For King & Empire: Canada's Soldiers in the Great War
This documentary series returns to the battlefields of World War I to tell the stories of ordinary Canadians and their extraordinary roles in the war. The significance of key turning points in the Great War are explored, such as Ypres, the Somme, Vimy and Passchendaele. The series also examines what was at stake, initial strategies and what actually transpired on the fields. Delving into the experiences and legacies of Canadian soldiers, For King and Empire honours the enormous sacrifices of the 418,000 Canadians who fought in the war-and the 60,000 who lost their lives.
After a winter spent fighting the Germans along the deadly "crater line", the 100,000 men of the Canadian Corps assaulted Germany's impregnable fortress - Vimy Ridge. (3 of 6)
To turn his failed 1917 offensive at Ypres into a "victory", British Commander Sir Douglas Haig orders the Canadians to take the ridge and village of Passchendaele. (4 of 6)
In March 1918, the Germans launched a great offensive in France and Belgium. On August 8, the Allies struck back in the "greatest British victory yet". (5 of 6)
When the war ended on November 11, 1918, the world rejoiced. But one German veteran, embittered by defeat, created a new mass movement. His name was Adolf Hitler. (6 of 6)
Fresh off the boat, Canada's amateur soldiers marched straight to the "most dangerous sector on the Western Front", the bulge in the Allied line around the Belgian city of Ypres. (1 of 6)
After more than 60,000 British soldiers fell in the first days of the battle of the Somme, the British High Command finally ordered in the Canadians. (2 of 6)
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