History: WW2

Politics and the Rise of Dictators

Introduction - Extreme Politics

As a result of the terrible conditions found in Canada during the Great Depression, many Canadians
began to seek new, often more extreme, solutions to their problems. Canadian voters had tried both
William Lyon Mackenzie King and R.B. Bennett, yet neither prime minister was able to solve the
Depression.

Canada's overwhelming size meant that different Canadians had different needs. The regional disparities
found in Canada saw certain problems that were important to some, not definitely not important to
others. A Maritime-Canadian might have felt that the solution to the Depression was to focus on putting
the fishing boats back in the water, whereas a prairie-dwelling Canadian would certainly encourage the
government to invest in farms.

A belief that the existing political leaders were unfit to solve the Depression, coupled with the various
regional disparities found in Canada, meant that new political parties were created. These political
parties were simply groups of like-minded individuals who wished to come together to solve their
common problems. The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), the Social Credit Party, the
Union Nationale, even the Canadian Communist Party, were all created with the hope of bringing The
Great Depression to an end.

The creation of new political parties was welcomed in Canada as an extension of the democratic
process. However, the feelings that helped create these political parties also helped to stir up hatred
and mistrust. Refusing to accept responsibility for their own actions, many Canadians began looking for
scapegoats, or someone to blame for their misfortunes. Immigrants and visible minorities began to take
the brunt of many Canadians’ frustrations. The groups of people that were not seen as “real Canadians”
became the targets of hate. These groups were accused of “stealing jobs” from “good Canadians.”

Thankfully positive people, democratic attitudes, and the tolerance of the majority of Canadians meant
that these horrible racist and intolerant attitudes did not catch on with wide-spread popularity in
Canada. The general goodness of the Canadian people had kept a monster at bay; elsewhere around the
world, the same monster was having considerably more success.

The Rise of Dictators

While Canadians were grappling with depression and their regional differences, many countries around
the world were doing the same. However, the overwhelming size of Canada meant that different types
of people could have different problems, but still call themselves Canadian. Due to the fact that most
countries in the world cover far less physical area than Canada, most countries did not experience
regional disparities, but rather differences between themselves as countries. When the negative feelings
associated with scapegoating and hate grew in other countries around the world, they often manifested
themselves in the form of discrimination between countries. The citizens of various countries began to
look upon other countries as the source of depression. In some countries, intelligent and manipulative
men rose to power by channeling this hatred.

Benito Mussolini- Italy

The Mediterranean country of Italy has had a long and glorified past. However, following WWI the
Italians were punished as allies of the Germans. Furthermore, the Great Depression had far reaching
negative effects on the Italian people. The stage was ripe for change. Benito Mussolini founded the
Italian Fascist Party and became prime minister of Italy in 1922. Upon accepting his position as prime
minister, Mussolini promptly turned Italy into a dictatorship, with himself as dictator. Mussolini's goal
was to turn Italy into an Empire, to restore the former greatness of the ancient Roman Empire.
Mussolini believed that Italians were born for greatness and should control the world. To that end
Mussolini's troops invaded and captured Ethiopia and Albania. Mussolini was supported by a personal
military unit known as the "Black Shirts," who would brutally enforce his will. After forming an alliance
with Germany, Mussolini became dependent on the Nazis and came to rely on their support during
WWII.

Hideki Tojo - Japan

As small islands located in the Pacific Ocean, Japan was in great need of territory. The Great Depression
had been hard on the Japanese and the country needed resources and room for living. Hideki Tojo, a
Japanese military leader from after WWI became premier of Japan in 1941. Tojo wished to build a "New
Order" in Asia with Japan as its leader. With the support of his troops Tojo began expanding Japanese
influence in the Pacific, and he quickly amassed a formidable Japanese Empire.

Joseph (Josef) Stalin - Soviet Union

Although not a physically small country, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was politically ripe
for a man who would become one of the world's most infamous dictators. Joseph Stalin was a
revolutionary who became head of the leading Communist Party, and thus head of the USSR, after
Vladimir Lenin's death. Stalin was a ruthless and ambitious dictator who dealt severely with political
opponents. With the help of the Russian military and the use of the feared secret police, Stalin forced
rivals into exile or had them killed. Stalin's rule over Russia was characterized by fear and terror. Stalin
did make Russia powerful with his ability modernize the country, build industry, and increase military
power. He also collectivized all the farms, taking them from their private owners, often after killing the
original landowners. Joseph Stalin made the USSR a world power, a country that was to be taken
seriously.

Adolf Hitler- Germany

Arguably the most evil of all the dictators who rose to power during the Great Depression, Adolf Hitler
was originally from Austria. Hitler fought for Germany during WWI and felt that the Treaty of Versailles
was a great injustice towards all Germans. Hitler became involved in politics quickly rising to the head of
the National Socialist Germans Workers’ Party, also known as the Nazi. Hitler skillfully used democracy
against itself, and after he won the popular support of the German people had appointed himself
dictator, banning all other political parties.
Adolf Hitler was an evil, yet, incredibly intelligent man, who was well organized, and an extremely
powerful speaker. Hitler rose to power with a combination of terror and skillful use of propaganda.
Hitler promised Germans jobs, food, better living conditions, and the restoration of Germany to its
former greatness. The general public loved Hitler for his ability to deliver on his promises; however,
Hitler also quickly turned the country into a brutal and terrifying dictatorship. Immediately Hitler started
a new German Empire and took the title fuhrer, meaning “leader.”

Hitler’s Nazi movement was based on extreme love of country, German greatness as the master race,
and hatred towards those who did not fit into his definition of the “good German.” Hitler preached
hatred of all those he deemed undesirable, largely focusing on Jewish people. Adolf Hitler made it clear
to Germany, and the world, that Germans should rule and everyone else was inferior.

Causes of WW2
It's Never Just One Cause

In previous lessons you learned that political extremism and the rise of dictators were significant causes
of World War II. Also, recall the causes of WWI; all of these factors returned to help cause WWII. One
such returning factor was the Alliance System – in this case the creation of a powerful “axis of evil.”

