Vimy Ridge In Canadian History

While there have been many significant and influential moments in Canadian history, few have had the power to evolve nationalism, while maintaining so little remembrance. With the Battle of Vimy Ridge particularly, the four day conflict brought a new light to Canadian nationalism, while happening half a world away in the northern region of France. With little remembrance and teachings compared to events such as Confederation or the North-West Rebellion, Vimy Ridge has become a large contributor to sovereignty and nationalism, regardless of many Canadians having little recollection about the event. As the battle took place during the First World War, soldiers from all regions of the Canadian Corps came together to fight for the British Empire,

not necessarily for freedom but more so as an obligation to Britian. In recent decades speculation of myths and false knowledge of the battle has surfaced, leaving many scholars in debate on the validity these events have really created.

The iconic status of the battle has left many professionals to question the understanding Canadians have of Vimy Ridge and whether or not knowledge of the event has been centred around myth making. Despite the many defining moments in Canada’s history, the over looked event at Vimy Ridge holds significant value in the country’s existence, and even if not celebrated, the battle created a framework to the expectations and future Canada has followed to this very day. This paper will argue how the battle of Vimy Ridge, despite the insignificance the battle played to the result of the Great War, in-turn greatly shaped the country of Canada, the ways in which myths have evolved a country’s history, and how an event so small such as Vimy Ridge has crucially benefited a nation domestically through foreign

affairs.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge came as such a significant event to the Canadian people because it was the first time all regions of the Canadian Corps came together as a single unifying force to fight and compete in a World War. While the battle had little impact to the result of the Great War, it held great importance to the sovereignty of the country and became a key symbol to the development of strong national identity. [As Canadian soldiers] demonstrated the effectiveness of their methods in the battle, how the Canadian Corps won their victory became a model for future operations within the nation. To think back on a defining moment for any country’s existence we are usually drawn to a domestic event such as the War of 1812 for the United States, or the wars in Yugoslavia that separated the six Balkan republics, however from a Canadian standpoint, one of our biggest factors came half way across the globe, essentially building great value to the future of Canada at that time. Since the battle, sitting Prime Minister Robert Borden, was assured because of Canada’s 60,000 sacrificed dead bodies, the nation stood for something greater than what they were currently worth and pushed for more independence and a greater voice at the Paris peace talks and other major meetings to follow. While the shift in nationalism is evident, and the battle later secured the country with a place in the League of Nations, Canadians often describe the moment as going into battle as British, and coming out as Canadian. Seen in this light, the battle of Vimy Ridge was an important “building block” for the western nation. Through diligent preparation and consistent warfare, the Canadian Corps paved a path for future soldiers, proving that the combination of preparation and execution creates nothing other than success. To this day the minuscule military of Canada has remained strategic and successful, largely as a result to the moments on Vimy Ridge, learning the powers of execution and ally formation, all traits they continue to possess to this day. Continually we see the memorial of Vimy Ridge as a tribute to the first great victory won in a world war and remembrance of fallen soldiers who fought for our country, essentially laying down the definition of what Canada stands for and is capable of. Despite the many defining moments in Canada’s history, the over looked event at Vimy Ridge holds significant value in the country’s existence, and even if not celebrated, the battle created a framework to the expectations and future Canada has followed to this very day. While there is the long term impact the battle had in developing Canadian national identity on the world stage, it also had immediate effects that was the bedrock for the development of the Canadian Corps into a premiere fighting formation. Continually taught throughout Canadian history, Vimy Ridge became an event that secured national identity and became based upon liberty, perseverance and bravery.

While only Canadians celebrate the battle that happened on Vimy Ridge, and for the rest of the world it is nothing more than a small, tactical victory in which Britain lost many troops, much myth making has come for this event which has potentially altered the history and the culture of a Canadian nation. Vimy Ridge [likely] had very little effect, and not nearly the impact, for example, as the later Canadian victory at Amiens in 1918. While this battle had little significance to the outcome of the war, and Canada later went on to win bigger battles such as the 1918 victory at Amiens, it raises the question; why Vimy Ridge? Historians have brought an idea that due to the battle falling on Easter Monday, the victory gives religious importance and is often identified with the rebirth of Jesus. Once the battle was identified with the rebirth of Christ, it was only a small step to connect Vimy with the birth of a nation. With the provinces represented by battalions from across the country working together in a painstakingly planned and carefully executed operation, the Canadian Corps became a metaphor for the nation itself. Furthermore, marking the first official victory in which all regions of the Canadian Corps fought together, the battle received more praise and eventually more remembrance, which in turn developed the myths we see today that has altered the Canadian perspective. Historians further believed that the rituals taking place after the war, being different prior to Vimy Ridge, was a slow foundation to the start of a myth. The permanent burial memorial at Vimy Ridge holds every fallen solider from that battle, equally laying at rest among one another, breaking the tradition of bringing the bodies home to be buried for the respect of the family. To further question the significance and careful preparation of the battle, many came to suggest that Canada was completely unprepared for the war and so had small stocks of khaki uniforms and almost no winter clothing, and militia training took place for short periods in warm weathered months. With religious influences, changing tradition and creating a large rare memorial, all played, to some extent, a result on the perspective Canadians have of this battle. While myth has potentially changed the history and culture of Canada, no matter how large the story has been altered, one must remember that the outcome has brought a nation together and to some extent developed one of the strongest forms of independence and nationalism we see in this world today. While despite the supposed misconceptions behind the battle, its biggest value of praise could of come from British and French militaries failing to conquer the ridge before the Canadians made efforts in doing so. Canadian nationalism has led to an exaggerated sense of the importance of the capture of Vimy Ridge, and the British elements of the force that fought in the battle have been airbrushed out of popular memory. The event Canadians remember as Vimy Ridge has been referred to as ‘airbrushed’ and the popularity of Vimy Ridge’s recollection could be seen as as a story often heard through the grapevine. Despite the speculations surrounding the battle, The New York Times quickly came to publish, “…in Canada’s history, one of the greatest days, a day of glory to furnish inspiration to her sons for generations.”

