The Beginning of the end: D-Day

Months Leading Up To D Day  German military create a strong defence line that runs from the Netherlands to the Spanish border referred to as the “Atlantic Wall”  The beach defences are backed up by army divisions but only adequate navel and air forces  Britain is turned into a huge military base (3 million member forces gathered in southern England)  Utmost secrecy is kept  German military is unaware of where the strike into Europe will come from  Allied forces dropped 200,000 tons of bombs on targets in France, damaging Germany’s ability to reinforce the beachers

The Normandy Landings  Five infantry divisions to land on beaches.  Three airborne divisions will be dropped prior to the assault landings  Initially planned for June 5 but due to bad weather postponed till June 6  Just after midnight three airborne troops are launched, the infantry divisions will soon follow

Securing the Beaches  Throughout the day over 75,000 British and Canadian troops and 57,000 troops landed on the beaches  By midnight the Allies had secured their beachheads.  Over the next week the Allies will expand their beachhead strength to 16 divisions  The Canadians were instrumental in the success of the Juno Beach Landing and D-Day  Canadian Infantry Division suffered casualties of 340 killed, 574 wounded and 47 taken prisoner

The Liberation of Europe  After the successful landing, the Allies began to work their way inland.  Canada was given the special task of liberating the Netherlands, but it had to move eastward first.  Canadian troops moved along the coast, liberating towns that had been under Nazi control  They were greeted like heroes, but it was not all glory.

D-Day & The Liberation of Europe  The Netherlands Campaign took months and many soldiers were captured, died, or suffered exhaustion on the mission  Canadians faced opposition in the Battle of Scheldt in 1943 and the Battle of the Rhineland in 1944 (look in textbook—p. 117—you will see the route that Canadians took to liberate these areas)

D-Day & The Liberation of Europe  The campaign was eventually a success  The liberation of the Netherlands was a great source of pride for Canadians because they saw the direct result of their hard work when they freed the civilians of these nations

D-Day & The Liberation of Europe  Victory in Europe was finally secured when Germany surrendered in May 1945  Berlin, Germany’s capital, was overrun by Soviets and other Allied forces  Before they reached him, Hitler committed suicide in an underground bunker.

Canada’s Role  Canadians Depart for Europe - Dec. 18, In December 1939 Canadian soldiers arrive by train to join a convoy of troops headed for the war in Europe.

Background: Rising Tensions Japan invades Manchuria, held by China in Battle over resources.

The State of Japan before Pearl Harbor Japan is attempting to create what they call the “Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, which would include all Asian nations. The Japanese have been preparing for war. Japan is aligned with the Axis Powers in Europe and have signed a non-aggression pact with Russia (1941). Japan has formed a large army and a powerful modern navy. Japan is extremely isolationist and truly believes that they can conquer all of Asia. Have a fierce pride and sense of duty and nationalism to Japan. Believe that they are a “master race” of the world.

The United States places an oil embargo on Japan. The Japanese feel that they have been threatened and retaliate. On Dec. 7, 1941 the Japanese began their attack on Pearl Harbour at approx. 6 am. This attack was to be a complete surprise. Surprise was achieved. Six Japanese carriers launched a first wave of 181 planes composed of torpedo bombers, dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters. The anger this attack would cause in the United States would lead to fierce and brutal retaliation and would be a decisive reason for the entry of the Americans into WWII

Fear in Canada  Canadians afraid of Japanese Attack (specifically BC)  Japanese Canadians became a target of suspiciion  Anti Japanese sentiment grew into hysteria  Federal government implemented War Measures Act- Forced all Japanese Canadians living on the coast in land

Internment Camps  Many Japanese Canadians were sent to internment camps – detained till end of war  Many moved to the prairies to work as farm labourers  All property was seized and sold. Families lost everything.  At end of war Canadian government offered Japanese Canadians two choices  Repatriate to Japan  Settle permanently east of the Rockies

The War Spreads: War in the Pacific  The war had now become truly global—Canadian troops saw their first action at Hong Kong shortly afterwards.  The battle was a disaster for Canadian troops.

The War Spreads: War in the Pacific  Hours after Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbour—the troops began their surprise invasion of Hong Kong.  By Christmas day, 1941 Hong Kong had fallen  Months earlier, Canada had sent troops to Hong Kong  During the battle, the losses were heavy: 290 killed in action and hundreds wounded.  The survivors were all taken prisoner. Suffering from malnutrition, disease, overwork, and brutality, nearly 300 more Canadians died in captivity.

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT Before the outbreak of war, a group of American scientists, began researching nuclear weapons. This research was spurred on by news that extensive nuclear weapon research was being done in Nazi Germany. In 1940 the U.S government began funding its own atomic weapons development program. The top secret program was codenamed “The Manhattan Project.” On July 16 th, 1945, the Manhattan Project held its first successful test of an atomic device –a plutonium bomb- at the Trinity test site in New Mexico.

POTSDAM DECLARATION (July 26, 1945) Potsdam Declaration was a document put forward by the U.S, Britain, and China stating the conditions for surrender of the Japanese. THE JAPANESE DO NOT SURRENDER!

THE BOMB DROPS: HIROSHIMA (aug 6, 1945) Hiroshima was a manufacturing center of some 350,000 people located about 500 miles from Tokyo. It was chosen as the first target. The first bomb was dropped, named “Big-Boy”, at 8:15 am. This bomb immediately killed or vaporized what is said to be between 70,000 to 100,000 people. The wounded numbered at approximately 150,000, with those remaining in the city suffering from radiation poisoning from severe to minor degrees.

US STILL CALLS for unconditional surrender The Soviet Union declares war on Japan as a member of the allied team and invades Manchuria (now Manchukuo). Japan attempts to suggest different surrender conditions. Japan was under the assumption that the United States was not in possession of another atomic bomb. Japan does not surrender and the second bomb is dropped.

The bomb drops : Nagasaki (Aug 9, 1945) “Fat Man” The bomb “fat man” dropped on Nagasaki Death estimates range from about 40,000 to 75,000

Japan surrenders Surrender announcement to the Japanese nation on August 15 th, The Japanese military was completely against this decision. Japan was occupied by the Allied powers led by the United States. This was the first time in Japanese history that the country had been occupied by a foreign power..

KAMIKAZE PILOTS, HONOR KILLINGS/Suicides

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