The Battle of Passchendaele

Matthew Coggins

Humanities

The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the 3rd Battle of Ypres of WWI, took place

between July 31, 1917 and November 6, 1719. It was fought between the Germans and the

Allies that were mainly the French and the British. This battle technically was a loss for the

Germans, however the British regaining Passchendaele was a minor victory, considering the

number of casualties and the very limited territory gained.

Prior to the Battle of Passchendaele, the Germans were on the defensive, having been

pushed out of France and back into Belgium, all the way to Ypres and Passchendaele. The Allies

were attempting to enact Haig’s Plan, which called for them to push through Ypres and

Passchendaele to attack the German U-boat ports in northern Belgium, since the U-boats were

dominating the seas and cutting off supplies and reinforcements sent to the allies by sea. If the U-

boat ports were shut down by the Allies, the Germans would have no control of northern

Belgium or the ocean, allowing the allies to reinforce by ocean and push through the rest of

Belgium, forcing the Germans back into their native country. The Germans suspected this was

the plan and realized they had to maintain control over Passchendaele and Ypres in order to still

have a chance of winning World War 1.

On July 31, 1917, the British went on the offensive and began shelling the German

trenches in Passchendaele. Just like most other major battles in World War 1, the Battle of

Passchendaele was fought with trench warfare. This is where each side shelled the other

and then tried to run out of their trenches to take the other side's trenches. This strategy generally
caused battles to last for weeks or months, and in the end, the victor didn’t usually advance

significantly. This battle went on for about three months, with neither side gaining much ground

on each other. On November 6, 1917 the Allies took over the town of Passchendaele and drove

the Germans back. The British, in the end, gained the town of Passchendaele and about 8

kilometers of territory. By the end of the battle, there were over 260,000 German casualties, and

over 310,000 Allied casualties. Even though the Allies lost more men, they had more troops, and

as a result still came out victorious.

The British successfully took the town of Passchendaele, but never got to the German

navy ports to destroy the U-boats. Germany was occupied in other battles after Passchendaele.

The Battle of Passchendaele was born out of the Haig Plan that was created by the Allies.

The plan was to push through Ypres and Passchendaele, all the way to northern Belgium, where

the German naval ports were situated. At the naval ports, the British would then proceed to take

over the U-boats, stopping the German navy from destroying British and Allies ships. The battle

lasted about three months, with both sides trying to take over Passchendaele, until finally the

Allies pushed the Germans out of Passchendaele.

Rubric rating submitted on: 12/4/2017, 2:34:20 PM by epobrie2@asu.edu

50 45 40 35 25

Opening Opening is Opening Opening Opening Opening

Your score: highly engaging presents presents basic presents some presents little
47.5 and draws the necessary and information, or information, or information
reader into ideas relevant is formulaic; is disjointed, but
being presented information that does not engage does not engage
and fully enables the the reader. the reader
engages the reader to engage
reader. with the ideas
under
consideration

Thesis Very strong Good thesis is Thesis is present Thesis is not No thesis is
Your score: thesis is present present. It could but is relatively obviously present
47.5 in the opening be stronger weak. It is non- present, or is not anywhere in the
paragraph. through more specific, does present in the essay
specific topic not take a strong intro paragraph,
identification or position or though the gist
clarification, but presents a very of the argument
serves to obvious point can be gathered
identify the goal for by collating
of the essay argumentation multiple
sentence topics.

Argument The argument is The argument is The argument is The argument is There is no clear
Your score: sound, goes into strong but could fair though is weak. It is argument being
47.5 a high degree of be improved missing one or missing multiple made. Several
depth, and flows through more more critical critical points good, and
well from point specific, detailed points of and/or does not factually correct
to point. It is explanation and explanation or lead the reader points may be
easy for the depth of ideas. through- through the pointed out, but
reader to follow connections thought process. there is no clear
the argument from point to argument.
and there are no point for the
weaknesses. reader.

Organization The essay is The essay is The essay is The essay is The essay is
Your score: well organized well organized adequately poorly poorly
47.5 and flows well, but could be organized. The organized. The organized. There
leading the improved to topics are ideas are not appears to be
reader to a clear connect similar generally clearly laid out little, if any,
and thorough and connected organized well and requires organization or
understanding of ideas together in paragraphs, significant effort logic to the
the argument. better but the on the part of ideas presented
paragraphs are the reader to and thus it not
not necessarily understand the possible for the
well ordered or argument. reader to make
connected. sense of the
argument.

Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence

Structure structure is structure is well structure is structure is not structure is poor,
Your score: highly developed. adequate, evident. This either overly
47.5 developed There are places though is reads as a first complex, thus
mixing where generally basic or second draft hindering
compound/comp understanding and does not with emphasis understanding or
lex and simple could be demonstrate on idea, rather overly
sentences as improved developed than simplistic,
appropriate and through understanding of transmission of relying on
connecting different sentence idea. simple sentences
relevant ideas sentence construction or and beginning
into compound structure use but use. sentences with
 sentences. is generally not conjunctions.
detracting.

Grammar Grammar is Grammar is very Grammar is Grammar is fair. Grammar is

Your score: 45 strong. Tense, good. Most good. Tense, Tense, number poor. Tense,
number and tense, number number and and subjects number and
subjects agree, and subjects subjects sometimes subjects rarely
titles, quotes, agree, titles, generally agree, agree, titles, agree. Titles,
citations and citations and titles, citations citations and citations and
comma usage quotes are and quotes are quotes are quotes are
are handled usually handled usually handled sometimes handled
correctly. correctly, and correctly, handled haphazardly,
comma usage is comma usage is correctly, comma usage is
generally fair. comma usage is generally weak
correct. generally weak. or poor.

Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary

Your score: usage is strong usage is very usage is good . usage is fair. usage is poor.
47.5 and good. More complex Simple wording Complex words
demonstrates a Occasional words would predominates, or are rare and/or
solid command misuse of have aided complex words used completely
of the English complex words, understanding, are used incorrectly, and
language. or points where or complex incorrectly or simple words
Complex words more precise words are used inappropriately, are poorly
add to the understanding incorrectly, thus hindering chosen and/or
specific could have been though the understanding/c placed.
understanding achieved meaning can ausing
and are used through the still be confusion.
appropriately. inclusion of understood by
complex words, the reader.
but overall the
vocabulary does
not hinder the
understanding.

Comments: