Canadian History and Defining Moments

\"Just watch me.\" That’s what Pierre Trudeau said when asked by a reporter if he

was willing to bring in the military, under the War Measures Act, to calm the FLQ

separatist terrorist group, and quell their acts of terror on the citizens of Quebec.

Canada had a unique and exciting history that has many defining moments. Three such

defining moments are Vimy Ridge in World War One, Canada’s participating in D-Day

in World War Two, and the Avro Arrow Jet Program.



To begin, Canada’s victory at Vimy Ridge is important for the war and is a

defining moment because of the use of the creeping barrage, the fact that the Canadians

could capture the ridge when both the French and English could not, and the fact that

maps were issued to soldiers for the first time. Firstly, Canada utilized the method of

infantry advancement in the battlefield through the technique called the “Creeping

Barrage”. The Creeping Barrage is a method used to create a smokescreen to protect

advancing infantry to the enemy trench. In front of the approaching infantry, artillery is

fired so that the smoke created shields the infantry from view, preventing the enemy from

accurately pinpointing the size of the force, and the distance of the force. The use of the

Creeping Barrage at Vimy Ridge is important for Canadians because it shows how they

are willing to try out new techniques on the battlefield, that may not be orthodox, it also

shows how they can take an inferior force, in an inferior tactical position and utilize a

method of attack to achieve success. Furthermore, both the British and the French both

attempted to capture the ridge, but failed, miserably, and sustaining extremely heavy

casualties. While, Canada, with an inferior force, and far less military, tactical, and

planning experience attacked the Ridge and captured it...