-
World War II Starts
Germany under the reign of Adolf Hitler invades Poland. -
Canada joins War
Canada joins the war a week behind Britain and France, a gesture from the King as a sign of Independence for Canada. Although as soon as Britain declared war, Canada a dominion of Britain was automatically to fight on their side and at war with Germany. -
First Canadian Troops sail to Britain
First Canadian convoy sent out of Halifax escorted by the HMC ships, Ottawa, Restigouche, Fraser and St. Laurent. -
Shipyards in Vancouver Gear up for War
The Vancouver Shipyard was an emergency shipyard constructed along the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington, to help meet the production demands of the U.S. Maritime Commission in World War II. Shipyards begin to build corvettes and minesweepers for action in battle. -
Communists Declared Illegal in Canada
The CPC's opposition to World War II led to it being banned under the Defence of Canada Regulations of the War Measures Act in 1940 shortly after Canada entered into the war. With leaders following the ban being arrested. -
Hyde Park Declaration
Mackenzie King and F.D. Roosevelt signed the Hyde Park Declaration, an agreement between the United States and Canada to allow American-produced war materials made in Canada, for Britain, to be included in the Lend-Lease agreement. The United States, still neutral at the time, had passed legislation allowing for the production of war materials for the Allied countries, with payment to be made at a later date. -
Women in War
Legislation allowed women to enlist in the army. "Women were now able, for the first time in our history, to serve Canada in uniform. More than 50,000 women served in the armed forces during the Second World War." -
Attack on Pearl Harbour
With the attack on Pearl Harbor, part of the United States, 38 Japanese Canadians were arrested as subversives. Twelve weeks after the attack, the federal government used the War Measures Act to order the removal of all Japanese Canadians residing within 160 km of the Pacific Coast, and many were removed from their home and placed in holding camps. -
Canada Declares War on Romania
Canada declared war on Romania, Hungary, Finland and Japan. -
United Nations
The name "United Nations", created by Franklin D. Roosevelt, was used in the "Declaration by United Nations" on 1 January 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers. -
Dieppe Raid
The raid lasted 9 hours. Nearly 5000 Canadian soldiers took place in the raid, more than 900 were killed and 1874 taken prisoner. The port was to be captured and held for a short period, to test the German coastal defences, port structures and important buildings were to be demolished. The raid was intended to boost Allied morale, demonstrate the commitment of the United Kingdom to re-open the Western Front and support the Soviet Union, fighting on the Eastern Front. -
Invasion of Sicily
The Canadian 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Tank Brigade take part in the invasion of Sicily. The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as the Battle of Sicily and Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers (Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). -
British-Canadian Nuclear Research Program Merges with American Manhattan Project
UK’s nuclear weapons program was the most developed in the world. It had been transferred to Canada due to the threat of a Nazi invasion and bombing on Britain. Canada helped develop the world’s first nuclear reactors and nuclear arms. Canada participated in research to create an atomic weapon. The program merged with the Manhattan Project. This effort produced the bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It also led to the development of Canada’s nuclear energy industry. -
Battle of Ortona
Infantry from the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada attacked Ortona, Italy. The German forces withdrew on the night of December 27. -
Battle of the Scheldt Estuary
"The Battle of the Scheldt in World War II was a series of military operations led by the First Canadian Army, with Polish and British units attached, to open up the shipping route to Antwerp so that its port could be used to supply the Allies in north-west Europe. After five weeks of difficult fighting, the Canadian First Army, at a cost of 20,873 Allied casualties (6,367 of them Canadian), was successful in clearing the Scheldt." -
Battle for Aachen
After a fierce defence by the Germans under Gen Hermann Balck, the Allies captured Aachen, the first German city captured by the Allies in World War II. Although most of Aachen's civilian population was evacuated before the battle began, much of the city was destroyed and both sides suffered heavy losses. It was one of the largest urban battles fought by U.S. forces in World War II. -
Canada Attends UN Conference
Canada was invited to attend the United Nations Conference in San Francisco. -
Liberation of Arnhem, Holland
"A military operation to seize the city of Arnhem occurred April of 1945, during the closing stages of the Second World War. It is also known as the Second Battle of Arnhem or the Liberation of Arnhem. The operation was part of the Canadian First Army's liberation of the Netherlands. "
Troops of the 1st Canadian Army liberated Arnhem in Holland after 2 days of fighting. -
Germans Surrender
The Germans surrendered unconditionally to the western Allies, and to the Soviets the next day. -
Canada Joins United Nations
Canada joined the United Nations at its founding.