World at War - WWII

The World at War, Again

1939-1945

Canada Responds• In WWI, when Britain declared war,

Canada was automatically involved, “Ready, aye, Ready”

• By WWII Canada felt more independent from Britain, that it was able to make its own military decisions

• When Britain and France declared war on Germany on Sept 1, 1939, Canada called a special session of Parliament to debate and vote on whether or not Canada should be involved.

• On September 10th Canada, under Prime Minister King, joined the war effort

• While WWI saw crowds of people cheering in the streets with the declaration of war, WWII’s Canada was much more subdued.

• People remembered too well the horrors of WWI. Moreover, the Depression had limited the amount of resources given to the navy, army and airforce.

• Regardless, Canadians volunteered in large numbers, particularly First Nations people. Initially, black volunteers were rejected but later were accepted out of declining numbers.

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

• PM King was hoping to keep the war effort mostly at home (and then avoid the issue of conscription) and the Air Training Plan seemed like the best way to do this.

• Canada’s major contribution would be its open fields and good climate. 130,000 pilots from all over the Commonwealth would come to Canada to learn to fly.

• It cost $2.2 billion and Canada paid for over half of that….

Total War• This concept refers to the

gov’ts decision to contribute all facets of the economy to the war effort.

• CD Howe was appointed Minister of Munitions and Supplies, and was given extraordinary authority to meet wartime demands.

• “Total War” mentality allowed for fast and efficient production of ships, planes, tanks and food stuffs. Anything necessary to defeat the enemy……

CD HOWE

Meanwhile, over in Europe…ALLIES

Britain

France

AXIS

Germany

Italy

Japan

The War Begins

• War is declared against Germany in the fall of 1939, so troops are immediately stationed along Germany’s border waiting for Hitler’s next move. Seven months pass and Germany does nothing (“Phoney War”)

• However, in 1940 Germany starts its blitzkrieg and attacks Denmark and Norway. Germany began its path of fury.

Important Battles

• Evacuation at Dunkirk (June 1940): Within months, Germany had attacked and conquered Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

• In its invasion of France, Allied troops had been surrounded and cornered into the port of Dunkirk. Escape required evacuation by the English Channel.

Dunkirk con’t• The Germans were closing in

on the small town, so in order to get the men out fast, the British rounded up any available boat, including hundreds of fishing boats, pleasure crafts, merchant ships etc. to haul men back to safety.

• The Luftwaffe began bombing from the skies, but the evacuation continued. In the end 340,000 troops made it out of Dunkirk.

• France, however, was now occupied by Germany and called Vichy France.

Battle of Britain / Operation Sea LionWith France and the rest of Europe occupied by Germany, Britain alone faced the Axis powers.

Hitler’s plan to invade Britain, Operation Sea Lion, began with the destruction of the RAF.

July 1940, the Luftwaffe started a massive bombing campaign to destroy harbours and factories in England.

By September, bombing targeted civilians, “the Blitz”

Britain would not be defeated: they had a sophisticated radar system, effective fighter planes, and other pilots (including 80 Canadians) came to aid the cause.

Finally, in May ’41 Hitler gave up on the plans to take Britain. It cost 23,000 British lives, mostly civilians.

The Eastern Front

• Defeat against England caused Hitler to turn his attention eastward – Operation Barbarossa (Red Beard)

• Germany broke its non-aggression pact with Stalin and launched a surprise attack against the USSR.

• Fall of 1940, Germany swept in and managed to push the Russians as far back as Stalingrad – a major symbolic city.

• What the Germans were not prepared for was the harsh Soviet winter. After 300,000 casualties the Germans surrendered in 1943.

• By 1944, the Russian army was advancing into Europe.

Did you know the Russian

women fought alongside the

men at the front?

War in the Pacific

• Japan had not be involved in Europe’s fighting, but it was on an aggressive war path of its own.

• By 1941 it was preparing to take over Western colonies in South East Asia for their resources.

• In a surprising move, Japan engaged the “neutral” USA in a massive bombing in the Pacific…

Japan’s Empire Building• The US naval base in the

Pacific was Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed the base and destroyed part of the fleet.

• The US officially declared war on Japan, and thus Germany and its allies.

• Japan continued on its rampage and bombed the Philippines and invaded British colonized Hong Kong. Canadians had just been stationed in H.K. and ALL of them were either killed or taken as POWs by the Japanese for the duration of the war.

Assignment:

• Worksheet: Battle of Britain article with questions AND

• - Prisoner Of War scrapbook

• OR – WWII Technology Project

• OR – Research Essay on WWII topic (check with me first)