Canada & The End of the War in Europe

Preparing for D-Day While the Allies were winning in Italy, planning was happening to take back Europe Plan to send a massive force across the English Channel to attack northern France Dieppe had shown that surprise would be essential They set up decoy invasion preparations across from Calais, France (Operation Fortitude)

D-Day Operation Overlord – June 6, 1944 – after a weather delay, Canadians would be part of the real attack on France Massive air and naval bombardment allowed ships with 150,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers to deploy in Normandy France Beach Landing Code Names: American: Utah & Omaha British: Gold & Sword Canadian: Juno

D-Day Landings

D-Day After Dieppe, Allies had improved landing craft and communication, more effective air and naval support and the British designed tanks that could crush German bunkers and clear minefield paths Germans were taken by surprise – many Allied commanders did not even know their orders until that very morning

Juno Beach 14 000 Canadians were assigned to Juno Beach that had strong German defences: bunkers, barbed wire fences, landmines and anti-tank defences The Canadians fought their way through and past the German defences The Canadians at Juno had gained the most land out of all the Allied D-Day forces and only about 350 Canadians died, 574 wounded and 47 captured

Canada & The Liberation of Europe In 6 days after Juno, 2800 Canadians die taking more territory from the Germans and liberating French channel ports including Dieppe Battle of the Scheldt – a path to Antwerp, Belgium for supplies was needed so the First Canadian Army was sent to clear German forces out Canadian victory in November 1944 in securing Antwerp, but 6400 Canadians died – this victory allowed a huge Allied advantage in taking the rest of Europe from the Nazis

Liberating the Netherlands After the Battle of the Scheldt, there was a break until February 8th, 1945 175 000 Canadians joined the Rhine Offensive campaign Canadian forces drove the Germans out of the Netherlands, whose people were starving

Germany Surrenders Canadians free the Netherlands and march into Northern Germany while the other Allies converge on Berlin Hitler commits suicide on April 30th as the Soviets enter the city May 5: Ceasefire May 7: German forces surrender May 8: VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) The war in Europe is over May 8th, 1945

V-E Day