Important Battles during World War II for Canadian people

Battle of Hong Kong

Canada had some troops at Hong Kong, because Britain had asked for help. Two days after Pearl Harbour, Japan attacked Hong Kong. They conquered it very easily. Lots of Canadians became prisoners.

Dieppe Raid

Also called Operation Jubilee. On the Coast of France. It was going to be a surprise attack. Landing forces were going to attack by one front and tanks by other. Landing forces met a German convoy. Enemy was alerted. Tanks could not move on the beach. Canada tried to evacuate everyone.

France knew that they had not been forgotten.

Battle of Normandy

It was a secret attack on Normandy. Surprise German troops looked up to see a huge flotilla. The worst trouble occurred in the American sector at Omaha Beach. Although the invasion was a success. The battle destroyed the defending Germany line.

Pearl Harbour

Japan wanted to take control on the Pacific. Pearl Harbour was the problem. Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. It was a surprise air attack. They destroy almost boats on there.

USA declared the war on Japan.

Italian Campaign

Canadians were headed to Sicily. Sicily fell quickly and Italian soldiers were captured, but the German troops escaped to Italy. Canadians moved to Italy. The most important battle there was the Ortona Battle. It was not an important city, but they had a “street-fight”. Furthermore, Canada wrote about this technique. Ortona was a victory.

Dunkirk

The British army was trapped in the French costal town of Dunkirk. Hitler was going to win with the air-forces. Fortunately, a dense fog give British forces time to escape.

Hitler’s major mistake. French lost a big part of his army.

Battle of the Atlantic

Halifax was the center of Canadian naval operation. Germany realized that supplies send from Halifax were crucial to Britain. Germany tried to interrupt supplies.

Submarines broke lots of merchants, so Canada began quickly produce corvettes”, small ships that provided protection for merchant ships.

There were attacks in the St. Laurence River. This awakened Canada to the reality.

Battle of Britain

Germany wanted to conquer Britain> they needed to destroy the enemy planes before reach Britain in the boats.  Hitler ordered an air attack on the English Channel. Britain won this time. Germany ordered his planes come back to Germany and then, Hitler sent them to the Soviet Union. Hitler bombed London. Britain bombed some Germany cities.

Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union

Hitler wanted the Soviet Union. He sent his army, but not expected the actual strength of their army. Winter arrived and German army was not prepared for those temperatures. It was the biggest Hitler’s error.

Rape of Nanking

1936 – Japanese invaded South of China. The citizens of Nanking were subjected to rape, torture and murder after their defeat. 200 000 Chinese were slaughtered. Also known as “The Silent Holocaust”.