Vimy Ridge Turning Point Essay

) Choosing from the 10 events I included in my timeline, I believe the two greatest turning points in Canadian history between 1914 and 1929 are The Battle of Vimy Ridge, as well as the Chanak Affair. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was monumental for all Canadians. The Battle took place in Northern France on April 7th 1917. The Vimy Ridge had been held by Germans for a long time, previous attacks from the French had failed with many casualties. When the 4 Canadian divisions attacked, the push was a great success from the Canadians that would not be forgotten. This specific battle was a turning point for Canada because it was the first time in the war that Canadians fought as one unit, and not in the shadow of Britain. Canada`s military proved its

worth and effective strength at Vimy Ridge. This battle began to separate Canadians from the British. While the battle was effective at separating Canadian military from British it was also a turning point for Canadian nationalism. All the men involved in the battle felt a sense of patriotism for their country. Regardless of their decent from anywhere in Europe the men all had one thing in common, and that was being a Canadian.

The battle at Vimy was also a turning point in how Canadians were viewed. Before the battle Canada was an obscure country with very few men. Due to the massive success at Vimy Ridge, the German forces saw Canadians as an opponent that should not be taken lightly. Combined Vimy Ridge was a very positive turning point in Canadian history and independence. My second turning point in Canadian history is the Chanak Affair of 1922. The Chanak Affair took place in 1922 when Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King was in office. When British forces were occupying section of Turkey, the Turkish forces threatened the British at the seaport known as Chanak. The troops were pinned down, and British Prime Minister David Lloyd George feared an outbreak of violence. Britain called upon all of its colonies to send troops to prevent a fight, these colonies included Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. Prime Minister of Canada Mackenzie King declined the request saying Canada would no longer automatically send troops to deal with British affairs. King’s cabinet backed his stance, and the rejection was a powerful message to Britain that Canada wished for

independence. The Chanak Affair was a turning point for Canada because it was one of the first acts of independence that Canada took against Britain. Declining Britains offer showed that Canada’s military would stand alone and not become involved in conflicts that did not threaten the homeland. It was a turning point in Canadian identity being separate from Britain. Never again was Canada forced to go to war for Britain. This act of independence led to the eventual Statute of Westminster which separated Canada’s decisions from Britain completely.