MAJOR CANADIAN BATTLES:
WWII
DUNKIRK
WHERE Channel cost at Dunkirk
WHEN In May 1940
WHO WAS German, British and
INVOLVED French
EVENT In May 1940, the German
army descended upon the
Channel coast at Dunkirk,
trapping British and French
soldiers on three sides. For
the British, the only escape
was by sea. For five days,
warships, fishing boats,
BATTLE OF BRITAIN OPERATION BARBAROSSA
British sky
In September 1940,
German army began
bombing London and
major cities.
In October 1940 Hitler
knew the battle was lost,
but the fighting raged on
in the skies over Britain
until May 1941.
German, Britain and
Canada.
Hitler planned to bomb
Britain into submission
and pave the way for a
direct invasion The
German Luftwaffe
bombarded Britain's
airfields. radar
installations, factories, and
ITALIAN CAMPAIGN
(BATTLE OF ORTONA)
USSR Ortona, Italy
In June 1941 In July 1943
USSR and German British, America, Canada and
German
● Hitler redirects his The ancient town on the
attack eastward Adriatic coast was a natural
● Breaks the non- fortress. Its narrow, twisting
aggression pact streets made it impossible for
with the Soviet the soldiers to use tanks.
Union Instead, they moved through
● Attacks the USSR the town on foot, carefully
● The Allies and navigating around the debris
BATTLE OF HONG KONG DIEPPE
Hong Kong The beaches of the French
town of Dieppe
In December 1941 In 19 August 1942
Canada, Britain, India and Allied, German and
Japan Canada
In December 1941, the 6100 Allied troops,
Japanese attacked Pearl including 5000 Canadians,
Harbour, bringing the landed on the beaches of
United States into the war the French town of
Canada joined its allies in Dieppe. But the raid was
declaring war on Japan. It doomed from the start. A
was now a truly global chance encounter with a
war. With European German convoy on the
 ferries, barges, and ports. In September, they Soviets now united left behind after German nations focussing on Hitler English Channel had
rowboats evacuated began bombing London over a common troops blew up buildings to and Mussolini, Japan- ese alerted the Germans to
300,000 British soldiers and other major cities in enemy Hitler make the streets impassable forces were able to swiftly the impending raid. As a
from Dunkirk to England. what the British called ● The Nazi would The Canadians had to take the overtake European result, the landing was
One million French soldiers "the Blitz." Night after advence into the town, house by house, street colonies in Asia Hong Kong delayed until daylight. The
had only one option, night, people huddled in USSR until the by street, using a technique was a vital British colony A Allies had lost both the
however - to surrender. underground bomb winter 1942. called “mouseholing.". small Canadi an contingent element of surprise and
Within six weeks, France shelters, emerging each ● Soviets would had been asSigned to its the cover of darkness. As
had fallen to the Germans. morning to survey the eventually push defence, along with British Allied troops scrambled
Britain now stood alone damage and clean up the the Germans back and Indian troops. Some of ashore, artillery fire rained
against the Axis powers. wreckage. the Canadian soldiers were down on them from
only 15 years of age. German troops perched
on the cliffs above Dieppe.
Tanks that were supposed
to support the troops sank
down in the deep water
and on the rocky beach. A
steep seawall created a
difficult barrier for the
soldiers that made it
across the beach, leaving
them exposed to heavy
machine-gun fire.
Most soldiers tried to get
back to their ships, but
they were open targets.
The battle that day lasted
for over nine hours.

DUNKIRK BATTLE OF BRITAIN
CANADIAN Eighty Canadian pilots
CONTRIBUTIONS joined hundred pilots from
Britain’s Royal Air Forces.
In early days, 16 Canadian
pilots were killed over the
skies of Britain. Over time,
however, their success
rate improved.
HISTORICAL In May 1940, the western The Battle of Britain was
IMPORTANCE half of Europe was in Germany's first defeat.
Hitler’s hands. Only the Although more than
MAJOR CANADIAN BATTLES:
WWII
OPERATION BARBAROSSA ITALIAN CAMPAIGN
(BATTLE OF ORTONA)
For a week, the Canadians
fought a fierce battle. Finally,
two days after Christmas, they
succeeded in driving the
Germans out of Ortona. The
loss of life was staggering-
over 2300 officers and soldiers
died in the fighting.
This marks the beginning of The techniques the Canadians
the end for the Nazis used at Ortona became the
model for urban warfare for
BATTLE OF HONG KONG DIEPPE
Japanese forces often 5000 Canadians who took
drew reference to the part. Of the 5000
stubborn determination of Canadians who took part,
the Canadian defenders. 913 lost their lives, while
Although they fought another 1950 were taken
bravely the Canadian as prisoners of war.
troops were not well The first major battle for
equipped. They Canadians on the Western
surrendered after 17 days Front was a disaster.
of hard fighting on 25
December 1941 The Cana-
dians lost 290 soldiers,
including their commander
Nearly 500 were wounded.
But their ordeal was just
beginning. Survivors were
transferred to Japanese
prison camps lor the
remainder of the war.
Many were treated
harshly.
Prisoners of war were Allied commanders
used as slave labour in learned some valuable
coal and iron mines. Some lessons. They decided to
 English Channel and the
powerful British navy
separated Britain from the
new German Empire.
Hitler was convinced that
Britain had no choice but
to seek peace. But Britain’s
new prime minister,
Winston Churchill, had
always opposed the policy
of appeasement. He was
not about to trust Hitler
now, nor was he about to
discuss any peace
agreement. An angry Hitler
then set plans in motion to
invade Britain.
40,000 British men,
women, and children died
in the Blitz, it was a major
victory for Britain It had
prevented Germany from
launching a naval invasion
against the island nation
and had boosted the
sagging morale of the
British people.
the duration of the war. were tortured and badly push back a full-scale
beaten. A total of 267 invasion to regain control
Canadians died in of Europe from 1943 to
Japanese prison camps. At 1944 to give them more
wars end, most were like time to strengthen their
skeletons, wracked by forces. They changed their
disease and years of military strategy by
hardship. Hong Kong deciding to launch a
veterans have pressed massive aerial strike ahead
Canada to exact a formal of the invasion to weaken
apology from the Japanese German defenses. The
and compensation for invasion would take place
their losses During World at less secure areas along
War II, prisoners of war the French coast rather
were treated with than at heavily defended
particular brutality on ports like Dieppe.
both sides.