1. Canada & The End of the War

2. Taking Back Europe The Allies were not ready to open up a Western battlefront against Germany The Allies manage to take North Africa which had been controlled by Germany Other than playing a role in the Battle of Britain and the Dieppe raid, Canadians had seen little action…this changed in 1943

3. Taking Back Europe After securing North Africa, the allies could open up a Western European front An assault began in the Italian island of Sicily – it was meant to draw German troops south out of France July 9-10, 1943: About 2500 Allied ships and air support landed 500 000 Allied troops (including Canadians) After 38 days, the Axis withdrew to the Italian mainland

4. “Battle Up the Boot” - Ortona Mussolini is overthrown and killed and the Italians surrender to the Allies But Hitler had predicted this and German forces took over Italy – there would be a battle “up the boot”

5. Canada and Ortona Canadians were to take the city of Ortona – had to fight north to it through mountains for 4 months Canadians take Ortona street by street They drive out the Germans on December 28, 1943 – they push north after but are withdrawn to fight in Northern Europe Italian campaign takes about 5400 Canadian lives

6. The Devil’s Brigade 1 st Special Service Force (Canadian-American) elite paratroopers arrived in Italy November 1943 to help with the Battle Up the Boot They had such a reputation, the Germans called them “The Devil’s Brigade” (Teufelsbrigade)

7. Tommy Prince Collected intelligence in an abandoned farmhouse just 200m from German forces Shelling cut his communication line so he dressed like a farmer, grabbed a hoe and pretended to farm He repaired the broken line and returned to the farmhouse to continue giving intel He received the Military Medal of bravery in the field He also received an American Silver Star medal for his work in France

8. 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)

9. 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

10. D-Day Landings

11. 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 D-Day

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. Germany Surrenders Canadians free the Netherlands and march into Northern Germany while the other Allies converge on Berlin Hitler commits suicide on April 30 th 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 8 th, 1945

16. V-E Day