The Temperature Heats Up

Once Hitler seized control of Germany, he quickly started to rebuild his country. Hitler started to rearm,
build up the military, and conquer new territory around Germany. Two other countries - Italy and Japan
- also began to invade territory and build up their empires. For obvious reasons, such as similar political
and military aspirations, these three countries formed a deadly and became known as the “Axis
Powers.” All of these aggressive actions on the part of Germany, Italy, and Japan were watched by other
European nations. However, these other nations did little to stop aggressive actions. In fact, the
countries of the world sat back and allowed the Axis Powers to continue on their quest. A burning desire
to never again have another world conflict left many European countries frozen in their tracks as they
watched the Axis Powers gain more and more power and influence. Finally, the countries of the world
that were not a part of the Axis Powers amalgamated to form the “Allied Powers.” In an attempt to halt
the unchecked advance of the Axis Powers, the Allied Powers intervened in September of 1939. The
Allied Powers’ declaration of war came too late; the stage had been set for World War II.

The League of Nations

Following WWI the world had taken steps to eliminate the possibility of another global conflict. In 1920,
United States President Woodrow Wilson proposed an idea that would see all countries working
together to ensure peace. The League of Nations was formed with all countries agreeing to co-operate,
thus, the hope was to avoid war.

However, this precursor to the United Nations, failed. The League of Nations was powerless to enforce
its will, numerous important countries dropped out of the League, and ironically, the United States
never joined. Although a great idea, the League of Nations actually became a contributing factor to the
cause of WWII. Being able to little more than make suggestions, no countries listened to the League.
Without the power to enforce its views, the League did nothing more than let the Axis Powers expand.

The Rise of Fascism and Communism

Fascism

Fascism is a system of government that is based on strongly centralized powers and permits no
opposition and criticism. People believed democracy weakened the state by placing too much emphasis
on the individual.

Mussolini came in to power when the black-shirted Italian fascists marched on Rome and destroyed
Italy’s stumbling democratic government. Mussolini banned opposing political parties and workers’
unions and censored newspapers to stop freedom of expression.

German people fled when the hyperinflation destroyed the German economy because the cost of living
was too high.

Hitler promised to tear up the hated Treaty of Versailles, restore Germany to greatness, create a mighty
German army, and see that German lands and peoples inside the borders of nations created by the
peace treaty – Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland – would be returned to German rule.

The National Socialist German Workers’ Party is known as the Nazi party. The Beer Hall Putsch was the
armed revolt Hitler organized to seize control of the government in the German province of Bavaria as
the first step in taking over the German democratic republic. Hitler came into to power in 1933 when he
was the Chancellor of Germany.

For centuries, their religion and culture had set the Jews apart from other Europeans. This often made
them convenient scapegoats in difficult times, such as the years following WW1. The center of fascism in
Canada was in the West. The Nazi leader in Quebec Adrien Arcand was provided financial support by R.B
Bennett’s federal Conservative party. Two Nazi policies that were most appealing to Canadian fascists
were that it provided a way out of the Great Depression, and the hatred (and blame) of the Jews.

Many Jews attempted to flee Nazi Germany in 1938 aboard the St. Louis ship, although their visas were
rejected by the Cuban government so they couldn’t go to Cuba. The same happened for Canada and the
United States, so they could not refuge there either. Eventually they had to turn back to Europe, where
many died in Nazi death camps.

Communism

Communism is a way of organizing a society in which the government owns the things that are used to
make and transport products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) and there is no privately owned
property. The central aim of communism was to create a classless society in which all members shared
equally in the distribution of resources.
Stalin implemented a series of five-year plans designed to rapidly industrialize the Soviet economy.
Within ten years, the Soviet Union underwent an industrial revolution that took smaller countries many
decades to attain and get used to. Approximately 7 million people died due to Stalin’s policies through
famine, this happened because the Ukrainian government did not want to give up their land and Stalin
wanted to eliminate these Ukrainian farmers as a class. Stalin was so suspicious of others that he carried
out “Great Terror” from 1935 to 1938, in which all those suspected of working against Stalin were
eliminated. In 3 years the Great Terror claimed 1 million victims.

Stalin and Hitler viewed each other very suspiciously on their journey of world conquest because it
would only be a matter of time before the new age of extreme politics would put the fascist forces
against their arch-rivals, the communists. They were also completely 2 different forces. The Soviet Union
was on a collision course with the fascist German government.

Planting the Seeds of War

The Rome-Berlin Axis was the agreement between Italy and Germany in 1936. At the time Hitler was
planning on invading Austria and the agreement said that Mussolini wouldn’t interfere. In return, Hitler
promised to leave Southern Europe for the Italian Empire and the Northern and Central Europe for the
German Empire.

Hitler’s official reason for remilitarization was to build up Germany’s forces in an attempt to break the
Treaty of Versailles and to take over.
Rhineland is an area bordering France in which the Treaty of Versailles had ordered a demilitarized zone.

The policy of appeasement was supported by the British Prime Minister Chamberlain. He believed Hitler
was a reasonable leader and that some German demands such as reduction in war reparations, military
presence in Rhineland were alright. Appeasements is the policy of accepting demands for peace.

Mackenzie King thought Hitler was a good leader for Germany and did not want war. He believed
Germany was treated too harshly following World War I and that adjustments had to be made. Although
Mackenzie King did not like Hitler’s heavy-handed tactics he had hoped that a strong Germany would
not let the Soviet Union to dictate. He had hoped that a strong Germany would keep communism from
spreading and did not go against Germany in fear of another world war.

Austria was Hitler’s first target because they were German speaking people, and this gave Hitler the
excuse that they should join together to become great Germany. Anchluss was the union of the German
people of Austria and Germany in a “Greater Germany”. Hitler saw that he could use the excuse of
“liberating” the German-speaking Sudetenlanders to seize Czechoslovakia.

Britain and France were unwilling to risk and all-out war with Nazi Germany over troubles in a small
Central European nation. Overall the world was happy with the Munich agreement because all the
nations greeted it with relief because they believed that the threat of war had passed.
On November 10th, 1938 The Jewish synagogues and businesses in Germany were ransacked and looted
with the support of the German Police.

On March 15th, 1939 Czechoslovakia ceased to exist as an independent country,

Polish Corridor was a territory which gave Poland access to the sea and split Germany in half.

An agreement between Germany and The Soviet Union, in which they promised not to go to war against
each other and secretly agreed to divide Poland between them. The Nazi-Soviet Pact let Hitler free to
take over Poland.

