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I am doing project on a battle from 1900-2000. Any battle. I am choosing between Caen, Sicily, and Ortona. The project is basically to make a museum display for this battle, and then History students from lower grades come in, and learn something from said displays. I am not looking for an easy one, but one where the students can learn the most from. Like I said, I need the expert opinion of the History people on here.

   

Are your choices only the three aforementioned? Also, what is the criteria regarding other student’s learning expectations? Is it historical significance (either globally or Canadian)? Is it militarily important (like amphibious assaults, creeping barrages, espionage activities, etc)? Or must you demonstrate a particular historical element – like nation building, turning point, contentious conclusion, narrative construction or methodological adherence?

Personally, given the parameters stated in your post, I’d go with Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Ortona (which you suggested), Juno or perhaps the liberation of the Scheldt.

   

Is this restricted to Canadian history? Omaha beach is a popular and in my opinion a more easy and readily available of sources topic. Vimy Ridge, Battle of Somme. The key is to find something you are interested in with a wide variety of primary and secondary sources. If you can't find much of both, you probably shouldn't do it. Trust me, I've tried and failed to do topics with hardly any sources and lost big time.

   

Tricks, should you decide on WWI, any questions you need answered, ask here, the members are AWESOME and love to help others.

http://www.cefresearch.com/phpBB2/

   

How about the fighting between the 7th Cdn Inf Bde and the 12th SS Div (Hitler Youth) on 9-10 Jun 44?

The Canadians were astride the Caen-Bayeux highway and railway. The SS wanted it back. The 1st Hussars Armoured Regt played a crucial role in a fight against two SS PzGren Regts and most of the remaining German armour. The outcome of this battle frustrated the Hitler Youth (and...well I'll let you figure out what the SS did next.) The Germans failed to drive the needed wedge into the bridgehead and had no real choice except to dig in.

   

What about the Battle of Mogadishu? You know a lot about it and not too many other people do. Mind you, you'll have really only one or two sources for it...

I would alo suggest the Battle of Falaise Pocket. During the battle Canadian tropps participated in one of the larger operations of the Western Front.

There's also the Battle of the Bulge, the last major offensive the German undertook in WW2.

   

I had the privilege of serving with the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea for three years, with my wife and 2 boys, as the Assistant Defence Attache. Each year in April, the UN troops always paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Battle of Kapyong. It was always a real honour of representing Canada at these ceremonies each year. Meeting and talking with these Veterans was the highlight of my tour!

During the Korean War, Canada contributed the third largest contingent of international troops to the United Nations (after the United States and the United Kingdom). A total of 26,791 Canadians served during combat and 516 paid the ultimate price, giving their lives for the freedom of the Republic of Korea . Of those who died in action, 378 buried at the UN Cemetery at Busan. Canada continues to support the UN Command in Korea and serves on the UN Armistice Commission.

Canada joined the Korean War in July 1950. A total of 26,791 Canadians served in Korea and 516 were killed in action during the hostilities. When the armistice was signed in 1953, the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC) was established. Canada has participated in peace-keeping activities in Korea ever since.

In 1976, members of Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), the army unit that fought at Kapyong on April 23, 1951, made personal donations and presented four scholarships to deserving students in Kapyong County. Since then, members of the PPCLI have continued to offer scholarships every year. In later years, their generosity was complemented through donations from other Canadian veterans of the Korean War and members of Canadian society.

The purpose of the scholarship program is to encourage scholastic effort, foster good citizenship, and enhance relations between Korea and Canada. While companies and individuals provide the scholarships and bursaries for the program, officials of Kapyong Buk Middle School determine the most deserving students to receive the awards.

   

This is a published article, not just from the internet.
http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwmsds/CMH%20backi ... haller.htm
This is a link to another book that also gives details of that battle. I personally know the Company Commander Gordon Brown, who set up and lead the defence of Cardonville Farm while they were cut off and surrounded. My uncle was also part of D Company and was there as well. It starts on page 113 of the book.
http://www.nosracines.ca/e/page.aspx?id=761572

   

Mustang - All I need to do is find a battle of sort in the century that was significant in some way. Then explain it I can't do the same battle as anyone else in the class either. Dieppe, and Vimy are taken. I am trying to stay away from the battles everyone knows, so that other people can do them and not have as hard a time.

Tman - Anyones histroy.

Spr - I will look into that.

Xerxes - I will check out Falaise Pocket. Bastogne has already been taken. Too easy anyways

Ikea - I will check out Kapyong.

   

Why don't you opt for a battle in the Pacific theater if you don't want a well known battle, usually when referencing WWII most people think of the European theater. The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot (Battle of the Philippine Sea) was the largest carrier battle ever fought in WWII and fourth? largest naval battle ever in terms of ships. Not very well known but very significant as that batlle effectively eliminated the Japanese carrier naval fleet and naval air force.

Here's a link if it interests you, not sure if you can find online resources about it. Take a trip to the library. Look for Red Sun Setting: The Battle of the Philippine Sea.


WWII Database

The Battle of Leyte Gulf, worlds largest naval engagement is another idea.

   

Tricks the battle SprCForr and I refer to stopped the German from "Throwing the Fishes back into the sea" and stopped them from getting to the landing areas with superior armour. They attacked between Corp lines of the British and Canadians which should have been the weakest area because of communication and leadership differences. They took their best and tried to complete this task but failed ensuring none of the vulnerable landing areas were attacked. This was one of the key battles of D-Day if that fits you needs.
I can get you a list of books that you can use as well.

   

Hmmmmm Never heard of it. Will have to do some research on it.

   

Read the first link. The 12th SS is always held as the best fighting unit (over rated IMHO) the Germans had and were beat by a bunch of Canadian farmers.

   

Hey Tricks,

As Mustang1 suggested, the liberation of the Scheldt is a very good topic. The estuary had to be liberated because it was the shortest way for the Allies to reach the port of Antwerp to supply the troops on the continent. Part of the whole battle was Operation Vitality and it was given to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. Their task was to liberate the Beveland peninsula (the whole area is under sea level - the dykes were bombed by the Brits (if I remember correctly) in order to flood the area)

Denis Whitaker (lieutenant colonel of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in 1944 that captured Woensdrecht) wrote a book - Tug of War (I met his wife last year at Juno Beach, she told me all kind of stories about her husband's participation in WWII). The book is a very good starting point IMO.

Anyway, good luck with your research

   

I have to agree with IkeaMan. Kapyong was one of Canada's finest hours, and if it had happened in WW1 or WW2, it would be much more famous. But because Korea is our forgotten war, it is largely unnoticed. BTW, the old barracks (for the Loyal Eddies) at CFB Griesbach here in Edmonton were named after Kapyong.

A battalion of 2nd Battalion PPCLI troops waas surrounded on a hilltop and held out against a force as much as 8 times their size for almost two days and had to call mortar fire down on their own positions to drive off an attack. They also fought hand-to-hand and were the first Canadian unit to ever receive a US Presidental Unit citation.

Battle of Kapyong


An interesting read about the Korean conflict is Robert Hepensatll's "Find the dragon" I don't know if your local library has a copy of it, but it has personal stories of troops who fought there, from harrowing ones to hilarious ones.

   

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