1. After D-Day

2. Normandy
For the first month following the D-Day landings, a stalemate developed during which the Allies built up their forces in a narrow bridgehead.
In July Canadian troops helped capture Caen.
They then participated in a series of difficult offensives towards Falaise aimed at joining an American advance from the south and encircling the German forces in Normandy.
By August 21, the Germans had either retreated or been destroyed between the Canadian-British and American pincers.
The ten-week Normandy Campaign cost the Canadians alone more than 18,000 casualties, 5000 of them fatal.

3. The Canadian’s After Normandy

4. Liberating Northwest Europe
Allied forces, including First Canadian Army, liberated Northwest Europe in a hard-fought campaign.
In September 1944, First Canadian Army swept north along the coast of the English Channel liberating the heavily-fortified ports of Boulogne and Calais.

5. Liberating Northwest Europe
At the same time, the British captured the Belgian port of Antwerp, desperately requiring its docking facilities to bring in supplies.
However, the Germans occupied both banks of the 70-kilometre long Scheldt River estuary linking Antwerp to the sea.
Most of this territory was in the Netherlands.
In a month-long campaign beginning 6 October, the Canadians fought in appalling conditions over open, flooded ground to capture the approaches to Antwerp.
They lost over 6300 killed or wounded in the process.

6. Liberating Northwest Europe
The major Allied ground offensive from the west against German territory began on 8 February 1945.
Fighting through the Netherlands, the Canadians helped deal a deathblow to German resistance in this sector.
It was difficult going. The Canadians advanced over heavily-flooded or densely-forested ground against fierce enemy resistance.

7. Liberating Northwest Europe
In April, Canadian troops liberated most of the Netherlands.
By the time German forces on the British and Canadian front surrendered on 5 May the Canadians had advanced to northern Germany, while Canadian paratroopers had penetrated even farther east.
The Germans formally surrendered on 8 May 1945, known as Victory-in-Europe, or ‘V-E’ Day.

8. The Final Days In April 1945, the battle is coming to a close.
On April 30th, Hitler commits suicide together with his mistress Eva Braun hours after they were married.
Hitler gave strict orders for his body to be burned, so that his enemies wouldn't do what they had done to Mussolini, who was publicly displayed hanging upside down.

9. The Soviets Arrive in Berlin
May 2nd, the Reichstag, the old German parliament falls and Berlin surrenders to the Soviets
The battle for Berlin cost the Soviets over 70,000 dead.
Many of them died because of the haste with which the campaign was conducted.

10. VE-Day In April, Canadian troops liberated most of the Netherlands
The Germans formally surrendered on May 8th 1945, known as Victory-in-Europe, or ‘V-E’ Day

12. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Following Roosevelt’s death, Harry Truman becomes President of the United States
Truman decided to use the bomb on Japan because he believed that it was the only way to get the Japanese to surrender and save American lives
On August 6th, 1945 a B-29 Superfortress named the Enola Gay took off and headed for Hiroshima

13. Fat Man and Little Boy
August 6th, at 8:15am the atomic bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima
Within seconds two thirds of the city was flattened and thousands were dead
On August 9th, a bomb called “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki at 11:02 am
At noon, August 15th, 1945 – Emperor Hirohito spoke directly to his people to tell them Japan had surrendered

14. Why Did the Allies Win? Complete material superiority – weapons etc.
More soldiers
Better Strategy
Technology
Morale
Material and financial Wealth

15. How does WWI compare to WWII?
Canada’s population
8 million
4 years long –
enlisted 7.8%
served overseas
died
wounded
Financial cost to Canada $
Canada’s population
11 million
6 years long –
enlisted 9.9%
served overseas
died
wounded
Financial cost to Canada
Approx. $