This time there was barely any wild enthusiasm like there was which made Canadians sweep into the
streets at the declaration of war back in 1914. Canadians sat quietly at home and braced for the bloody
ordeal ahead: it was the second time in twenty years that war had come to their doorsteps. Almost
every family had a loved one or neighbour buried in French Belgian fields.

The blitzkrieg was a revolutionary style of hard, fast warfare based on surprise attack. The key to its
success was close co-operation between German panzer (tank) divisions and the dive-bombing aircraft
of the Luftwaffe (air force). First a wave of panzers crashed without warning through weak spots in
enemy line and pushed forward as fast and far as possible. This entire effect and massive attack was
used to spread confusion and panic among enemy troops.

Phony War is basically when there was war declared by Canada and a bunch of other countries against
Germany but for the first few several months on the Western Front both sides locked in a war of nerves,
during which no shots were fired.

In 1932 Japanese successfully invaded the region of Manchuria and then later they allied themselves
with Nazi Germany, and the Japanese launched a campaign to conquer much of China in 1936.
The name that was given to the German/Italian/Japanese alliances was called the "Axis Powers".

Appeasement

Why the Rest of the World did not intervene

When Adolf Hitler annexed Austria, neither the League of Nations nor Western politicians did anything
concrete to stop him. When Hitler demanded the Sudetenland, Britain and France gave in to his
demands. When Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia, the western powers again did nothing. It
was not until Hitler invaded Poland that England’s Prime Minister Chamberlain and France’s Premier
Daladier finally did something, however, by then it was too late. The western powers seemed to let
World War II happen. The question is why?

Many North Americans saw Europe as far across the Atlantic Ocean. Since Europe was all the way across
the ocean there was a sense of isolationism from the events of the “Old World;” the events of Europe
seemed too distance for many North Americans. Furthermore, the governments of the world were
 following a policy of appeasement. As a result of an intense desire to, “Never Again” have a global
conflict, many countries thought it better to have a “hands off” policy towards German aggression. The
powerful countries of the world simply allowed the aggressive countries to do what they pleased in
order to avoid conflict. The Allies, led by England and France, hoped that eventually Hitler would be
satisfied and another war could be avoided.

Appeasement was a popular policy in Canada and around the world. Many people believed that
Germany had been treated overly harshly following WWI. The post WWI guilt allowed many to believe
that it was only fair for Germany to get back what had been lost in the Treaty of Versailles. Few people
outside of Germany had bothered to read Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, and did not know what his plans
were. Few politicians realised that there was no limit to Hitler’s ambitions for lebensraum (living space)
for all German people. Some historians have since criticized the policy of appeasement, but at the time
there were only a few people who opposed it. The question remains unanswered, was appeasement a
mistake?