Prior to the Great War, and more specifically the battle of Vimy Ridge, foreign policy was relatively absent to the country of Canada while under the control of Britain, and it was not until the events at Vimy Ridge that the Canadian government further developed foreign policy and focused more on an international spectrum.

Effectively entering the war as a British colony, without any way in foreign policy and seen by the outside world as only one part of Britain’s vast Empire, Canada emerged from the war a nation of its own, with policies in-place on the world stage. While it is obvious that every country has to some extent a foreign policy in place, from the start of confederation up until the first World War, Canada’s strategies were visible with other nations but limited and uninvolved compared to those of other countries. As mentioned, the battle was inconsequential to the result of the Great War, but it gave Canada a start to sovereignty and a sense of potential to the country they were capable of becoming. The theme of noble sacrifice was conjoined with that of civic obligation, which later led to the sense of urgency needed to install a strong foreign policy. Being a relatively new country, Prime Minister Robert Borden was convinced that the battle could have been a symbol to step out Britain’s bubble and pursue independence that would bring separate representation and more independence to the Dominion of Canada. Needless to say, the events that happened at Vimy Ridge

may have opened the minds of Canadian authorities, giving them the sense of a bigger and more broader spectrum of an international view, rather than the national or continental approach that seemed to be of bigger concern. Since confederation, domestic conflict grew as a common concern within Canada, and while the country maintained its internal conflicts, any form of international concern grew absent. However, up until the Battle at Vimy Ridge, historians believe this became the turn around as the battle had no provincial prejudices and no racial suspicion in their heart, there was no Quebec and no Ontario, but in-turn one great country. Many soldiers came back to a very different country from the one they had left, and a society which was changing — and would continue to change — with unbelievable rapidity, domestically and internationally, compared with one they had known before enlisting. It may be no coincidence that after the battle of Vimy Ridge, both domestic and international structures rapidly advanced and grew, quickly taking off just a short period after the battle had occurred. With all its wonders on an international relation spectrum, Vimy Ridge also led to the Imperial War Cabinet, Dominion Representation at the Peace Conference and in the League of Nations, and to the Statute of Westminster. Taking all aspects of Vimy Ridge, we can see how any form of international relations can hold such important value domestically to a nation, and due to the events in the north of France, Canadian international policy quickly took off. To this day Canada works thoroughly to develop a foreign policy that will provide its citizens with the safest standard of living, and while Vimy Ridge seemed as such a small token to Canada’s history, it has been the beginnings and foundation to these vital foreign affairs. With little to no military ambitions, ironically war has played a significant role to the evolution of the sovereign nation, and to an extent has formed the values of international relations seen today. The Battle of Vimy Ridge has led to involve the country of Canada in many international conferences and discussions that only many of the world elites participate in, which was in-turn only further helped develop the nation in all aspects it has come to achieve today.

Although history and myth making have began to question the true significance of Vimy Ridge, the event has regardless created a foundation on the robust country we know as Canada today. To even consider the events that happened at Vimy Ridge were faux, it created a greater leap into the countries domestic development and foreign policy than that of any other war battle that competes with Vimy. Through strategic and heroic actions, the Canadian Corps revolutionized the Canadian nation through the diminutive battle at Vimy Ridge, evolving all aspects of our military, foreign affairs and even culture, creating a lasting legacy for all Canadians to remember. Despite the misconceptions behind myths, it essentially gave Canadians a head start in the development of their country, quickly advancing governmental policies and cultures, while leaving the shadow of the British and pushing for the independence they pursued. Vimy Ridge, while obscured to the result of the Great War, and to the world today, it has given Canadians a foundation to the lives they live today, pushed for greater sovereignty and essentially was the beginning of the strong national identity that Canadians carry themselves with today. Despite any myths that surround Vimy Ridge, the battle came to symbolize national unity in the country of Canada.