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"Just watch me. " Thats 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, Canadas participating in D-Day in World War Two, and the Avro Arrow Jet Program. To begin, Canadas 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 will less soldiers, and less casualties.
This is important to the Canadian military because it shows how they can succeed were others fail. It also shows how they are a force to be reckoned with, that they will not sit down and take a defeat easily, even if they are at the disadvantage. They will fight until they succeed. In conclusion, while the attack on the ridge was being planned, each soldier was issued a map. Each soldier being issued a map, detailing the battlefield, the routes, and the objectives was a first. No other soldier, in any other battle, had been given a map that displayed the battlefield, and the objectives that needed to be made.
This again shows the innovation and ingenuity of the Canadian military during the First World War. It shows that Canada is not happy just following the normal accepted military tactics. They are willing to go above and beyond, to do whatever it takes to achieve, absolute, and total victory. Secondly, Canadas participation in D-Day was an important defining moment in our history by the Canadians involvement in D-Day, and their accomplishments on D- Day.
To begin, Canadas participation in D-Day is a defining moment because it is an honor for the United States, Britain, and France to allow Canada to participate in such a massive, and important operation. Also, the Allied powers, gave Canadian forces their own beachhead, Juno Beach. Lieutenant John Madden describes the importance and complexity of Operation Overlord after he has been para dropped into enemy territory: as Operation Overlord was very definitely proceeding and the next twenty-four hours would prove the most decisive in the war No previous military operation has been more carefully planned, more meticulously scripted in the form of timetables and deployments, more intensely trained for, and more methodically launched (Zuehlke, 19). Lieutenant John Maddens words prove how important D-Day (Operation Overlord) is to the success of the war against the Fascist Nazi Germany Reich. Madden goes on to describe the meticulously planned invasion and describes how much thought, and planning went into the operation. As history has shown, the Invasion helped stop the atrocities the Nazis committed on any country they invaded, and even their own citizens.
Furthermore, Canada, on their Juno Beachhead, were the first country to achieve their objectives on D-Day. Canada being the only country to achieve even some of their objectives proves how determined Canadian soldiers can be in the heat of battle. It also shows how resourceful the soldiers are in the heat of battle, and how they didnt break down under the pressure and persevered to achieve their set goals. Lastly, Canadas development of the Avro Arrow Jet Program is an important part of aviation history, and a defining moment in our history because of the Avro's advanced technologies, and the amount of Avro Arrow scientists that left Canada to work at N. A.
S. A. To begin, the Avro Arrow had a unique, and advanced design. This unique and advanced flight design, put the Avro Arrow approximately two decades ahead of any other fighter or interception aircraft in production or development. The Avro Arrow was designed to intercept any nuclear missiles fired from the Soviet Union to North America. The Avro Arrow was the first jet aircraft to use the Delta wing configuration, and this configuration is still used on aircrafts today.
The Avro Arrow is the first aircraft to use fly by wire technology, and had a computer on board. It also was completely Canadian manufactured. The air frame and engine which was called The Iroquois was Canadian designed and built. The Avro Arrow plans were supposedly destroyed (but it is rumored an Avro Arrow Test Aircraft survived), so its unclear of the exact design, but the design of the Avro Arrow was unique, revolutionary, and ahead of its time. If the design of a modern day jet fighters is compared to design of the Avro Arrow you will see some amazing similarities. Also, many of the scientists left Canada and went to work for N.
A. S. A. in the U. S.
when Prime Minister Diefenbaker ordered the cancellation of the Avro Arrow Project in favor of American missiles. Immediately after the termination of the Avro Arrow, thousands of employees of the Avro Arrow program were laid off. Some started work on a small turbo engine. Others went to the U. S. and worked for N.
A. S. A. Many Canadian scientists went on to participate in the Apollo Program at N. A.
S. A. Even though the Canadian Brain Drain may not be a necessarily good thing, it is still a defining moment. With the cancellation of the Avro Arrow Jet Program, and the destruction of all Avro Arrow plans, models, and all materials related to their design, leaving no hope for the program to be reinstated.
Canadian scientists had no where to work except in the U. S. The Canadian scientists that migrated to the U. S. for work, naturally we drawn to N. A.
S. A. where their skills and talents could be put to the challenge. In conclusion, Canada has a very unique and interesting history, from the French and English cultures, to the rich Aboriginal history. Among this long, and unique history, there are many points that help define Canada has a nation, three such events are the battle, and victory at Vimy Ridge, Canadas participating in the successful Operation Overlord, and the production and inevitable cancellation of the Avro Arrow Jet Program.
Canadas military success that Vimy Ridge and the revolutionary methods used at the Ridge is something that all Canadians should be proud of and can truly be called a defining moment and, can live in Canadian history books forever. Canadas assault on Juno Beach is a defining moment due to Canada just being allowed to participate in such a critical operation, but also, Canadian soldiers were the first to achieve the objectives set to them. The Avro Arrow, and its development is important to the development of Canada on the world stage because the Avro Arrow was the most advanced aircraft of its time, and some of the design aspects were either decades ahead or still in use today. The success at Vimy Ridge, the success of Juno Beach and D-Day, and the Avro Arrow, are all critical moments in history that helped define Canada, define who we are as a nation, not just to ourselves, but to the world stage.
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Research essay sample on Canadian History And Defining Moments
