The War at Home TOTAL WAR

Canadian Contributions

C.D. Howe Minister of Munitions – created crown corporations for war production

Canadian Women’s Army Corps C.W.A.C was a non-combatant branch of the Canadian Army for women established during the Second World War to release men from those non-combatant roles in the Canadian armed forces as part of expanding Canada's war effort. Most women served in Canada but some served overseas, most in roles such as secretaries, mechanics, cooks and so on. Secretaries, mechanics, cooks, etc.

Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service W.R.E.N.s Created in 1942. Wireless operators, coders, drivers, and operational plotters. Operated wireless radio, coders, drivers

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan BCATP remains as one of the single largest aviation training programs in history and was responsible for training nearly half the pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, air gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Forc.e (RNZAF) during the war. Canada was chosen as the primary location for "The Plan" because of its ideal weather, wide open spaces suitable for flight and navigation training — sometimes on a large scale, ample supplies of fuel, industrial facilities for the production of trainer aircraft, parts and supplies, the lack of any threat from either the Luftwaffe or Japanese fighter aircraft and its relative proximity to both the European and Pacific theatres. At its height of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 131,533 Allied pilots and aircrew were trained in Canada, 72,835 of which were Canadian. At the plan's high point in late 1943, an organisation of over 100,000 administrative personnel operated 107 schools and 184 other supporting units at 231 locations all across Canada. trained pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, air gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers Allowed for Canada to contribute ‘at home’, avoiding conscription.

Royal Canadian Air Force R.C.A.F. More than 215000 people enlisted, 35 Canadian squadrons were posted overseas. Particpated in bombing raids in Northern Africa, Italy, Northwest Europe, and Southeast Asia. Participated in bombing missions in Africa, Italy, Europe, and Asia

Women’s Division ~ Royal Canadian Air Force Women trained as clerks, cooks, hospital assistants, drivers, telephone operators, welders, instrument mechanics, and engine mechanics. No women as licensed pilots were allowed to fly in the war. They ferried bombers to Britain, but no combat. Clerks, cooks. Hospital assistants, drivers, piloted planes over to Europe

National Film Board of Canada In 1938, the Government of Canada invited John Grierson, a British documentary film pioneer who coined the very term "documentary," to study the state of the government's film production. Up to that date, the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau, established in 1918, had been the major Canadian film producer. The results of Grierson's report were included in the National Film Act of 1939, which led to the establishment of the National Film Commission, which was subsequently renamed the National Film Board. In part, it was founded to create propaganda in support of the Second World War. In 1940, with Canada at war, the NFB launched its Canada Carries On series of morale boosting theatrical shorts. The success of Canada Carries On led to the creation of The World in Action, which was more geared to international audiences. In part, it was intended to create WWII propaganda