Action Log

Event Description Significance

Germany launched their first attack Canadians were the first ones to be deployed
Germany takes and started the war. They used but were not sent to the actual battle instead
over Denmark, lightning warfare which is basically British troops took their place and ended up
Norway, Holland deploying all assets to offence defeated. Canadians were saved and this was
and Belgium quickly killing and destroying the initial start of World War II.
(1940) without giving time to defend.
Denmark, Norway, Holland, and
Belgium all fell to Germany because
of this. Even France fell and
surrendered.
Hitler after taking over all those Canadians were really affected by this
Evacuation of countries went after the British because Britain and the Commonwealth allies
Dunkirk (1940) soldiers who were there to help. were the last stand against complete invasion
They got cornered between of Europe. Invasion of Europe, especially
Dunkirk and the English Channel, Britain meant no navy support for Canada or
they were doomed. Hitler ordered goods so Canada had to help.
his air force to give the final blow
but fortunately the fog gave time to
escape for the British soldiers. As a
result anyone with a boat came to
help out.
Hitler thought to have an air attack It was the turnaround of the war and Britain
Battle of Britain on Britain instead of a ground and Allies finally had a chance to
(1940) attack. That way he would not need
to go by boat. British ended up
winning even though they were
outnumbered.
On June 22 Hitler took a huge
Germany Attacks gamble by launching an operation
the Soviet Union called Barbarossa. It was a massive
(1941) attack on the Soviet Union. The
blitzkrieg ended the Nazi Soviet
pact. Hitler badly miscalculated
because he thought that the attack
would bring the Union to its knees,
and would end before winter came.
The Soviets suffered more than 1
million causalities, more than twice
as much as Germany. The attack
was successful, but the large land
mass of the country made victory
impossible.
Japan decided to go to war against
Japan Attacks the U.S, but pretended to be
Pearl Harbor interested in peace treaties. The
(1941) only thing in their way was the U.S
fleet at Pearl Harbor, which was out
of reach for land based attacks.
Therefore Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto launched a
surprise air attack. Attacks on U.S
bases in the Philippines, British
colonies of Malaya, and Hong Kong
happened on the same day
(December 7). 8 am was the first
wave of planes, which was not
expected. At the end of the attack
almost nothing was left, 349
aircraft, 18 warships, 3581 soldiers
and 103 civilians were lost or
injured in the attack.
The Japanese attack began on the
Japan Attacks morning of December 8 less than
Hong Kong (1941) eight hours after the Attack on
Pearl Harbor. Canadian forces were
positioned at Hong Kong to provide
counterattack.
The battle dragged on, and around fall the
German troops reached the outskirts of
Moscow, where the temperatures where
frigid. With any preparations for such weather
the Nazi army suffered, unlike the Siberian
soldiers. They defended Moscow and stopped
Hitler’s army 50km away. Hitler’s gamble
failed, and a quick victory was impossible. He
was locked in a long lasting battle against the
Soviet Union and their huge reserves of
soldiers.
Due to the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor, it
made the U.S.A immediately declare war on
Japan. This added a crucial ally to the fight
against fascism and the Japanese expansion.
During that year America was the richest
nation, also had the largest steel industry, and
a population 10 times larger than Canada. It
could invest enormous amounts of money,
arms, and personnel into the war effort. Even
though it would take time for America to be
prepared for war, it certainly gave the allies
the power to begin planning to liberate
Europe.
Once the troops surrendered, every Canadian
was either killed or captured and taken
prisoner. The next three and a half years they
were prisoners of war, who were crowded
into barracks and used as slave labour. Some
 defence against any attacks.
However the Japanese had
everything planned for a year’s
time called Hana-Saku (flowers in
bloom, flowers in bloom). The
Canadian soldiers on the other
hand were nowhere ready for
battle, majority of them had to be
retrained or had never even fired a
gun, they were not recommended
for operations. The troops joined a
small Commonwealth defence that
totalled no more than 14 thousand
soldiers. After two weeks of the
first launched attack, Japanese air
force destroyed docks, planes,
barracks, and supplies, leaving
them defenceless. The defence
forces were way too small, and
with too few guns. Soon they
retreated to Hong Kong island, and
thousands of Japanese on boats
followed. On December 19 the
Canadian soldiers were outnumber
10 to 1 by the Japanese disguised
as bushes. On Christmas day Hong
Kong surrendered.
5000 Canadian troops stationed in
Battle of Dieppe England were picked for a raid on
(1942) the French port of Dieppe. They
had trained for years and along
with other soldiers they were to
attack the strongly defended port.
The Allies found out their route
Battle of Ortona towards Rome was blocked at
(1943) Ortona, situated on cliffs above the
Adriatic sea. They were ordered to
capture Ortona. But the German
defences blew up all the bridges.
The Allied forces invaded France.
D-Day: Allied They learned their lessons from
were building landing strips, working in
shipyards near Tokyo, or coal mining in the
north. Prisoners were given only one serving
of plain rice three times a day. Those that
became ill from things such as malnutrition,
exhaustion, or diseases like pneumonia,
diphtheria or cholera had little chances of
survival. Red Cross packages that were for
camps that have captured were taken and
sold on the black market. Medicine was
withhold making it difficult for doctors to help
those that were sick. The death rate in
Japanese prisons were 6 times higher than
German camps. An order was given saying
that if Japan was invaded then the prisoners
would be killed, however that order was later
taken back.
The event was important because the raid on
Dieppe was launched in order to find out what
was needed to make a full-scale Allied
invasion across the English Channel a success.
Although the attack sort of ended before it
began. Many Canadians were sacrificed to
appease Stalin.
At first many Canadians lost their lives due to
sickness, fatigue, or crossing the bridge. Later
on, they captured Ortona. It brought pride and
happiness because the capture of Ortona
became one of the best-known battles fought
by Canadians in WW2.
On June 1944 June 6, the Allies had done it.
At dawn all the ships approached toward the
Invasion of Dieppe and planned well. Allied French coast. The invasion did not go perfectly
Europe (1944) soldiers worked hard to prepare for due to the German positions. Despite the
this invasion, with more heavy setbacks, the invasion was considered a
improvements. The invasion plan success. After this occurrence, Germany was
called for five divisions to land now fighting the war on three fronts as the
along an eighty-kilometre front. German forces were pushed back further
American forces were to attack at more and the invasion was claimed by the
the western end of Normandy Canadians.
Beach, and British and Canadian
troops were to land farther east,
the 3rd Canadian division was to
land with the first wave at Juno
Beach. The sky was to be protected
by RAF. The invasion force also
included 171 air squadrons to
knock out the German Luftwaffe
and destroy enemy tanks.
 By the end of March 1945 the Marked that last desperate gamble that
VE Day: Victory in Allies had crossed the Rhine Germany had failed, and delayed the Western
Europe (1945) River from the west and allies’ advance for six or eight week. Gave the
invaded Germany Soviet Union time to move across Eastern
 Soviet troops were very close Europe and seize territory in Europe,
to Hitler’s bunker ultimately leading to victory in Europe.
 Hitler and Eva Brain (his
companion) carried out a
suicide pact, and their bodies
were later carried out burned
 May 7th, 1945, Admiral General
Karl Donitz surrendered
To save many American soldiers On July 26, 1945 Truman offered Japan a
lives, Harry Truman believed that chance to surrender, however Japanese PM
Hiroshima and
dropping an atomic bomb on Japan Kantaro Suzuki refused. On August 6, 1945
Nagasaki (1945)
could force them to surrender American troops dropped atomic bomb ‘Little
Boy’ on Hiroshima, which killed roughly 100,
000 people. With no word of surrender from
Japan, America dropped ‘Fat Man’ on
Nagasaki which killed another 40, 000 people

The same night of ‘Fat Man’ was
dropped on Nagasaki, Emperor
VJ Day: Victory
Hirohito forced the Japanese
over Japan (1945)
military to surrender
Japan agreed to unconditional surrender on
August 10, 1945. The surrender was signed
aboard the U.S battleship Missouri in Tokyo
Bay. World War 2 had finally come to an end
Blitzkrieg to the Bomb: Video Questions

1. In the years prior to World War II the world would witness the rise of three countries known as the
Axis Powers. They were:
a. Germany
b. Italy
c. Japan

2. While Germany was marching through Eastern Europe, what treaty did Hitler and Stalin sign in
1939?
The treat that they signed was Non-Aggression Pact

3. What was the name of the military tactic Germany used on Poland?
The name of the tactic was blitzkrieg, tanks, motorized vehicles, and planes.

4. What German military group was responsible for executing many Polish civilians?
The German military group responsible for executing many Polish civilians was S.S.

5. Two nations, Britain and France declared war on Germany after the invasion of Poland

6. After France declared war, the country relied heavily on the ageing defensive strategy known as
the Marginal line.

7. For a time, the enemy waited and watched. This period was known as what?
The period was known as Phony War

8. Finally, Hitler turned eastward to invade which countries?

He invaded Holland, and Denmark

9. How long did it take for the Belgians to surrender?

It took the Belgians May 28, just after two weeks of the first assault.

10. The Battle of Dunkirk has been called the most successful evacuation in history. In the end, out of
more than 300,000 soldiers, how many were left behind?
11. Who was the leader of Italy when they declared war on against the French?
Mussolini declared war on France.

12. What was the greatest air battle in the war and what name did Hitler give this strategy?
The name of the air battle was called Operation Sea lion.

