Download Canada’s participation in foreign conflicts, pt1

CANADA’S PARTICIPATION IN
FOREIGN CONFLICTS, PT. 1
MUNDY 2010
World War I
 Britain and allies went to war with Germany on
August 4, 1914
 Canada did not have authority in international
defence, so it was automatically participating
 Germany & Austria-Hungary vs. Britain, France
and Russia for control over Europe
 Often seen as struggle of nationalism vs.
imperialism
World War I
 Canada initially asked for volunteers (no draft)
 April 1915 – Battle of Ypres – first gas attack
 1916 – Battle of Somme – 20000 Canadian
casualties of German bombing and machine gun
fire
 April 1917 – Battle of Vimy Ridge: Completely
organized by Canadian forces, took over major hill
from Germans (months to plan and coordinate)
 1917 – Passchendaele – Canadians captured ridge
World War I
 Billy Bishop – flying ace from Canada, used as
poster boy for recruitment and patriotism for
Canada’s war effort
 Canada sent much food and supplies by ship to
England; workers in factories mainly women
 Canada contributed to war effort, but were only a
part of Britain’s army, not their own
 On Treaty of Versailles, Canada demanded to have
own signature shown
World War II
 Germany invaded Poland; Britain and France
declare war on Sept 1, 1939
 Canada asserts independence by choosing to vote
in parliament on Sept 10
 Allies were England, Canada, France (initially),
Russia, U.S., China
World War II
 1941 – Hong Kong – 2000 Canadian soldiers were
captured of surrendered by Dec. 25
 1942 – Dieppe – Allied forces use French port town
as practice run for beach invasion. Fails and 3000
of 5000 Canadians are casualties
 1943 – Italy – Canada fights for two long years to
take parts of country; ultimately successful
 1944 June 6 – Battle of Normandy (coast of
France), also known as D-Day. Along with Allied
forces, Canada captures Juno Beach
World War II
 From Normandy, Canadian forces head east along the
coast and finally liberate the country of Holland
(spring 1945)
 Canada developed huge Home Front industries to
supply forces in Europe – mostly run and staffed by
women
 Merchant marine shipped supplies in convoys to
Europe under watchful eye of Canadian ‘Corvettes’ –
fast-moving battleships
 Trained many pilots and assisted in bombing runs
through Royal Canadian Air Force
Cold War
 Started when Igor Gouzenko, spy working in
Canada under Russian embassy, decides to inform
public of his activities
 Allied powers cut off diplomatic ties to Russia,
create “iron curtain” – an imaginary dividing line
between western and eastern Europe
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization created as
military alliance between allies to act as defence
and deterrent against Stalin’s ideas to push more
countries into communist control
Cold War
 As United States and Russia (U.S.S.R.) emerge as
full superpowers with nuclear capabilities, a `cold
war` exists wherein no side dared openly fight, but
both took every precaution for possibility through
measures of high alertness
 Canada and U.S. create NORAD (North American
Aerospace Defence) with a series of DEW (Distant
Early Warning) lines across Canadian Arctic in
order to check for Russian planes or warheads
Cold War
 Canada refuses to house nuclear warheads on
Canadian soil
 Avro Arrow company in Canada creates supersonic
jet, but project is scrapped by Canadian
government without much explanation. From
here on U.S. becomes major weapons
manufacturer
Korean War
 June 1950 – North Korea invades South Korea
along 38th parallel
 United Nations Security Council votes to send
army to intervene
 25 countries participate, including Canada (27000
troops)
 Fighting continued to 1953, when armistice signed.
 As of today, war technically still exists
Vietnam War
 Although mostly from 1945 – 1975, most fighting in
1960`s
 North Vietnamese (Communist) attempting to
take over country from South Vietnamese
(Capitalist)
 Neither United Nations nor NATO involved.
Canada did not fight in this war
 U.S. citizens, attempting to avoid draft, flees to
Canada