Analysis of “The Vimy Trap”
The book “The Vimy Trap” by Ian McKay and Jamie Swift presents a different perspective on the average Canadian citizen’s view on the iconic Battle of Vimy Ridge, which has since been enriched in our national history. The book goes into detail by explaining the tragedies and horrors faced by our soldiers who fought the rigorous four day long battle in the trenches and on the fields. It also describes that a lot of the time both the government and the average citizens can often misconceive the battle as a triumphant victory when in fact it was a harsh, brutal and dehumanizing experience for our brave veterans and should not be seen as a positive experience. Instead the government and most citizens should take the time to understand the truth surrounding the tragedies of the battle whilst still acknowledging it for the historical impact it did indeed have on our great nation.
Part of the issue that the authors discuss is how our government treats and portrays our heroes in the public eye. An example of this would be the way they present the victory of the war to the public in the newspapers, the media, and history books. They explain it as if it is a triumphant and patriotic victory for the country and that everyone should feel the same way and hold the same national pride when talking about and celebrating it. But many of the veterans who actually carried out the victory felt differently as many have lost and watched their fellow brothers in arms killed in the line of duty as well as the horrors of bloodshed and burnt flesh all over the fields and in the soil of the trenches had scarred them. Having to relive those terrifying memories over and over again hurt them tremendously, a fantastic quote made by the authors describing the issues with this form of war propaganda as they call is “The Soldier should not be made to remember the tragedies he is so desperately trying to forget”. Another issue is the way they accommodate these men upon returning home. Many of these heroes came back scarred for life and unhealthy often attracting diseases or even losing parts of their body. As the government a lot of the time seems to assume that they feel the same about the victory and war as they and most of the common people do they therefore treat them the same through the healthcare,housing, as well as the psychological attention, as many are hurt mentally due to the horrors in the trenches and not to mention losing their sanity and even sense of humanity. In one of the photographs in the second article it shows a Canadian Soldier after the battle standing over the corpse of a deceased German Soldier holding his rifle mocking the fallen man, as sometimes the victory and patriotism can go to their heads and cause them to forget that they are also Human Beings as well as soldiers as the famous Oscar Wilde once quoted “Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious”. They should be given better accommodations for themselves and their families upon returning home. Many of the Franco-Canadian and Aboriginal Soldiers involved in the battle were forgotten and uncredited for their sacrifices and losses too and that by a country’s standards is unacceptable. In a recent article it explains that a Private named Tom McKinnon had sent a final letter to his father in Canada claiming that “By the time you get this you will have read all about it”. He was then tragically killed with many others in the first or second day of the battle just as his father sent a reply letter claiming that “The Press are Praising the Canucks Greatly!”, an extremely positive message which he never received. In total over 3600 hundred Canadians were killed in the Battle of Vimy Ridge almost a quarter of the total 60000 who were killed in the entire First World War and many of them are unremembered for their heroic acts of sacrifice and courage which should not be the case. Not every deceased soldier can be provided with a welcoming parade and a grand funeral on Parliament Hill but our government can still do it’s best to honor them and accommodate for their loss and struggles, as well as that of their families, and spread the word of their heroism around the country and treat them as they are soldiers not citizens. It is still important to be aware of the battle and its successes amidst many negatives as those successes have redefined our country forever and all because of our brave and courageous soldiers willing to put themselves on the front for our freedom and way of life.
The Government are not the only people to blame for inspiring the disgusted opinions of McKay and Swift as presented in the book, many of the Canadian citizens not associated with politics and decision making are as well. Many citizens support these heroes as every Remembrance Day they wear a poppy to commemorate their sacrifices and accomplishments over the evil forces hoping to destroy and take our way of life away from us, but do they really know the power of what they’re doing? A poppy is not just a symbol of Veterans as the poem “In Flanders Fields” written by John McCrae, a WWI Soldier and Medic/Surgeon who was tragically also killed in the second battle of Ypres in Belgium, it is a symbol of a way of life for these heroes it represents heroism, sacrifice, patriotism, brotherhood, freedom, peace and justice for our country and the entire world so with knowing the true power and meaning of this symbol why do so many not wear it on a regular basis. I think the bottom line is that these certain common people must take the time to truly understand and appreciate our veterans/heroes to the fullest potential that can be achieved not just wearing a poppy for one day and putting it in our droors the next and not taking it out until the next Remembrance Day arrives. We should not just pass Veterans on the street and stare at them we should instead take the time to notice them, thank them, ask them about their experiences and donate and support causes on their behalf always not just for one day. We should pick up fallen poppies on the street not just pass or step on them like their pieces of dropped trash. They should treat them as they want to be treated, as heroes, it takes a special group of individuals to make the close to impossible sacrifices that the brave men at Vimy Ridge and many brave men and women still make today and we need to take time to understand that. We should educate our children at schools more on the subject and talk about and cover it in the media more instead of insignificant events going on in the world right now. If the common people take these points of change into consideration than we could truly make a difference in our country as well as the lives of us, the government and of course the veterans and truly be able to honor and say “Lest We Forget” for our brothers in arms all year round as the poppies still blow over their graves in Flanders Fields.
Source
McKay, Ian – Swift, Jamie – “The Vimy Trap or, How We Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Great War” – October 2016