13. The British knew the Germans were attacking because of what new technology?
The new technology was a radar which allowed them to tell where the Germans were attacking

14. Who was the British Prime Minister during this time?
The Prime Minister was Winston Churchill

15. Who was the German General responsible of the battle in Africa? What was his nickname?
The German General responsible of the battle in Africa was Erwin Rommel, his nickname was Desert Fox

16. What was the nickname given to the German surprise attack on Russia?
The nickname given to the German Surprise attack on Russia was Operation Barbarossa

17. What policy did Stalin ask Russians to follow as a means of stopping or slowing the Germans?
The policy Stalin asked Russians to follow as a means of stopping of slowing the Germans was the scorch
Policy, burn everything so Germans could not use any off it.

18. What two major cities were attacked in Russia?

The two major cities that were attacked in Russia were

19. What event brought the American into the war? Who was the President who made that decision?
The bombing on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese brought the Americans into the war. The President who
made the decision was Franklin Roosevelt.

20. What battle was fought entirely in the air?

The battle was fought entirely in air was the battle of Coral Sea.

21. What battle were German U-Boats used?

The battle where German U-Boats were used was

22. What British General beat the Germans in Africa?

The British General that beat the German in Africa was Bernard Montgomery

23. What was the nickname given to the invasion of Sicily?

The nickname given to the invasion of Sicily was Operation Husky

24. After Mussolini was deposed, who did the Italians join with?
After Mussolini was deposed, the Italians joined with the Allied Powers and declares war on Germany

25. Where did the final assault on Europe take place?

The final assault in Europe took place in Omaha Beach
26. What American General lead the European offensive that lead to the recapturing of Paris?
Dwight Eisenhower led the European offensive that lead to the recapturing of Paris

27. In a last ditch attempt to win the war in the Pacific, what dangerous strategy did the Japanese use
for the first time?
The name of the dangerous strategy, which was the last ditch attempt to win the war in the Pacific the
Japanese used for the first time was Kamikaze pilots (suicide pilots)

28. After Germany surrendered in May 1945, Japan continued to fight. How did the war end?
The war ended with the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Holocaust 1933-1939

 On January 30, 1933 Adolf Hitler was made chancellor by the president who thought that he
could bring Germany out of its crisis
 He was the leader of the right-wing National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi party)
 Once Hitler was in power he moved quickly to remove democracy and suspended freedoms of
press, speech and assembly
 The Special security forces murdered or arrested leaders of opposition parties
 The Enabling Act of March 23,1933 gave Hitler dictatorial powers
 Also the Nazi party began to practice their racial ideology
 They believe that they were racially superior
 Jews, Roma (Gypsies) and the handicapped were viewed as a biological threat to the purity of
the German (Aryan) Race
 German laws soon forced Jews out of civil service jobs, university and law court positions, and
other areas of public life
 April 1933, a boycott of Jewish businesses was instituted
 1935, laws were passed to make Jews second class citizens
 These laws defined Jews based on the religious affairs of their grandparents
 Between 1937 and 1939, new anti-Jewish regulations segregated Jews so much that daily life
was very difficult for them
 They could not attend public schools; go to theatres, cinemas, or vacation resorts; or reside or
even walk in certain sections of German cities.
 Jews were forced from German economic life
 They seized Jewish businesses and property outright or forced them to sell them at bargain
prices
 Physical destruction of synagogues and Jewish owned stores, arrest of Jewish men, the
vandalization of homes, and the murders of individuals
 Jews were the main target of the Nazi but other races ruled as inferior were also targeted
 Laws were passed between 1933 and 1935 which was aimed to reduce future numbers of
inferior blood
 Many people were forced to go through surgery so that they could not breed
  Other people such as political opposition, trade unionist and homosexuals received similar
treatment, being put into concentration camps
 Between 1933 and 1936 thousands of people (mostly political) prisoners were in concentration
camps
 Huge waves of arrest took place during that time
 Many Austrian Jews fled the Nazis and emigrated to countries like United States, Palestine, and
elsewhere in Europe (where many were captured during the war)
 Those who stayed in Germany were either unable to leave or unwilling to uproot themselves
 Most countries like United States, Canada, Britain, and France were unwilling to admit very large
number of refugees

The Holocaust: 1939-1945

 On September 1st,1939 Germany invaded Poland and World War II started

 After defeating the Poland’s the Nazis began their campaign; destroy Polish culture and enslave
them since they were viewed as subhuman
 To make more room for superior Germans the Polish population was resettled and Aryan
looking children were taken to be adopted, later rejected they were sent to camps like the Jews
 In 1939 Hitler ordered to kill all institutional, handicapped patients deemed “incurable” , special
questionnaires were filled out by a group of special physicians to see whether death was needed
or not
 The doomed were then transferred to one of six institutions in Germany and Austria where gas
chambers were used to kill
 The euthanasia program contained all elements later required for mass murder of European
Jews and Roma
 During the war, ghettos, transit camps, and forced-labour camps, in addition to the
concentration camps, were created by the Germans and their collaborators to imprison Jews,
Roma (Gypsies), and other victims of racial and ethnic hatred as well as political opponents and
resistance fighters
 Ghettos were one of the places where Jews were sent, where starvation, overcrowding,
exposure to cold, and contagious diseases killed; the ghettos also provided a forced labour pool
for Jews where they would often die from exhaustion or maltreatment
 A meeting late in January 1942 at a villa in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee informed senior
German government officials of the decision to implement the final solution of the Jews
 The six killing centers were chosen because of closeness to rail lines and their location in semi-
rural areas, were Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, Chelmno, Majdanek 4 and Auschwitz-Birkenau
 Jewish victims arrived in freight cars and passenger trains, on arrival men from separated from
women and children; prisoners were forced to undress and remove all valuables, they were
forced naked into gas chambers only to be killed
 All of these centers used gas chambers to kill and people who arrived were killed upon arrival
 Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, played a significant role in saving lives of Jews
  Resistance existed in every concentration camp and ghetto of Europe
 During the final days, in the spring of 1945, conditions in the remaining concentration camps
exacted a terrible toll in human lives
 On May 1945 Nazi Germany collapsed, the SS guards fled, and the camps ceased to exist

Canadians in Europe and the Pacific

The War in the Pacific

Americans and the Japanese found themselves on the brink of war in 1941 because Japan’s aggressive
campaign to establish a Pacific empire and the crippling effects of import tariffs (taxes) imposed by the
US had brought relations between Japan the Western nations to a breaking point. The Japanese
targeted Pearl Harbor because Japan wanted to conquer the West’s resource rich colonies in East Asia
and the Pacific but the only major barrier in the way of the Japanese was the U.S fleet at Pearl Harbor.
The losses at Pearl Harbor were eighteen warship and 349 aircraft were lost or damaged and 3581
American combatants and 103 civilians were killed or injured.

