Passchendaele Research Paper

692 Words3 Pages
THIS IS NOT YET COMPLETE, ADD TO IT WE NEED A SCRIPT The battle of Passchendaele was a battle fought between Allied and German forces in a muddy swath of Belgium known as Ypres. This sliver of land was the only place in Belgium still occupied by the Allies after the initial German advance in 1914. In the battle, more than 4,000 Canadians died, and about 12,000 were wounded. Ypres was mostly flat, and required drainage ditches and dykes to keep it dry. However, after three years of fighting and continuous barrage with artillery, the drainage system was completely destroyed. The ground, blended to a milkshake by the shells, coalesced into sticky mud when wet. Due to wet conditions, trench warfare was impossible, since trenches would fill with…show more content…
However, heavy rain, heavy artillery barrage, and little cover led to the attackers to take heavy tolls. The Germans erected pillboxes, which were concrete boxes, where they could mount their machine guns and fire away without being killed, which made the task of disabling them more difficult. Despite the horrible conditions, a large portion of higher ground was captured before autumn, although main allied targets have not yet been…show more content…
The objective of the Canadians during the battle was to capture Passchendaele and the ridge. By capturing Passchendaele, it allowed the Allies to seize strategic railway and transport systems, and also access to German submarine bases along the coast. Canadians who have fought at Ypres earlier in the war, are shocked at the current state of the Salient. The dead from earlier battles, and water-filled shell holes litter the landscape. Progressing slowly through mud, rain, and enemy fire, the Canadians made it to the edge of Passchendaele by October 30th, through the capture of many farms and achievement of many objectives. On November 6th, an attack was launched by both Canadian and British forces to capture Passchendaele itself. The attack was successful, mostly in part by the City of Winnipeg 27th division. On November 10th, the Canadians launched a final attack on the Germans to clear the Germans out of the eastern side of the ridge, after standing against counterattacks from the enemy near Hill 52. This day marked the final day of the successful
Show More
Related

  • Passchendaele Ridge Research Paper

    688 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fighting in Passchendaele took great bravery and lots of courage. The Canadians show this during the battle of Passchendaele which occurs on July 31, 1917 and lasts for 4 whole months. The victory at Passchendaele Ridge is a defining moment for Canada as it helps increase nationalism in Canada, displays impressive military skills and helps shape Canada as a country. To begin with, after victory over Passchendaele Ridge, there is increased nationalism in Canada. Being a colony of Britain, Canada

    Read More

More about Passchendaele Research Paper

Open Document