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Battles of the Atlantic
Canada set up convoys that were protected by corvettes since Germany used submarines to sink supply ships coming to Britain. Safely escorted 25000 merchant ships to Britain and 1000s to Russia.
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RCAF
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was small in 1939, but 4th largest in the world by 1945. 3000 Nazi planes were shot down, so that Germany weren't able to invade Britain.Canadians bomed German cities and factories that made war supplies at night, but not very successful.
British Prime Minister Churchill said "Never was so much owed by so many to so few".
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Battles of Pearl Harbor
Japan attacked USA at Pearl Harbor Dec 7, 1941.
Since the attack of the Pearl Harbor, Chinese Canadians had elite commando unit called Force 136. They were used to sabotage Japanese war effort by destroying Japenese weapons, bridges and railways. Japanese Canadians helped create propaganda and served as translators.
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European Air War
On May 30, 1942, 1000 bombers raid Cologne, Germany.
July 24 -- 31, 60% of Hamburg, Germany was destroyed -- 80,000 civilians killed.
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Dieppe Raid
The Allies declared a short raid of Dieppe to make the Germans to move soldiers from Russia (USSR) and find out more about their coastal defenses in France.
Canada's worst defeat -- 900 died, 1000 wounded, 1900 became prisoners of Germany and only 2200 returned safely to Britain.
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Battles of Hong Kong
Canadian soldiers protected Hong Kong for the British. They surrendered after 17 days of fighting. 290 Canadians died, 500 wounded. 267 Canadians died in Japanese prison camps
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Operation Husky
Operation Husky was the beginning of the attack on Italy. Canadians were the first to take the island of Sicily. 650 enemy soldiers were captured with only 60 Canadians being killed / injured. After one month, all objectives were reached with 2310 Canadian dead / wounded.
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Battle of Ortona
Ortona was key city on the way to capturing Rome. It was defended by the First German Parachute Division. Canada lost over 2300 men, but used "mouse-holing" technique to use blasted holes in walls of buildings to avoid being shot by Germans to capture the city.
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D-Day
Day of Deliverance -- Canada's largest military operation of WW2.
14,000 soldiers landed on the beach and 10,000 sailors on 100 ships off the coast.
Canada, USA and Britain attacked Normandy, France to take France back from the Germans.
Canada was most successful at Juno Beach, but had 335 dead and 739 wounded.
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Liberation of the Netherlands
Two years after the earlier defeat in Dieppe September, 1944, Canada liberated the Netherlands fully from the Nazis. Germany surrendered May 5, 1945. Since Canada had 7600 casualties, Canada still gave food to the Dutch people who were so happy they threw flowers (tulips) at the Canadian soldiers in gratitude.
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Atomic Bombs in Japan
Chinese-Canadians formed the Force 136, an elite commandos unit fighting behind enemy lines. Japanese-Canadians helped with translators, propaganda and Canadian Intelligence Corp.
August 6, 1945, 60% of the city of Hiroshima is destroyed. 71,000 dead or missing and 68,000 injured.
August 9, 1945, the second atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki, 35,000 killed, 60,000 injured and long-lasting radiation illnesses.
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The Victory Day
Germany surrenders in May 7, 1945, the VE Day, the victory day in Europe. Mussolini is captured and killed in Apr. 28. Hitler commits suicide Apr. 30. USA and USSR soldiers meet at Elbe R.
Japan officially surrender in Sept 2, 1945 to American General Douglas MacArthur, and it is called the V-J Day, the victory day in Japan.
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