Canada in the Second World War

1. Canada in the Second World War Canada’s contribution: military contribution and operations; contributions of women, Blacks and Aboriginals

2. William Lyon Mackenzie King "My sizing up of [Hitler] as I sat and talked with him was that he is really one who truly loves his fellow-men, and his country, and would make any sacrifice for their good." • William Lyon Mackenzie King, 1937

3. At 4:45 a.m., September 1st, some 1.5 million German troops invade Poland. Simultaneously, the German Luftwaffe bombed Polish airfields, and German warships and U-boats attacked Polish naval forces in the Baltic Sea. Hitler claimed the massive invasion was a defensive action, but Britain and France were not convinced. On September 3, they declared war on Germany, initiating World War II.

4. William Lyon Mackenzie King “It is this reliance upon force, this lust for conquest, this determination to dominate throughout the world, which is the real cause of the war that today threatens the freedom of mankind.” • William Lyon Mackenzie King, 1939

5. Canada Declares War!!!! Canada declared war on Germany on September 10th, 1939. In the coming years Canada would also declare war Italy, Japan, and other Axis powers.

8. At the beginning of the war, the Canadian military was not prepared to fight a war, but recruitment began immediately to increase the capacity to fight. At one point, we were the second most powerful country on the Allies’ side. Over 1 million Canadians enlisted in the war, and over 42, 000 were fatalities.

10. Military Operations • British Commonwealth Air Training Plan • Camp X • Defence of Hong Kong • Dieppe • Ferry Command • Invasion of Sicily • D-Day Invasion • Liberation of Holland • Bomber Command • Battle of the Atlantic • Italian Campaign

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14. British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Joint training program between Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Largest training program in history. Built in Canada because sits’ in the middle.’

15. Camp X Top-secret training installation. Trained US spies before US officially entered the war. Hydra - telecommunications device used to code and decode messages.

16. Defence of Hong Kong One of the first battles of the Pacific Campaign. Same day as Pearl Harbour, Japan invaded British Hong Kong. British and Colonial forces were overwhelmed and the colony was surrendered.

17. Dieppe Allied attack on German-occupied port in France. Involved 5,000 Canadians troops, the largest group of the raid. Allies faced heavy losses overall.

18. Ferry Command Designed to improve aircraft deliveries with UK and US. 9, 000 aircraft would be transported, with only about 100 lost. Aircraft were first transported to Dorval Airport, and then flown to RCAF Station Gander for the trans-Atlantic flight.

19. Invasion of Sicily Allied operation to take Sicily (in Italy) from Axis. Large-scale attack from land, sea, and air. The Mediterranean sea lanes were re-opened and Mussolini fell from power.

20. D-Day Invasion on 6 June 1944, Allied forces invaded Western Europe along an 80-kilometre front in Normandy, France. Landed on beach-front coded “Juno.”

21. Liberation of Holland 1944 - 45, Canada played a major role in liberation of the Netherlands. Cold, wet, and muddy battles. Greeted as heroes in liberated cities.

22. Bomber Command Tactical attacks on strategic targets. Women played an important role. One of the riskiest jobs for soldiers in WWII.

23. Battle of the Atlantic Longest campaign of the war. Control of Atlantic could decide winner or loser in WW2. Canadian Airforce and Navy were instrumental in the victory.

24. Italian Campaign Stalin wanted help to ease pressure on Eastern Front. Started with Sicily. Important battles - Battle of Ortona and Battle of Liri Valley.

25. Contributions of women, African-Canadians, and Aboriginal Peoples, and other minorities. Women could now volunteer for military service. Many minorities also joined the war effort, despite facing certain roadblocks and discrimination.

26. Women Out of a total Canadian population of 11 million people, only about 600,000 Canadian women held permanent jobs when the war started. During the war, their numbers doubled to 1,200,000. Much like it WWI, helped on home front and abroad.

27. Women - Homefront • Rationed • Gave to Scrap-metal drives • Saved fabric • Worked in factories • Lumberjacks - “Lumberjills” • “Victory Gardens”

28. Women - Abroad In 1941-42, the military was forever changed as it created its own women's forces. 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. • The Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWACS) had 21,600 members. • The Women's Division, Royal Canadian Air Force (WDs) had 17,400 members. • The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (Wrens) had 7,100 members. • Plus many were nurses, mechanics, clerks, and operators

29. Afro-Canadians No segregated battalions for Afro-Canadian soldiers. Many soldiers returned home with a heightened sense of freedom and the right to be treated equally.

30. Afro-Canadians

31. Aboriginal 3,000+ Aboriginals fought in WW2. Fought on all friends in many capacities. Like many minorities, faced or returned to challenges in Canada. "In Cree we say 'Kahgee pohn noten took' on Remembrance Day. It means, 'the fighting has ended'." – Irene Plante, Veteran's widow

32. Chinese-Canadians Because of recognized efforts in WW2, the Canadian Government repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1947. Chinese-Canadians were given an Apology in the House of Commons in 2006 and in 2014 in the BC Legislative Assembly.

33. Chinese-Canadians Roy Mah 1918-2007 History Student – UVIC International Woodworkers of America (IWA) Organizer – 1943 Enlisted 1943-1944

34. Chinese-Canadians “before the Second World War, the Whites thought and believed that we Chinese were parasites contributing nothing to society . . . But, when China fought against the Japanese who were also Canada’s enemies, the whites in Timmins [Ontario] came to their senses . . . it took a war for them to turn around and consider the Chinese worthy humans.”

35. Why do minority experiences matter? WW2 was a catalyst for many changes in Canadian law: • Citizenship Act (1947) • Repeal of Chinese Exclusion (1947) • Decision to abandon Japanese Deportation (1947) • United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (1948) • Bird Commission (1947-1950) • Indian Act (1951) • Immigration Act (1952) Because ideas of race and racism can change overtime.

36. Conclusion: Minority Experiences in WW2 Some found new freedom or respect, while others faced unwarranted persecution. Long standing history of racism in Canada towards some groups. WW2 helped to shed some of these notions, while strengthened instances of others.

37. Conclusions: Canada in WW2 Canada was active in every theatre of war. Over 45, 000 lost their lives and 54, 000 were wounded. Instrumental in the success of D-Day.

38. Conclusions: Canada in WW2 WW2 helped to strengthen the Canadian economy out of the Great Depression as well as expand Canada’s prominence on the world stage. Fascism and the Nazis was defeated by the Allies, and a second economic boom was coming.