Hana-Saku was Japan’s plans for conquering Hong Kong which had been laid out more than a year
before the invasion. Some of the advantages that the Japanese had over Canadian soldiers were:

 Japanese soldiers had 4 years of training and experience as had been a part of the force that
invaded China in 1937.
 30 percent of Canadian soldiers had never fired a shot in rifle practice.
 The troops joined a common wealth defense force which had no more than 14 thousand
people including nurses and civilian volunteers

Canadian soldiers that surrendered were taken prisoners. They were crowded into barracks and used as
slave labour. Some were put to work building landing strips, others in shipyards near Tokyo, and others
in coal mines in northern Japan.

The War in Europe

The attack on Dieppe was launched to find out what was needed to make a full-scale Allied invasion
across the English Channel a success. It was also intended to draw German forces from the Russian
front.

The battle in North Africa where Italy and Germany had invaded Egypt and fought at Stalingard, and the
battle where the Soviets managed to encircle the German forces and cut off their supply lines were the
two battle that turned the tide for the allies.

The Desert Fox was a famous German general, Erwin Rommenl.

After the allies invaded Italy Italians turned against Mussolini and imprisoned him. It took the allies a
long time to capture Italy because:
  Due to the mountainous Italian countryside terrain
 Germans had fortified a line of hilltops and mountain peaks that ran the length of Italy
 Soldiers of Wehrmacht were also experienced fighters

Many Canadians were killed at Ortona because:

 The Germans blew up all the bridges in the area
 German defenders were first rate 90th Light Panzer Grenadier Division, known for tough fighting
in North Africa
 Many got sicknesses from crossing the Moro River or got battle fatigue

D-Day and the Normandy Invasion

What the allies learned from Dieppe which they employed on D-Day were massive air and naval
firepower and better communications from ship to shore. New versions of the Sherman tank called
“Funnies” could wade through water, bulldoze obstacles, explode mines, and throw bursts of flame.
Canada was responsible for Juno Beach. American soldiers suffered the most causalities because
German soldiers fired at them from high ground.

Preparing for the End of War and a New Europe

Britain’s Winston Churchill, the Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin, and the United States’ Franklin Delano
Roosevelt were the leaders who attended the Yalta Conference. They decided that:

 Germany would be demilitarized (stripped of any military forces)

 Denazified (the Nazi party was to be disbanded)
 Post-war Germany was to be divided into four zones of occupation (Britain, France, US and the
Soviet Union would each occupy one of the zones

The long term result of the Battle of the Bulge, and the German counterattack against the Allies on the
banks of the River Rhine was it changed the map of post-war Europe. The attack delayed the Western
Allies’ advance for six or eight weeks and gave the Soviet Union time to move across Eastern Europe and
seize territory during its drive toward Berlin.

Canada and D-Day, June 1944

June 6th, 1944 - The Famous Attack

The events of June 6th, 1944 are considered defining moments in human history. It was the Allied
Force’s attack on the beaches of Normandy, France that forever changed the course of modern history.
Learning from the horrific events of the 1942 Dieppe Raid, the Allies gathered a massive military force
on the southern shores of Great Britain and readied them for an attack on the continent of Europe. A
force of 20 000 Canadians gathered, ready to push Hitler and the Nazis from the shores of the French
coast of Normandy. The Normandy beaches were close to the British shores where the assault force was
gathered; therefore, the invading army and supply ships would not have far to travel.
The D-Day operation, whose actual name was “Operation Overlord,” was originally planned for June 5th,
1944, but the invasion was postponed because of bad weather and rough seas.

In the early hours in the morning of June 6th the attack began. At approximately 2:00 a.m.,
paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to secure strategic positions such as bridges and
escape/attack routes and to protect the landing force. Ninety minutes later 2000 Allied bombers began
to pound the Nazi held beaches in the hopes of destroying as many of the heavily fortified German
positions as possible. Allied warships, stationed in the English Channel, joined the attack at 5:30 a.m. and
then at exactly 6:30 a.m. the first waves of the attack, which included Canadian, American and British
forces left for the shores of France in their specialised landing craft, the DUKW’s. When they reached the
beaches of Normandy the allied troops were forced to wade or swim ashore wearing full battle gear due
to German defences which prevented boats from getting closer.

The "Atlantic Wall" constructed by Hitler and the Nazis to create a defensive barrier along the cost of
France. This barrier consisted of:

1. Belgian Gates, which were large slabs of steel with anti-tank mines attached to the top
2. Teller Mines, which were simply wooden posts that were anchored in the sand and pointed to
the English Channel
3. Specially designed log ramps were used and these also had mines affixed to the top
4. Metal constructed ‘hedge hogs’ were also used. They were designed to rip the bottoms out of
ships or any kind of landing craft
5. Once the troops were able to hit the beaches there were mine fields and rows of barbed wire
that criss-crossed the paths that lead to the German pill-boxes and concrete bunkers.

All of this made for a very difficult landing and it was here where most of the Allied soldiers lost their
lives. You are encouraged to rent a copy of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan”. View the landing
scene during the first 34-40 minutes of the movie, to gain a better understand of what you have just
read. This scene provides a vivid account of the landings that the American forces faced and may be
difficult for some students to watch. If you feel that you cannot handle this scene you can watch
alternative footage a movie entitled, “Longest Day”.

The bloody battles to secure a "toe hold" on the Normandy coast, cost the Canadians 1,074 casualties, of
which 359 were fatal. Thankfully the Allied Forces achieved great successes during the D-Day raids.
Within a week of D-Day there were approximately 300,000 Allied soldiers on the beaches of France, and
a month after the attack the Allies had 1 million men in France and over 200,000 military vehicles. The
objectives of the attack had been met. Even though Hitler had thought the “Atlantic Wall” would
prevent a landing, he now found himself fighting a war on two fronts – a problem which had plagued the
Germans during World War I. Germany was now fighting Canada, England and the United States in the
West as they also struggled to beat the Russian forces in the East.
The Pacific Theatre
After Normandy

After the Allied landings on the beaches of Normandy, fighting lasted for another year as the Allied
Forces pushed the Axis Powers back towards Italy and Germany. During this time much of the hardest
fighting was left in the hands of the capable Canadian troops.

