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Canada Declares War on Germany
Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Two days later, France and Britain declared war against Germany. A week later, Canada, now an independent nation, also declared war against Germany. Soon after Canada's declaration of war, Canadians lined up at recruiting offices, some were just happy to have a job. The period between the declaration of war in September, 1939 and May 1940 is often referred to as the "Phony War". Hitler was taking over Europe but the Allies simply were not ready yet. -
Miracle at Dunkirk
As the advancing Germany swung south into France from the Netherlands, British and French troops were pinned against the English Channel near the French Port of Dunkirk. The British quickly assembled a fleet of fishing, pleasure and commercial boats, many of them operated by civilians. Along with the Navy, these crafts picked up Allied troops at Dunkirk and ferry them to safety across the channel. This evacuation was an important morale boost when the outlook for the Allies was bleak. -
Battle of the Atlantic
Britain relied on supplies and reinforcements from Canada. The German navy was determined to cut this lifeline, and its U-boats hunted Allied ships crossing the North Atlantic Ocean. The Allies tried to protect cargo ships by organizing convoys of ships and planes. The German U-boats travelled in "Wolf Packs" which at first had the upper hand. By 1943 the tide turned in favour of the Allies. Crews were better trained and more experienced. Submarine-tracking tactics and technology had improved. -
Battle of Britain
Hitler knew that Royal Air Force fighters and bombers would inflict severe damage if the Germans tried to cross the channel. He ordered the Luftwaffe (the German air force) to gain control of the air by destroying aircraft factories, airfields and radar stations in Britain. Initially, Britain was losing the battle until Hitler made a grave mistake. He bombed London. In response the Royal Air Force (RAF) bombed Berlin. For the next 57 nights, Germany dropped bombs on London, known as "the Blitz". -
Operation Barbarossa
22 June – 5 December 1941: Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the USSR by Germany, despite their non-aggression pact. This was a mistake on Hitler's part because he created a two front war which is nearly impossible to win. Operation Barbarossa was a complete failure. The German troops were driven out by the cold Soviet winter. After Hitler's troops pulled out the Soviets fought back against Germany. -
Pearl Harbour
Japan was intent on expanding its empire in the Pacific and winning control of Southeast Asia's valuable natural resources. They viewed Americans' growing naval strength as a possible obstacle. On December 7, 1941, without warning, Japan launched an air attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. The attack killed 2403 Americans and sank or severely damaged 14 war ships and 347 aircrafts. In response, the United States joined the Allies. -
Hong Kong
After Pearl Harbour, the Allies based in Hong Kong took up arms. They were no match for the 50,000 Japanese soldiers who quickly captured their airport, eliminating the Allies' hope of air support or reinforcements. The Allied troops resisted and fought to the bitter end, laying down their weapons on "Black Christmas". The 1685 Canadians who survived the battle were taken to Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. More than 260 Canadians died as a result of the brutal conditions in the camps. -
Disaster at Dieppe
Dieppe was the greatest sacrifice of Canadian lives during the war. During the summer of 1942, the Soviets were urging the Allies to attack German-controlled Europe from the west. The Allies weren't ready to launch an all out assault but they wanted to test out new equipment and wanted a success to boost morale. The operation was a failure from the outset. Poor planning led to 907 deaths, 587 wounded and 1946 captured of the 4963 Canadians involved. -
The Italian Campaign "Battle of the Boot"
Canadian soldiers had seen no action since the raid on Dieppe. First, the Allies took over the Italian island of Sicily. The goal was to weaken the German defences in France by drawing troops south. As a result, Mussolini was overthrown and the new government surrendered to the Allies. As a result, Hitler sent in the German army to take over. The Allies faced stiff fighting as they worked their way up the "boot". The Italian Campaign claimed 5399 Canadian lives. -
D-Day
"Operation Overlord" was the plan to send Allies across the English Channel to gain a foothold in northern France. From there, Allied armies would work their way across Europe, recapturing territory the Germans had held for years. The Germans were expecting the invasion but they did not know where it would come. Finally, ships started ferrying 150,000 American, British and Canadian troops across to Normandy. Thanks to Allied deceptions, Germans were taken by surprise. -
Liberation of the Netherlands
Canadian forces successfully drove the Germans out of the Netherlands and chased them into Northern Germany. As they liberated the Dutch towns, the Canadians discovered people on the verge of starvation. As the Germans retreated, grateful Dutch families poured out of their homes to welcome the liberators. -
V-E Day
On April 27, 1945, Mussolini was captured and shot by his own people. They hanged his body upside down on a meat hook, on display in Milan. Three days later in his underground bunker, Hitler placed a revolver in his mouth and pulled the trigger. His body was burned so he wouldn't be on display like Mussolini. On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally. This was V-E Day or Victory in Europe Day.
