A bold new telling of the defining battle of the Great War, and how it
came to signify and solidify Canada's national identity.
Why does Vimy loom so large in Canada's identity--and should it? Tim
Cook, Canada's foremost military historian and a RBC Taylor Prize
winner, examines the battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 and the way the
memory of it has evolved over a hundred years. Vimy is unlike any other
battle in Canadian history: it has been described as the birth of the
nation. But the meaning of that phrase has never been explored, nor has
any writer explained why the battle continues to resonate with
Canadians. The Vimy battle that began April 9, 1917, marked the first
time the four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force fought
together. 10,600 men were killed or injured over four days--twice the
casualty rate of the Dieppe Raid in August 1942.
Cook has uncovered new material and photographs from official archives
and private collections across Canada and from around the world. Many of
these resources have never been used before by other historians,
writers, or filmmakers.
This book is about more than a defining battle: it is a story of
Canadian identity and memory, by a writer who brings history alive.