Canadian forces cleared away German forces from the ports of France, so the Allies could deliver much
needed supplies that would allow the fight against Hitler and the Nazis to continue. When the Nazis
realised that they could not hold on to France and the Netherlands, they broke the dykes and dams and
flooded the lowlands. This made the Canadian task even more difficult. Eventually the Canadians were
able to push the Germans out of Holland and on May 5th, 1945 the last German troops surrendered to
the Canadian forces.

With the Canadian, British, and American Armies advancing in the West, and the Russian Army
advancing through the Eastern borders of Germany, Hitler became quite concerned. The Russians, after
winning a decisive victory over the Nazi Forces at the Battle of Stalingrad, gained momentum and rapidly
pushed the German Forces back towards Germany. In one year the Russians had advanced more than
600 kilometres into German occupied territory. Click here for a map of the Russian advances.

The Russian army continued their push into Germany and by April 1945, Soviet Troops were on the
doorstep of Berlin. The exhausted German army could no longer hold out and surrendering on May 8th,
1945. Hitler, learning that his ally Mussolini had been captured and killed, was not about to let this
happen to him. In the underground bunker where Hitler spent his last months, he shot himself in the
head and then his body was burned. Goebbels, the German Propaganda Minister, announced to the
German people and the world that Hitler had died fighting to the end, a “true hero.”

Fighting in the Pacific

Despite the German surrender in Europe on May 8th, 1945 (called Victory in Europe Day or VE Day)
WWII was not over; fierce fighting continued in parts of the Pacific Ocean. For North Americans the war
in the Pacific became important on December 7th, 1941. It was on this day that Japanese forces
attacked the American military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

This act of aggression by the Japanese led to the formal entry of the United States into World War II.
American troops, ships, planes and weapons were soon sent to Europe - a welcome addition to the
Allies. In addition, the same type of American firepower was dispatched to fight the Japanese in the
“Pacific Theatre of War.” The American aim was to recapture land, mostly islands, which Japan had laid
claim to since 1939 - and to force Japan to stop its military operations altogether.
Who Fought in the Pacific?

After the Nazis were defeated, the Allies turned their attention to the War in the Pacific. The Japanese
forces had rampaged their way through the Pacific as they expanded their empire. Much of the
conquered Japanese territory consisted of small islands in the Pacific Ocean. The majority of the islands
controlled by the Japanese had large Chinese-speaking populations. In order to work with local
resistance fighters the Allies needed soldiers who would be able to go behind enemy lines, soldiers who
could speak Chinese. For help with this important task the Allies turned to Canada.

From the outset of war, the Canadian government had been reluctant to allow Asian-Canadians to
participate in the war. The government feared that following the war Asian-Canadians would demand
equal rights, something they had yet to achieve - during WWII Asians-Canadians still did not have the
right to vote in Canada. British and American forces pressured the Canadian government. Eventually this
pressure caused the Canadian government to relent, ending their discriminatory practices and created a
special unit of Chinese-Canadians called “Force 136.”

This special commando unit would go behind enemy lines to sabotage important targets and train other
units on how to defeat the Japanese. The contributions of these special units were so great that they
became a deciding factor when the Canadian government granted Chinese-Canadians the right to vote
in 1947.

How Did The Japanese War End?

The War in the Pacific did not go as easily as the Allied commanders had intended, and by July of 1945
the Japanese still had not surrendered. American President Harry S. Truman, who had only recently took
office following the death of President F.D. Roosevelt, warned the Japanese that they must surrender or
they would risk being destroyed, unaware of the new American “superweapon,” the Japanese refused
to surrender. As a result, the American government chose to change the face of history, when, on
August 6th, 1945, they dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, then, three days
later, another atomic attack on the city of Nagasaki.

The carnage created by the atomic bomb shocked the world, yet many people did not initially question
the decision to drop the bomb. Harry S. Truman declared, “this is the greatest thing in History.” Yet,
even today there are still people who are dying from the after-effects of the nuclear explosion. The
devastation caused by “the Bomb” was so terrible that many ask why the bombs were dropped on Japan
if the war was almost over. Historians have suggested several reasons for the American decision to drop
the nuclear bomb:

 The Americans believed that the Japanese would never surrender. If the atomic bombs had not
been used, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers would have been killed in an invasion of
the Japanese islands.
 The Atomic Bomb had cost a lot of money to develop and the American government wanted to see
if it would work.
 The bomb was used to show the strength of the United States’ military to the communist USSR (the
Soviet Union).
 The Japanese government had done several things that Americans were not happy with: a) The
bombing of Pearl Harbour; and b) the treatment that prisoners of war (PoW) faced in Japanese
 PoW camps.

The Home Front

The War at Home

While Canadian soldiers were battling the Axis Powers in Europe and the Pacific, their families at home
were also doing their part to defeat the enemy. The Canadian government had declared “Total War” by
1942. This meant that every Canadian person and every Canadian industry were to contribute to the war
effort. World War II affected every single person in Canada.

More than half of all Canadians were of British (English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish) origin, while another
third were French Canadians.

Opposition Camp
Friendly neutrality kept Canada out of the war but still supplied food and other essential materials to
Britain, France, and Poland. Those who oppose war of any kind were referred to as pacifists and they
were Mennonites, Hutterites, and Doukhobors. Mennonites Responded to charges of Germanism by
voluntarily reducing the number of religious services that they held and suspending their German-
langue schools to prove their loyalty to Canada during World War 2.

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

THE BCATP was announced on Dec. 17th, 1939. Under the plan, air crews were to be brought to Canada
from all over the Commonwealth for training as pilots, navigators, air gunners, bombardiers and wireless
operators.

War Comes to Canada’s Shores: The East Coast

Halifax was the centre for Canadian naval operations in the North Atlantic and a base for British and
Allied shipping.

German U-boat teams called “wolf packs” broke through the convoy escort ships to pick off merchant
ships one after another. The attack of the American ship Chatham was the first time an attack had taken
place in Canadian waters (St. Lawrence).

Total war was a war fought with no limits put on the resources used to achieve victory.

