Fall of France and the Canadian Home front

1. Fall of France and the Canadian Home front

2. Fall of France • Maginot Line – The most sophisticated trench in history. • Decoy on Belgian front (May 10th) • Panzer division passes through Ardennes (May 13th) • French troops attempt to break GER supply lines (May 18th) • Race to the coast (May 20th) • Belgium surrenders (May 28th) • GER forces push south. Paris falls (June 14th) • France surrenders (June 22nd) • Vichy Regime negotiates peace (July)

3. Dunkirk (May 28th - June 4th) • British and French troops fall back to Port of Dunkirk • GER pauses to consolidate troops and repair equipment • “Operation Dynamo” put into effect • Civilian vessels used to evacuate British troops • 300,000 men evacuated. • 68,000 killed or captured • The operation was viewed as a success in Britain but Churchill cautioned that “Wars are not won by evacuations” • 40:30 – 46:50

4. Northern France

5. The Home front

6. Conscription Debate • Fearing a backlash from French Canadians, MacKenzie King promises that Canada will not introduce conscription for “overseas service”. • Germany’s early success creates public pressure for Canada to introduce conscription but the high number of volunteers made it unnecessary. • In 1940 King introduces the “National Mobilization of Resources Act” which allows conscription for domestic defence only. • “Zombies” were people who had been conscripted into the army under the NRMA and trained but then refused overseas service. Zombies were resented by most other Canadians. • As volunteer enlistment numbers fell, pressure once again mounted for overseas conscription. In response to this pressure in 1942 King holds a Plebiscite (referendum) on conscription. • “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary” (King)

7. Results • 63% of Canadians supported consrciption. • 80% of English voted YES • 73% of French voted “NON” • 17,000 “Zombies” served overseas before the end of the war.

8. By the End of the War Canada had Produced: • 1 billion dollars of munitions • 1.7 million small arms • 43,000 heavy guns • 16,000 aircraft • 2 million tonnes of explosives • 815,000 military vehicles • 50,000 tanks and armoured gun carriers • 4,000 Naval vessels • 40,000 Naval guns • 150 Snowmobiles • Radar sets and Electronics • Synthetic rubber plants • Uranium for the ’Manhattan Project’

9. Highlights • Over 200,000 women enter the industrial workforce • Canada supplies $4 Billion worth of equipment to Britain during the war. • Much of Britain’s equipment was lost at Dunkirk • Canada ends the war with the world’s 3rd largest navy and 4th largest air force.

10. $33 Billion Dollar Price Tag

11. Victory Bonds • First bond drive raised over $200 million in 48hrs • Supported by intense adverstising campaigns. • By the end of the war over $12.5 Billion had been raised through war bonds. • Canada’s primary lender was the Canadian people.

12. Hey Kid, Get to Work! • Fundraising campaigns even targeted children. • Sixteen stamps purchased at 25 cents each equalled a $4 certificate that could be redeemed seven-and-a-half years later for $5. • “Stamp out the U-Boat” campaign 360 stamps buys one depth charge • Victory gardens (over 200,000) • Ontario Farm Service Force OFSF (Children, Women, Seniors) • Involved over 55,000 Ontario students • School delayed three weeks to bring in harvest

13. Salvage and Scrap • 1942 becomes illegal to horde steel amounting to over 500 lbs. Offenders faced $5000 fines and up to 5 years in prison. • Canadians were encouraged to donate everything from old tires to women’s under garments all in service of the war effort. • School programs encouraged students to collect and postal workers went door to door collecting materials.

14. Put on your thinking hats • Is conscription justifiable? • Under what circumstances?

15. LDHSS Salvage Drive Challenge