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Canada and World War II. September 28-29, 1928: Munich Conference March 1939: Hitler took over Czechoslovakia August 23, 1939: Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Signed September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland Britain and France deliver an ultimatum
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September 28-29, 1928: Munich Conference • March 1939: Hitler took over Czechoslovakia • August 23, 1939: Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Signed • September 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland • Britain and France deliver an ultimatum • September 3, 1939: Great Britain and France declare war on Germany • September 10, 1939: Canada joins the war
1939Germany invades Poland • German tanks rolled across the Polish border early on September 1, 1939. • At 9:00 am on September 3rd, Britain's ambassador to Germany delivered an ultimatum stating that if hostilities did not stop by 11 am, a state of war would exist between Great Britain and Germany. • Germany did not respond and at 11:15 on the morning of September 3, 1939 Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain went on the radio to announce to the British people that they were at war with Germany.
Canada Enters the War in Germany • For the first time Canada had the ability to decide for themselves whether they would enter the war or not. • King called a special session of parliament to “decide” Canada’s position in response to Britain’s declaration of war. • King’s proclamation was easily passed through the House of Commons. George VI signed it on September 10, 1939 … Canada was officially at war with Germany one week after Britain. Canada Declares War
King promised a war of “limited liability”, which meant that Canada would be economic and productive rather than military. • “Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary. ” http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1276-7239/politics_economy/mackenzie_king/
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was set up by the British Air Ministry, following an agreement signed by participating countries in December 1939. • It provided 50,000 trained aircrew a year, for as long as it was necessary. • The United Kingdom was not an ideal location for air training, due to the closeness of the front, so it was decided that Canada would be the primary location. This decision centered around the ample supplies of fuel, wide open spaces suitable for navigation, industrial facilities for the production of trainer aircraft, parts and supplies, the lack of any real threat from German of Japanese fighter planes.
Over 167,000 students, including 50,000 pilots, trained in Canada under the program from May 1940 to March 1945. • 131,553 of the graduates were Canadians. • At the peak of the plan’s operation, 94 schools were operating in 231 sites across Canada. • Prime Minister King supported this plan as a way of keeping large numbers of Canadians at home and avoiding the need to raise large numbers of forces, which would have lead to conscription. • Britain agreed to accept the cost of the plan to Canada as part of their war effort.
Battle of Dunkirk • German forces had advanced across Europe and penned the British forces in a tiny area around the French port of Dunkirk. • British forces found themselves stranded without shelter or supplies. So they launched Operation Dynamo to evacuate the troops. • Vice Admiral Ramsay organized as many ships (tug boats, barges, lifeboats and navy destroyers) to evacuate the troops. • 850 vessels took place in the evacuation, 235 boats were sunk. • 68,000 troops were lost, but 1/3 of a million men were evacuated.
