Transcript Canada At War

Introduction
Phase 1: September 1939 to June 1940
Phase 2: June 1940 to July 1943
Phase 3: July 1943 to June 1944
Phase 4: June 1944 to September 1945
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WWI- When Britain
declared war, Canada
was automatically at
war.
Statute of Westminster
(1931)- made Canada
independent of British
Foreign Policy.
It was up to Canada to
decide whether to enter
WWII.
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The Prime Minister at
the time was William
Lyon Mackenzie King.
His compromise was
to support Britain fully
with war materials and
a small volunteer
army.
Canada declared war
on Germany on
September 10, 1939.
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Copy and Answer:
1) Why do some historians suggest that the
root cause of the Second World War lay in
the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
2) In 1914, when war was declared, there was
widespread celebration. There was no
celebration in September 1939. Why not?
Support your answers.
PHASE 1: September 1939 to June 1940
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Became known as the Phony War because very
little happened in Europe after Germany
invaded Poland.
ALLIANCES:
ALLIES:
AXIS:
Britain
France
Commonwealth
Germany
U.S.S.R.
Italy
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THE MAGINOT LINE: was a line of concrete
fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery, machine
gun posts, and other defenses, to defend
against another German attack. (WWI)
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BLITZKRIEG: German for “lightning war”, was a
tactic used by the Germans in which they
used tanks, aircraft, and infantry to quickly
break through Allied defenses.
 The
French and British set up
armies in Belgium…they were
defeated by the German
blitzkrieg.
 The Maginot Line became
ineffective as the Germans simply
went around it.
 France surrendered to Germany in
a little over a month.
1. Send more than a small army
Send Navy and air force
2. Merchant marines: ships that send supplies
to England. They sailed the ships that took
supplies to Europe. German U-boats,
battleships
3. BCATP- British Commonwealth Air Training
Program…pilots!
4. William Lyon Mackenzie King
5. His policy…send small volunteer army, and
send supplies to Europe.
This would avoid the large number of
causalities coming home from the war.
After the news of the English and French
defeat Canada changes its position and moves
to a Total War position.
6. NMRA-National Resource Mobilization
Act…Canada was to put all of its resources
towards the war effort in Europe. This is
passed after the defeat of England and France
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(Review Phase 1)
Phase 1 is characterized
by Allied defeats.
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Phase 2 is highlighted
by two major events:
◦ German invasion of USSR
◦ Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbour
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These two events
helped change the
course of the war.
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The German invasion
of the Soviet Union
was known as
operation Barbarossa.
It began in June of
1941.
This turned the Soviet
Union into a British
ally.
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Japan attacked the
U.S. peacetime
fleet at Pearl
Harbour in Hawaii.
The U.S. had been
neutral.
Now they declared
war on Germany
and Japan.
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1. Battle of the Atlantic
2. Hong Kong
3. Dieppe
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What were the Merchant
Marines doing?
Carrying war materials to
Britain and the Soviet Union
Why was this important?
These were essential to
Allied war effort.
What were the Germans
trying to do?
They were trying to sink the
Allied convoys
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What countries were
helping the convoy?
Canada, Britain and the
United States
What helped decrease
the number of boats
lost to German Uboats?
Effective antisubmarine tactics and
weapons
HONG KONG
DIEPPE
Took place in Hong Kong
in December of 1941.
Took place in Dieppe, a
French port in 1942.
Of the 1975 soldiers
4963 Canadians tool part.
defending the colony, 290
were killed and 1685
900 were killed and more
became POWs…of which
than 1900 became POWs.
260 died.
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Introduction
Phase 1: September 1939 to June 1940
Phase 2: June 1940 to July 1943
Phase 3: July 1943 to June 1944
Phase 4: June 1944 to September 1945
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After Allied victories, the
balance of the war shifted
in their favor.
From 1943 onward, the
Allies were on the
offensive.
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ISLAND HOPPING
This was the
technique used by
the U.S. military to
push back the
Japanese.
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German defeats:
The Soviet Unions
army was successful
in pushing the
Germans back to
Berlin (Germany).
The bombing of
Germany increased.
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The final year of the
war began with the
Allied invasion of
Europe.
The name of the
plan was Operation
Overlord
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The landings in France
are now called D-Day.
The landings took
place along a stretch
of the Normandy coast
divided into 5 sectors:
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Utah (USA)
Omaha (USA)
Gold (Britain)
Juno (Canada)
Sword (Britain)
D Day Landings
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The operation
was the largest
single-day
amphibious
invasion in
history- 130,
000 troops
landed on June
6, 1944.
VIDEO
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Germany was now
forced to fight on two
fronts:
◦ EAST vs. the Soviet
Union
◦ WEST vs. Canada,
USA, and Britain
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Germany eventually
collapsed
Why was planning so important for D-Day?
Because sending troops to a defended
coastline is one of the most difficult and
dangerous military operations, as the raid on
Dieppe had shown.
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What was the Canadian objective following
the landing?
The capture of the city of Caen, a road and rail
centre.
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Why did it take so long?
Because it was held by some of Germany’s best
soldiers.
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What was the Canadian objective after the
capture of Falaise? Why was this important?
Ports needed to be captured and opened,
because armies needed supplies, expecially
fuel and munitions.
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What was the Canadian task after the port of
Antwerp was captured?
The Canadian Army was given the task of
liberating the Netherlands.
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What was the Canadian role at the end of the
war?
They remained in northern Germany to
participate in the return to peace.
Airforce helped control the skies, and the
Canadian Navy patrolled the North Atlantic.
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How many soldiers did Canada contribute to
WWII? Over 1 million men and women