When World War II began in 1939, Canada debated whether to join the war before ultimately voting to support the Allied effort under Prime Minister King. While not as enthusiastic as in WWI due to the horrors remembered and economic struggles, Canadians volunteered in large numbers. Canada's major contribution was the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, which saw 130,000 pilots trained in Canada. The government also took a "total war" approach to fully mobilize the economy. Key battles included the British evacuation at Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain, which halted Hitler's plans to invade the UK. Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor drew the US into the war against Germany and Italy in Europe and Japan in the Pacific.

1. The World at War, Again
1939-1945

2. Canada Responds
• In WWI, when Britain declared war,
Canada was automatically involved,
“Ready, aye, Ready”
• By WWII Canada felt more
independent from Britain, that it was
able to make its own military
decisions
• When Britain and France declared
war on Germany on Sept 1, 1939,
Canada called a special session of
Parliament to debate and vote on
whether or not Canada should be
involved.
• On September 10th Canada, under
Prime Minister King, joined the war
effort

3. • While WWI saw crowds of
people cheering in the streets
with the declaration of war,
WWII’s Canada was much more
subdued.
• People remembered too well
the horrors of WWI. Moreover,
the Depression had limited the
amount of resources given to
the navy, army and airforce.
• Regardless, Canadians
volunteered in large numbers,
particularly First Nations people.
Initially, black volunteers were
rejected but later were accepted
out of declining numbers.

4. British Commonwealth Air Training
Plan
• PM King was hoping to keep
the war effort mostly at home
(and then avoid the issue of
conscription) and the Air
Training Plan seemed like
the best way to do this.
• Canada’s major contribution
would be its open fields and
good climate. 130,000 pilots
from all over the
Commonwealth would come
to Canada to learn to fly.
• It cost $2.2 billion and
Canada paid for over half of
that….

6. Total War
• This concept refers to the
gov’ts decision to contribute
all facets of the economy to
the war effort.
• CD Howe was appointed
Minister of Munitions and
Supplies, and was given
extraordinary authority to
meet wartime demands.
• “Total War” mentality
allowed for fast and efficient
production of ships, planes,
tanks and food stuffs.
Anything necessary to
defeat the enemy……
CD HOWE

7. Meanwhile, over in Europe…
ALLIES
Britain
France
AXIS
Germany
Italy
Japan

8. The War Begins
• War is declared against
Germany in the fall of 1939,
so troops are immediately
stationed along Germany’s
border waiting for Hitler’s
next move. Seven months
pass and Germany does
nothing (“Phoney War”)
• However, in 1940 Germany
starts its blitzkrieg and
attacks Denmark and
Norway. Germany began its
path of fury.

9. Important Battles
• Evacuation at Dunkirk (June 1940): Within
months, Germany had attacked and conquered
Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.
• In its invasion of France, Allied troops had been
surrounded and cornered into the port of
Dunkirk. Escape required evacuation by the
English Channel.

10. Dunkirk con’t
• The Germans were closing in
on the small town, so in order
to get the men out fast, the
British rounded up any
available boat, including
hundreds of fishing boats,
pleasure crafts, merchant ships
etc. to haul men back to safety.
• The Luftwaffe began bombing
from the skies, but the
evacuation continued. In the
end 340,000 troops made it out
of Dunkirk.
• France, however, was now
occupied by Germany and
called Vichy France.

11. Battle of Britain / Operation Sea Lion
With France and the rest of Europe
occupied by Germany, Britain alone
faced the Axis powers.
Hitler’s plan to invade Britain, Operation
Sea Lion, began with the destruction of
the RAF.
July 1940, the Luftwaffe started a
massive bombing campaign to destroy
harbours and factories in England.
By September, bombing targeted
civilians, “the Blitz”
Britain would not be defeated: they had a
sophisticated radar system, effective
fighter planes, and other pilots (including
80 Canadians) came to aid the cause.
Finally, in May ’41 Hitler gave up on the
plans to take Britain. It cost 23,000
British lives, mostly civilians.

13. The Eastern Front
• Defeat against
England caused
Hitler to turn his
attention eastward –
Operation
Barbarossa (Red
Beard)
• Germany broke its
non-aggression
pact with Stalin and
launched a surprise
attack against the
USSR.

14. Did you know
the Russian
women fought
alongside the
men at the
front?
• Fall of 1940, Germany swept in and managed to push the
Russians as far back as Stalingrad – a major symbolic
city.
• What the Germans were not prepared for was the harsh
Soviet winter. After 300,000 casualties the Germans
surrendered in 1943.
• By 1944, the Russian army was advancing into Europe.

15. War in the Pacific
• Japan had not be involved in Europe’s fighting, but it
was on an aggressive war path of its own.
• By 1941 it was preparing to take over Western
colonies in South East Asia for their resources.
• In a surprising move, Japan engaged the “neutral”
USA in a massive bombing in the Pacific…

16. Japan’s Empire Building
• The US naval base in the
Pacific was Pearl Harbour,
Hawaii. On December 7, 1941,
the Japanese bombed the base
and destroyed part of the fleet.
• The US officially declared war
on Japan, and thus Germany
and its allies.
• Japan continued on its
rampage and bombed the
Philippines and invaded British
colonized Hong Kong.
Canadians had just been
stationed in H.K. and ALL of
them were either killed or taken
as POWs by the Japanese for
the duration of the war.

18. Assignment:
• Worksheet: Battle of Britain article with
questions AND
• - Prisoner Of War scrapbook
• OR – WWII Technology Project
• OR – Research Essay on WWII topic
(check with me first)