Grade 10 History of Canada - Unit 1 Lesson 5 WW1 Vimy Ridge. Textbook Making History Large paper for maps Birth of a Nation assignment.

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1 WW1 Vimy Ridge Objective: Time: Requirements: Activity Number Examine WW1 warfare In groups, explore Canadian actions at Vimy Ridge Examine impact of the event on the Canadian identity One period Overheads and Projector Textbook Making History Large paper for maps Birth of a Nation assignment Activity 5-1 Nature of War Students will learn about the various aspects of WW1 warfare (e.g., trenches, mustard gas, hopeless battles and strategies) (Overhead is in the binder). Students will also learn about Canada at the start of the war (e.g. small, inexperienced and poorly equipped army) (Overhead is in the binder) 5-2 Vimy Ridge Team Work Assignment Working in teams, students will design a plan of attack to capture Vimy Ridge. Students will try to use innovative strategies and ideas in an effort to duplicate many of the plans implemented by Canadians during the battle. (Assignment and background information are in the binder). As a class, the student attack plans will be discussed. Students will learn about the actual attack and the innovations introduced by the Canadians to capture the ridge. Students will contrast their ideas with the Vimy Ridge plans. As a class, students will discuss the importance of this event to the Canadian identity. NOTE: A rubric is attached. BIRTH OF A NATION ASSIGNMENT Assignment instructions and expectations are presented.

2 WW1 - Nature of War Vimy Ridge A strong defensive position offered battlefield superiority. Modern technology provided means to mobilize, arm and move armies. After the initial German advance was halted, both sides built fortified trenches. The war became a stalemate. Three solutions were tried: Artillery Massive bombardments preceded infantry attacks. The problems included (1) the enemy troops built underground shelters, (2) the bombs made No Man s Land more treacherous and (3) many shells did not explode. Poisonous Gas First used against Canadians at the Battle of Ypres in 1915, gas offered an element of surprise. Suffering was terrible, but generally, gas only impeded infantry. Tanks Introduced in 1916, tanks could lead an advance through No Man s Land. Tanks were not effective because of (1) mechanical problems, (2) lack of supplies and (3) too few infantry to exploit a breakthrough. The ridge was a strong point of German defenses in northern Europe. The ridge provided an unrestricted view of Allied positions. It also covered the junction of the Hindenberg Line and German defense positions running north to the English Channel. It was considered impregnable. The Germans had built (1) four strong fortifications along the ridge, (2) (2) large underground chambers inside the ridge and (3) 212 artillery positions behind the ridge. Between 1914 and 1916, the French and English launched three unsuccessful attacks. Over 150,000 Allied soldiers were killed. In 1917, the Canadian Corps was assigned the task of capturing Vimy Ridge.

3 WW1 - Vimy Ridge 1917 New Tactics Platoon Organized as smaller units Assigned specialists to each platoon (e.g., rifle, machine gun, rifle-grenade) Moved as a loose formation providing cover to each other Machine Guns Fired day and night prior to the attack into predetermined German positions to prevent repairs Used in attack to keep enemy underground Artillery Assembled 848 guns Fired over one million shells in three weeks prior to attack Used observation balloons and triangulation to find and bomb German artillery (Note 80% of German artillery was destroyed) Employed rolling barrage during attack with artillery moving 100 metres every three minutes directly in front of Canadian infantry Pre-Attack Raids (Training) Probed German defenses to gain information Rehearsed attack using mounted officers with flags to represent rolling barrage Other Preparation Dug tunnels so troops could move forward undetected Placed mines below enemy trenches Placed 300 kilometres of telephone cables to ensure communication Constructed portable bridges to move artillery over No Man s Land

4 Grade 10 History World War 1 Vimy Ridge Assignment Organizing the Attack Vimy Ridge is often referred to the birth of Canada as a nation. The attack on Vimy Ridge by the Canada Corps demonstrated Canada s military abilities to the rest of the world. Many new ideas about warfare were used successfully by the Canadian military planners. Assignment You are the military commander of the Canada Corps. You have been ordered to capture Vimy Ridge from the Germans. You must design a plan of attack that will be successful. You know the following facts. 1. The Germans have heavily fortified the ridge. The defenses include: Four separate defense lines with numerous well-equipped troops, strategically place machine gun positions, and underground chambers to resist shelling, Repeated rows of barbed wire in front of German trenches, Numerous supplies and reserve troops are placed in positions behind the ridge, Mustard gas has been used in the past by the Germans, and Numerous artillery positions are located behind the ridge. 2. The French and English have tried three times unsuccessfully to capture the ridge using typical battle tactics of the period. Over 150,000 Allied troops have been lost. Typical battle tactics included: Shelling defense positions with artillery prior to an infantry attack, Bombing barbed wire defenses with shells that explode in the air sending infantry troops at enemy trenches in a large, single marching formation, Organizing troops by different types (e.g., riflemen with other riflemen, machine gunners with other machine gunners), and Using runners to communicate between battlefield and commanders. 3. Vimy Ridge is very steep. The opportunities are very limited for using mobile artillery and tanks. Modern technology such as tanks is also unreliable at this time. Stationary artillery can fire accurately over long distances. 4. Your troops were well equipped with machine guns and supported with artillery. 5. The Allied forces have used gas in the past. 6. Airplanes are not used in these operations. You need to introduce tactics that will allow your troops to move forward quickly into enemy positions. Working with your team, you have 20 minutes to prepare your plan of attack. You will present your plan after the planning period, and plans will be compared to the Canadian attack plan. You will be marked on participation and product.

5 Grade 10 History Unit 1 Lesson 5 Team Work, Presentation and Discussion Vimy Ridge Student Name: Overall Achievement Level: Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Knowledge / Understanding Displayed limited knowledge and understanding of the event and nature of WW1 warfare Displayed some knowledge and understanding of the event and nature of WW1 warfare Displayed good knowledge and understanding of the event and nature of WW1 warfare Displayed considerable knowledge and understanding of the event and nature of WW1 warfare Communication Work was not completed clearly and with limited style Work was completed with some clarity and style Work was completed clearly with considerable style Work was completed with a high degree of style and clarity Communication of ideas was limited, insincere and ineffective Presentation was communicated with some effectiveness and sincerity Presentation was communicated with effectiveness and sincerity Presentation was communicated very effectively and sincerely Task Completion Worked ineffectively in group Provided limited input to plans, presentation and discussion Worked somewhat effectively in group Provided some input to plans, presentation and discussion, but limited in scope and thoughtfulness Worked well in group Provided good input to plans, presentation and discussion, and presented a good variety of ideas Excelled in group tasks Provided very effective input to plans, presentation and discussion, demonstrated leadership and sincere care for the activity Thinking / Inquiry Plans and ideas presented were of limited clarity, originality and effectiveness Plans and ideas were of moderate clarity, originality and effectiveness Plans and ideas displayed considerable clarity, originality and effectiveness Plans and ideas displayed a very high degree of clarity, originality and effectiveness