The island of Newfoundland was still a British colony in 1939. Canadian troops were stationed on
Newfoundland to help guard it. Newfoundland also stationed some of their own troops.

The War in the Pacific and on Canada’s West Coast

 The people of British Columbia feared a Japanese attack because the suddenness of the Japanese
attacks, the number of their targets, and the ease of their victories were worrying to them. Japanese
were treated as second class citizens, they were denied to vote, teach or take jobs in the civil service and
other professions. The RCMP concluded that the Japanese were a community that was loyal to Canada,
they had been patriotic supporters of Red Cross work and victory bond drives and many were eager to
fight for Canada. However after World War 2 they were deported.

Central Canada: Retooling to Support the War

The women took over those jobs where there was a shortage of skilled workers. The growth in the
wartime manufacturing industry allowed the Canadian economy to come out of the depression also
after the war in peacetime many newly formed industries remained and became a permanent part of
Canadian lifestyle. Also during the war the government had to create the National Selective Service to
direct workers where they were most needed.

Two factors that helped the Prairies to recover from the Depression was ending of the drought and high
demand of crops and other natural made food goods. Canadian farmers began to produce a wider range
of products to meet the new demand, including pork, beef, dairy products, flax, and oil seeds.

Aboriginal Contributions to the War Effort

Aboriginals raised money for the war effort by either giving their $5 that each member received from
the Federal government as treaty money or through the sale of moccasins and furs. The Greater
Production Campaign was when the government supported Aboriginal farmers by providing seed, cattle,
poultry, goats, and fruit trees.

Woman’s Contribution to the War Effort

When labour shortages reached acute levels in Canada in 1942 all women between the ages of twenty
and twenty four were required to sign up with the National Selective Service. The federal government
freed women with children by setting up day cares. Female workers wearing trousers and a bandana
around her head to keep her hair out of machinery, became a kind of national heroine. They were
nicknamed The “Bren Girl” or “Rosie the River”, the female war worker that often appeared on
billboards to encourage women to participate in the war effort. The burden of agriculture fell to more
than 800,000 women who choose to stay in farms. Women always did their share of farm work, but in
the wartime they had to work double-time to compensate for their husbands and other farm workers
who were off to war.

The Changing Role of Government

The Canadian Government adopted a more active role in the day-to-day functioning of society. C.D
Howe turned to top businesspeople across Canada for help in meeting the wartime production demands
of the British. He asked them to take a “holiday” off work and become civil servant until the war ended.
They became known as “dollar-a –year men” for the token salary paid by the government (but many
were stilled being paid their salaries from their companies). How we went to business people all over
Canada to ask for help in meeting wartime production demands. He asked them to take a “holiday” from
their work to become civil servants until the war was over. They became known as the dollar-a-year men
for the token salary paid by the government.
Since Canada was helping Britain, it would soon be in a financial difficulty, if it did not balance it out with
the U.S. As the war escalated, Canada increasingly became dependant on U.S supplies to fuel the
factories. This led to a trade deficit with the U.S. King said if U.S bought about roughly the same amount
of items as Canada bought from them, the problems would be gone. The two leaders (King and
Roosevelt) agreed signed the Hyde Park Declaration which was the start to a strong economic bond
between the two nations.

He kept the inflation under control through the use of large tax increases, forced saving, and the sale of
victory bonds. They were designed to be a form of propaganda to promote certain patriotic foods.
Salvaging was used to get supplies for the war effort such as meat bones for aircraft glue.

The Fight over Conscription

Over the early years of the second WW2, Mackenzie took Canada into WW2 with the solemn pledge
that no Canadians would be conscripted and forced to fight against their will.

Zombies were men conscripted for home duty in the NRMA and they were nicknamed this specific term
because they refused to volunteer towards the war because they just sat around. Although English
Canadians made a mistaken assumption.

Mackenzie got out of his promise for conscription by holding a plebiscite, which was a federal
referendum to all Canadians voters asking them whether they'd given him the permission to break his
promise or not and eventually he won, thus given the ability to do so. Though, he did not instantly force
out Conscription until he thought he was most necessary. Quebec resented the introduction of
conscription for overseas service.

The Yalta & Potsdam conferences

The Yalta conference: February 4th-111th 1945

In February, 1945, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt met again. This time the
conference was held in Yalta in the Crimea. With Soviet troops in most of Eastern Europe, Stalin was in a
strong negotiating position. Roosevelt and Churchill tried hard to restrict post-war influence in this area
but the only concession they could obtain was a promise that free elections would be held in these
countries.

Once again, Poland was the main debating point. Stalin explained that throughout history Poland had
either attacked Russia or had been used as a corridor through which other hostile countries invaded her.
Only a strong, pro-Communist government in Poland would be able to guarantee the security of the
Soviet Union.

At Yalta, the decision at Teheran to form a United Nations organization was confirmed. It was only on
this issue that all three leaders were enthusiastically in agreement.
At the time of Yalta, Germany was close to defeat. British and USA troops were advancing from the west
and the Red Army from the east. At the conference it was agreed to divide Germany up amongst the
Allies. However, all parties to that agreement were aware that the country that actually took control of
Germany would be in the strongest position over the future of this territory.

The main objective of Winston Churchill and Stalin was the capture of Berlin, the capital of
Germany. Franklin D. Roosevelt did not agree and the decision of the USA Military commander,
General Dwight Eisenhower, to head south-east to Dresden, ensured that Soviet forces would be the
first to reach Berlin.

The Potsdam Conference, July - August 1945

On 16th July 1945, the "Big Three" leaders met at Potsdam, Germany, near Berlin. In this, the last of the
World War Two heads of state conferences, President Truman, Soviet Premier Stalin and British Prime
Ministers Churchill and Atlee discussed post-war arrangements in Europe, frequently without
agreement. Future moves in the war against Japan were also covered. The meeting concluded early in
the morning of 2nd August.

One result of the conference was a 26th July joint proclamation by the U.S., Great Britain and China, the
three main powers then fighting Japan. This "Potsdam Declaration" described Japan's present perilous
condition, gave the terms for her surrender and stated the Allies' intentions concerning her postwar
status. It ended with an ultimatum: Japan must immediately agree to unconditionally surrender, or face
"prompt and utter destruction".