canadians were now tasked with taking this Ridge. The Ridge overlooking the Douai plain was essentially the “Hinge of the German line” as quoted by John Stephen. Losing this high ground would leave the Germans positions in the region exposed to the Allies, destabilizing the entire area. In the end the impossible was made possible and the Canadians captured the ridge and won the first major victory in the war. The reason for their success came from not only their strategies and preparedness but also uniting together for the very first time in the war as Canadians.
In the fall of 1759, Rogers and two hundred rangers trekked 150 miles through French-controlled wilderness to attack the Indian town of Saint Francis.1 The action was a stunning model for future special operations raids. The ability to materialize where not expected and strike a blow changed the dynamic of the war. The British has gained the offensive and it was the French and their allies who had to fear the darkness at civilizations edge.
A big reason behind Canadian victory at Vimy is due to the preparations made beforehand. To understand the demand for such intense preparations made by the Canadians, it is necessary to understand why this Battle was so significant. “The taking of Vimy Ridge was very important offensively as it was a key position of the German line in Northern France, but it was even more important for the Germans to not lose Vimy Ridge”(Stephens). If the Allies are successful in capturing the ridge, German position on the battlefield would significantly weaken. Should the Allies take the Ridge from the Germans, they would have a clear view of German positions throughout the Douai Plain. For the Germans, winning this Battle was extremely important as the Ridge defended the Hindenburg line as well as the western front. The battle was important to win because Vimy Ridge was an important strategic point that gave a perfect opp...
The positions that were held by the Americans were enviable, the line between the two Axis forces; von Arnim’s army in the north and Rommel’s in the south-central, were stretched thin and weak. The center of the Allied Forces with a significant strike would be able to pierce the defenses on the coastlines and separate them all the way to Sfax. The joint forces manned the line from the northern parts of the country to the south, with the British military undoubtedly the most prepared of the joint forces. The American military marched along with the joint forces all the way through the country of Algeria to gain control and hold strategic battle positions on the eastern part of Tunisia Dorsal Mountains. The American Army had never before engaged in any major encounters with the Germans, who would later be nicknamed “the first team”. The lack of experience will prevail once Von Angrnim’s army in the north attacks the center of the Allied Forces. A line that was enforced by the French and the American Forces failed to come to the aid of the French. The Joint Forces were not impressed by the lack of actions and effort the American Forces had shown, which created doubts within the British and French forces about their Allies of the New World. The lack of training on the maneuver and tactical side of the operations, not only left the American Forces
Canadians who had been itching to get into action for two years, were flung into battle ill-prepared and
Life on the Western Front During World War One A dispassionate look at the numbers of the horrendous casualties sustained by the armies of the Allies and the Central Powers on the Western Front in WW1, clearly indicate that these casualties figures are far inferior to what might be anticipated if, indeed, total war had reigned in every location, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and along all the 475 miles of trenches that extended from the North Sea to Switzerland. A couple of simple examples will readily make the case. Imagine two front-line trenches separated by only 20 to 30 yards of ‘No Man’s Land’ (in some extraordinary situations, distances were even less). A determined and prolonged effort by a few hand-grenade bombers on either side could make any hope of a sustained tenancy quite impossible. Again, given the accuracy and rapidity which trench mortars could be deployed against routinely manned trenches (one battalion per 1,000 yards) and their associated dug-outs, a quite short, but determined, and mutually hostile, barrage could readily reduce both trench systems to total ruin.
On November 16 Capable Organization, with Streams ahead of the pack tank, would lead another ambush. This time the objective was German positions
Mountain ranges have some benefit since they act as a natural border, and may also be the origin of a water source of. However, attacking on mountain terrain requires more attacking soldiers than defending ones. Mountains are also very dangerous. Lightning, strong gusts of wind, falling rocks, extreme cold, and ravines are all things that hindered the soldiers. Movement, reinforcements, and medical evacuation up and down steep slopes and areas involved an enormous exertion of energy. Much of the battle was affected by the weather. Great snowstorms were a big problem. The Germans attacked in white uniforms to blend in with the snow. The Germans also had to hold off their offense when the dense fog and snow arrived. Again, they surrendered again because they could not go
1917", Philip. All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans ''New York Times'' 11 April. "Military history of Canada during World War I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
Before the landings were to begin, the coastal German defenses had to be adequately prepped, and softened by a combination of a massive battering by United States ships, and bombing by the United States Air Force. Between the hours of 0300 and 0500 hours on the morning of June 6, over 1,000 aircraft dropped more than 5,000 tons of bombs on the German coastal defenses. As soon as the preliminary bombing was over, the American and British naval guns opened fire on the Normandy coastline (D' Este 112). A British naval officer described the incredible spectacle he witnessed that day: "Never has any coast suffered what a tortured strip of French coast suffered that morning; both the naval and air bombardments were unparalleled. Along the fifty-mile front the land was rocked by successive explosions as the shells of ships' guns tore holes in fortifications and tons of bombs rained on them from the skies. Through billowing smoke and falling debris defenders crouching in this scene of devastations would soon discern faintly hundreds of ships and assault craft ominously closing the shore.