A Vivid Picture Of The Battle Of Passchendaele

The Battle of Passchendaele encapsulates the very essence of World War One perfectly, being a vivid picture of the absolute chaos that had occurred. The Canadian Corps, a fighting formation 100,000 strong was ordered to the Passchendaele front in October of 1917. It was seen as an impossible battle to the commander of the Canadian Corps, it was likely that the fight, even if won, wouldn’t be worth the expenses. The commander-in-chief of the British army was desperate for a symbolic victory, so the military had no say in whether they fought or not. The British had aimed to drive the Germans away from Passchendaele ridge. The Canadian troops were called upon to deliver victory. Months of fighting had rendered the battlefield into a horrific medley of mud and bodies. The German forces were relentless in defending the ridge. After months of preparation, the Canadian and British armies fought the Germans
The month leading up the Armistice contained countless offensives and defensives from all sides. The Allied forces had aggressed German soldiers on all fronts, slowly wearing the German army down and delaying their advance towards Paris. They suffered heavily in the process, but on the last day of the war, the Canadians finally had a chance to seize Mons. The days leading up to November 11th were spent pushing the German forces back towards the city. Though worn down and beaten, the German army fought fiercely during their retreat. The German morale depleted nearly as quickly as their land. Through a costly, yet effective series of offensives, the Canadians had gotten to the outskirts of Mons by November 10th. The Canadian army valiantly fought their way through the city whilst Belgian civilians welcomed them as liberators. After months of chaos and fighting the war finally came to an end on November 11th, 1918. At 11 a.m. on what we now recognize as Remembrance Day, peace was