Chapter 5 - Canada and World War II Flashcards
1
Q
in What years did world war ll take place
starting and ending years
A
1939-1945
2
Q
Gathering Volunteers/ troops
A
- many people remembered the suffering and horrors of the last world conflict and were unwilling to get involved
- many were attracted because of the $ (wage and extra for family)
- some felt strong ties to Britain and volunteered from a sense of duty
3
Q
Total War
A
- with the declaration of war canadian gov immediately became more involved in planning and control of economy
- 1940 gov established the Department of Munitions and Supplies - Howe was in charge
- Howe told industries what to make and how, convinced businiess leaders to make goods that they had never made before
- ex. Vancouver - navy ships, Montreal - planes & bombers, Ontario & Quebec - munititions
- if private sector wouldnt do the job, Howe created Crown corporations
- policy of total war was Canadians must be willing to do whatever it took to defeat the enemy
4
Q
The war in Europe (the begginning)
- the allies
- the axis
- German blitzkreig (lightning war)
A
- allies: Britain, France, Commonwealth countries
- axis: Germany, Italy and Japan
Blitzkreig: happened several months after war was declared; broke the Phoney war - Germany attacked Denmark and Norway
- tactic: fast, surprise attacks, German tanks would crash through enemy lines and war planes would roar through the sky while bombing below, German soldiers also parachuted into enemy territory and destroy communication and transportation links
5
Q
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
A
- PM King wanted Canada’s war effort to remain as much as possible at home
- Canada hosted and adminstrated a training plan in which British instructors would train pilots from all over the Commonwealth in Canada
- was a major canadian contribution to the war
6
Q
panzers
A
german tanks
7
Q
The battle of Britain
A
- Hitler’s next goal was “Operation Sea Lion” a invasion of Britain
- before they invaded Britain they planned to destroy Britains’s air power with a massive campaign aimed a destroying harbours and shipping facilites in England, air fields and aircraft factories, civilian targets
- raids became known as the “blitz”
- germans had way more fighter aircraft but after months of bombing still were unable to defeat aircraft because of british radar systems
- eventually British air force was having more and more success in shooting down German planes, Hitler finally gave up on his plans to invade Britain
- many civilians were killed in the battle of Britain during the blitz
8
Q
The war Spreads
Russia
A
- Hitler launched “Operation Barbossa” (“red beard”) the invasion of the USSR
- although Germany and the Soviet Union had agreed in 1939 to not invade each other Hitler nver let go of his original plan to invade
- needed to conqur USSR to fulfil his long-term plans of a German Empire
- Soviets unprepared and suprised for the attack, at first germans were easily able to push the Soviet army deeper and deeper into the SU (1940)
- German troops were ill-equipped for the long and bitterly cold winter, lost their advantage
- retourned in 1942 and got as far as Stalingrad but was stopped by the severe winter, German army surrendered in early 1943
- SU took advantage of this victory and was able to retake much of the territory they had lost and then continued advancing into eastern europe towards germany
9
Q
the war in the pacific
A
- japan was an axis power but was not involved in the war in europe
- japan was ready by 1941 to invade the US and european colonies in south east asia to get valuable resources such as rubber tin and oil
- on dec 7 1941 japanese planes bombed the US naval base in Pearl Harbour (hawaii) destroying half the fleet, and they bombed the philipines
- US was stunned and declared war on Japan, Japan’s allies declared war on the US
- right after Japan bombed pearl harbour they began a surprise invasion of Hong Kong (british colony that had many canadian troops)
10
Q
The Dieppe Raid
A
-One of the first time canadian troops had seen action
- lots of things went wrong such as:
~ a ship carrying canadian troops met a german convoy and engaged in a brief sea battle and as they leapt ashore they were met my machine-gunned waiting German soldiers
~ communication between the ships and troops on land was poor
~ allied tanks couldnt get enough traction on the pebbled beach and many were left immobile
- casualties were high
11
Q
Canadians at Sea - Battle of the Atlantic
A
- when war started the RCN rushed into a massive buildup and training program because we had a small navy
- in the Battle of the Atlantic Britain was dependent on food and supplies from Canada
- Allied merchant ships were being sunk by german u-boats so the Allie’s sailed in convoys but didnt work, we sailed in corvettes to escort convoy
- may 1942 allies cracked the german naval code which ment they could track the german u-boats
- more allied ships being built than destroyed, better training of the RCN lead to allied success
12
Q
RCN
A
Royal Canadian navy
13
Q
Convoys
A
warships escorted vessels carrying vital supplis protecting them
14
Q
Canadians in Air
A
- grew quickly after the war began
- Canadian air crews participated in bombing raids in Britain, North Africa, Italy and NW Europe, SE Asia and night time bombings in germany
- high casualty rate
- 1941 the Women’s division was created to support the war effort; women were clerks, cooks, hospital assistants, mechanics, drivers, welders etc.
- women were only later (in war) allowed to deliever bomber planes to Britain but never took part in combat
15
Q
RCAF
A
Royal Canadian Air Force
