Canada’s Response and Axis Advance

Ms. Campbell

Socials 11

Canada’s Response

After World War One, Canada entered a period of isolationism, meaning that it kept out of affairs outside its bordersKing hoped appeasement would work against

HitlerHe also believed what was happening in

Germany was a domestic issue that should not affect Canada

Canada’s Response

Even in Canada, Hitler’s policy towards Jewish people was not seen as a bad thing because there was widespread anti-Semitism, which means discrimination or hostility towards Jewish people

This belief affected Canada’s immigration policy

Canada’s Response

Jewish refugees were often seen as a burden to the state and throughout the 1930s immigration to Canada was severely restricted

In 1939 the SS St. Louis left Germany loaded with Jewish passengers trying to escape persecution

The ship was denied entry in Cuba, South America, the United States, and Canada and had to return to Europe

SS St. Louis

Canada Declares War

When Germany invaded Poland on September 1 Britain and France took only two days to declare war – WW2 started September 3, 1939Canada, however, was now an autonomous

country and under no obligation to join the war

Prime Minister King knew that Canada would likely support the war, but it had to be decided by Canada’s Parliament

Canada Declares War

On September 8 King called a special session of Parliament and he gave a long speech in favour of warBoth King’s Liberals and the Conservative

opposition supported the warOnly CCF leader J.S. Woodsworth argued

against the war Canada declared war on September 10,

1939

Canada Declares War

The Canadian army was unprepared for war and had only 4300 troops, a few light tanks and no modern artillery

The air force and navy were also small and outdated

Canada Declares War

In September 1939 more than 58,000 people volunteeredAfrican Canadians were initially rejected but

later acceptedAboriginal peopled volunteered more than

other CanadiansMany people volunteered because of strong

ties to Britain, others felt strong national pride, and some just wanted a job

Canada Declares War

King wanted Canada’s role to be most troop training and in 1939 Canada created the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) Pilots from all over the Commonwealth came to

Canada

The program trained more than 130,000 pilots, navigators, flight engineers, and ground crew

It cost more than $2.2 billion and Canada paid more than 70%

Canada Declares War

Canada became engaged in total war and the government became more involved in planning and controlling the economy

Axis Advance

When war was declared in September 1939 the world was split into two main camps, the Allies and the Axis

The Allies consisted of Britain, France, and Commonwealth countries including Canada

The Axis consisted of Germany, Italy and (in 1940), Japan

Axis Advance

In the first seven months of the war the Allies were stationed along the border of France and Germany but nothing happened!

This was called the “phony war”

Phony War

Axis Advance

In April 1940 Germany attacked Denmark and Norway by a strategy known as Blitzkrieg, meaning “Lightning War”

Axis Advance

Blitzkrieg used surprise, speed and power1) Planes knocked out enemy positions and

supply lines2) Tanks (called panzers) crashed through

enemy lines3) Soldiers would parachute into enemy

territory4) Eventually the enemy would be surrounded

and defeated

Axis Advance

Within a few weeks Hitler had conquered Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg

Hitler’s European Takeover

Dunkirk Evacuation

Hitler launched an attack on France through BeligumPanzers surrounded

Allied forces in the port of Dunkirk

Dunkirk Evacuation

The British Navy used every single boat capable of navigating the English Channel to evacuate the troopsThis included fishing boats, pleasure crafts,

and ferries

The evacuation began May 26 and finished June 4, 1940

Dunkirk Evacuation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animations/wwtwo_movies_dunkirk/index_embed.shtml

Dunkirk Evacuation

Nearly 340,000 Allied soldiers were brought safely to Britain and Dunkirk was seen as a “miracle” that helped boost morale

Dunkirk Evacuation

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraphtv/7782974/Dunkirk-veterans-mark-70th-anniversary.html

Dunkirk Evacuation

France was no match for Germany and on June 22, 1940 it surrendered

Battle of Britain

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNsuY2bkiK0

Battle of Britain

After France surrendered, Britain and the Commonwealth stood alone against Hitler and the Axis powersHitler launched

Operation Sea Lion to invade Britain

Operation Sea Lion

Battle of Britain

This required Hitler to defeat the Royal Air Force (RAF) so the Luftwaffe (the Germany Air Force) could land in Britain In July 1940 the Luftwaffe began a massive

bombing campaign to destroy harbours and shipping facilities

In August they focused on destroying airfields and aircraft factories

On August 24 German planes bombed London

Battle of Britain

In retaliation the RAF bombed Berlin which made Hitler angry. He ordered the Luftwaffe to bomb London and other British cities. These battles that destroyed buildings and terrorized and killed civilians became known as “The Blitz”

Battle of Britain

The Germans were unable to defeat Britain partly became of an advanced radar system and the Battle of Britain was won by the Allies when Hitler gave up his plan to invade Britain

Battle of Britain

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/world-war-2/7980574/Rare-footage-of-London-in-the-Blitz-found-in-attic.htm

North-African Campaign

Italy formally joined WW2 in June 1940 and the Allies immediately invaded Libya (and Italian colony). Italy responded by invading Egypt, hoping to gain control of the Suez Canal

North-African Campaign

By December the Allies had mostly destroyed the Italian Army and for the next three years no decisive victories would be won

Operation Barbarossa

When the Allies defeated Germany in the Battle of Britain, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941

This was a massive attack on the USSR and broke the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact signed in 1939

Operation Barbarossa

The USSR was unprepared and Germany quickly took over a large areaWhen the weather turned cold Germany was

unprepared and quickly lost their advantage

In 1942 Germany attacked again and got as far as Stalingrad but was again stopped by the severe winter

Operation Barbarossa

Operation Barbarossa

After suffering more than 300,000 casualties the Germans surrendered in early 1943 and the USSR regained much of the lost land

Hitler’s backstabbing also prompted the USSR to join the Allies

The War in the Pacific

In the 1930s Japan began to expand and by 1941 it was prepared to invade American and European colonies

Japan wanted resources such as oil, rubber, and tin

The War in the Pacific

Japanese strategy depended on a quick and decisive strike against the United States this happened December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbour

More than 2400 people were killedMuch of the American fleet was destroyed

The War in the Pacific

On December 8, 1941 the US joined the Allies and declared war on Japan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv1niwxQgoY

The War in the Pacific

Just hours after Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, they also attacked Hong Kong

Hong Kong, which was a British colonyCanadians had sent two battalions from

Winnipeg and Quebec to reinforce Hong Kong

The War in the Pacific

The Canadian troops were inexperienced and after 18 days of fighting Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on December 25, 1941

This day would be called “Black Christmas”

The War in the Pacific

Every Canadian was either killed or taken prisoner

1700 Prisoners of War (POWs) faced brutal conditions

More than 260 POWs died during the next three and a half years

The War in the Pacific

Canadians were horrified and angry about the fate of Canadian soldiers and this fuelled anti-Japanese sentiment in Canada