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Criteria
- # of Allied troops vs success
- What the outcome would be without Canada's involvement
- What the event caused
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Battle of the Atlantic-----5
This was the longest military campaign during WWII. Canada's contributions in this campaign was to escort conveys to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, where the British forces will take over. This was important, because without Canada's help, the ships are vulnerable to the U-boats, which could pick off the ships one by one before they reach the British boundaries. The campaign led to the growing need of Naval power, and better sea tactics to prevent loss of resources. -
Battle of Dunkirk-----6
This battle was important because it was the objective to clear the French coast of German rocket launch sites, and recapture ports to allow supplies to come in. Without Canada's help, the ports would not be open in the 1st place, and the troops would have been completely surrounded. But the rescue was a great moral boost to what seemed to be a hopeless defeat. Of the Canadian troops, half died. This battle led to the German army's final push to France to capture Paris. -
Battle of Britain-----4
This was the largest, most sustained ariel bombing campaign to this date, with more than 9000 people flying 5000 planes. Canada supplied many pilots and resources, like Aikman, Frederick Alan, a flying ace. So without Canada, there would not have been enough pilots to defend Britain, or planes to last the battle, as well as others late in the war. This battle led to the bombing of Berlin, when bombs fell on London. -
Battle of Hong Kong-----8
Only 2000 Canadian and British soldiers were sent to defend Hong Kong, along with the troops already there. But even though they were outnumbered, the Canadian troops inflicted heavy casualties, and delayed the Japanese invasion. Nearly half of the soldiers died defending their colony before evacuation, but without Canada's presence, probably all would have died, and the Japanese would have had more time for other invasions. But most important factor was that the US were brought into war. -
Dieppe Raid-----7
Dieppe was solely for experimental purposes, testing the German defences, but it was also due to the need of another front to dispurse German defenders. But the raid was doomed from the start when a landing craft was spotted by a German convey, which alerted beach defences. Of the 6000 men sent, only around 80 returned. But all would have died had Canada not helped out in the raid. This caused the plan of the Normandy Landings to be delayed a whole year to further prepare for a full invasion. -
Italian Campaign-----3
The first major ground participation of Canada occured here to help fight along several fronts. The Germans made use of the mountains and castles of the Italian lands to fortify their defences. 76000 Allied soldiers were sent to help the attack, and 26000 died, but it was a great success. The campaign would have been unsuccessful had the Canadians not helped out due to the many mountains. The campiagn led to the invaision of Normandy, and the redeployment of Canadian soldiers. -
Normandy Landings (D-Day)-----1
D-Day was very important for the end of the war, because it was because of this that Germany finally surrendered, and brought the war to an end. Canada was becoming so much of an independant country that it was actually intrusted with its own beach separate from Britain's, and was the only country to reach its objectives for the first day. Only 120 000 died of the one millionish soldiers involved, so it was a win, whereas the Germans lost way more. But without the Cad's, lots of things would ... -
D-day Countinued
not have occured, like the war ending later, and liberation of the Netherlands by another country. -
Most Significant
D-Day was the most significant because Canada was actually entrusted their own beach in the Normandy invasion, and no other Dominions of Britain had this opportunity. Also, this was one of the only battles in which Canada played a huge role in WWII, apart from Italy, and Netherlands. -
Liberation of the Netherlands-----2
The Dutch wholeheartedly welcomed the Canadians when they marched into their country and finally liberated them. The friendly welcome was due to the fact that Canada had nicely recieved the royal refugees of Netherlands when they fled to Canada. Only 7600 died of the 200 000, so moral was greatly boosted, as well as growing relations between the two countries. Without Canada's involvement, the Germans would have remained in Holland, and many citizens would have died.
