WI Canada never took Vimy Ridge?

[AlbertaGamer]

What would have happened if Germany was never pushed off of Vimy Ridge?

[mowque]

Originally Posted by AlbertaGamer

What would have happened if Germany was never pushed off of Vimy Ridge?

As in, they were still there?

Or do you mean, if Canada hadn't done it?

[trekchu]

I would have to name my Canadian Implacable Class something else.

[Russell]

Vimy Ridge (as part of the wider Battle of Arras) was largly only a diversionary attack for the French at Nivelle. Outside of this it held little strategic value for the war effort and even today, outside of the Commonwealth of Nations is rarely discussed by historians. The greater Arras offensive would still achieve the same purpose.

Where it was important was in it's tactical and social influence. Failure at Vimy would have a severely negative impact upon the modern tactics employed by the likes of Arthur Currie - proper planning and dissemination of information to all levels and not just to those with higher rank, fire and maneuver, proper rotation of reserve forces and a decent communications and logistical train - all of these would be hard to vindicate without a decisive victory. As such, these rapid moving and flexible tactics were the genesis of those that helped the Entente break the stalemate in late 1918 and an influence upon the tactics of the next great war.

From a social perspective, Vimy Ridge was Canadas Galipolli. Without it being such a prominent of watime nationalist symbol Canadas self confidence as an emerging independent nation may be affected in the long term, although probably not by much.

Russell