Canada’s Contributions to the Second World War
The Second World War was a time of great struggle for the Allied nations, but it was their collective efforts on land, in the air and sea, and on the home front that helped secure their victory over the Axis Powers. In particular, Canada’s significant efforts on land in the Battle of Normandy, the Burma Campaign, and the Conquest of Sicily played a key role in securing the final victory. Similarly, Canada’s aid to the Allies was crucial in the air and sea in the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the defense of Ceylon. Finally, at home, Canada’s financial support, production of wartime goods, and training of Allied pilots were essential to allow Allied forces to continue and eventually secure the victory. Canada’s contribution to the Allied war effort was a significant one because of her major role on land, in the air and sea, an on the home front. Canada played a major role on land in securing the victory for the Allies by contributing many men and providing specialized expertise. In Europe, Canadians contributed greatly on D-Day by using their previous knowledge and experience from the Dieppe Raid. In Dieppe, “of the 5000 Canadians who took part, 913 lost their lives, while another 1950 were taken as prisoners of war.”1 The Allied nations took note of what went wrong in the Dieppe raid and made changes to their advantage in the attack of Normandy. They realized they had to “push back a full-scale invasion to regain control of Europe from 1943 to 1944 to give them more time to strengthen their forces”2 and “[change] their military strategy by deciding to launch a massive aerial strike ahead of the invasion to weaken German defenses.”3 These decisions proved important and led to Allied victory during the D-Day attacks. Along with the intelligence that Canada provided from Dieppe, “[they] provided 110 ships and 33 air squadrons in addition to 30 000 troops.”4 Canadian troops secured and captured Juno Beach and pushed farther inland more quickly than any of the other Allied forces. The Canadians were one of the most significant contributors to this attack because they were “the only allied force to achieve its goal on the first day.”5 In addition to her great contribution in Europe, Canada also contributed in other parts of the world during the war. In Asia, the Burma campaign was an important land battle in which Major Charles Hoey led an attack on the Japanese to clear out a strong point in Burma. “Despite serious wounds, he continued with the attack and single-handedly eliminated a Japanese machine-gun position which was preventing his troops from advancing.”6 This showed Canada’s commitment, bravery, and willingness to risk lives in support of the Allied war effort. Another important Canadian contribution to the Allied war effort in Burma was the experience of Canadian radar operators. “At the outbreak of the war, radar was still a new technology but it would play a vital role as the distant detection of aircraft and ships now became possible.”7 Canada had electronics training programs and provided qualified radar experts and their skill to help make the Burma Campaign a successful one. A final significant contribution by Canada on land was during the Conquest of Sicily. The Canadians were included in this battle because of “the need for battle experience and the growing public demand for action.”8 “On July 15, 1943, under British General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, the men of the 1st Infantry Brigade and tanks of the Three Rivers Regiment took over the village of Grammichele.”9 This was the first village in Sicily to be taken and in only 38 days the rest of the island was captured by the Allies. Although there were not many Canadians in this battle and they were part of a British unit, they still contributed greatly in capturing Sicily. Canada’s contributions on land were very significant and she also proved to be valuable in the air and sea. Canada contributed to the war in the air and sea by defending Allied territories and liberating lands captured by the Axis Powers. During the Battle of Britain, the Allies defended Britain and showed the enemy they would not stand down but would keep fighting until they had been declared victorious. Canada contributed considerably to this battle as “Allied pilots shot down almost 3000 German aircraft while losing only 900 of their own.”10 This further proves Canada’s commitment to provide many men to stop Hitler’s brutal attacks on the people of Britain rather than standing down. During the Battle of the Atlantic, Canada’s contributions at sea were vital to safe transport of equipment, goods, and troops from North America to Europe. Canada supplied corvettes, small fast ships, to escort convoys of merchant ships and provide defense against attacks from German U-boats, whose objective was to disrupt and destroy shipments. The Canadian corvettes helped “more than 25, 000 merchant ships voyage from North America to Britain.”11 This alone was one of Canada’s most important contributions to the war effort because the goods, equipment, and troops were needed by Allied nations to continue the war. Evidence of the strength of Canada’s contribution at sea is supported by the fact that the German U-boat commander stopped submarine warfare near Canadian coasts in 1942 due to intimidation and risk from Canada’s navy.12 Finally, Canada made important contributions to the war effort in the air in Southeast Asia. Japan had occupied much of this part of the world, but the Allied troops were determined to protect the island of Ceylon. On April 2, 1942 when squadron leader L.J. Birchall and his crew were on their first eastern patrol, they spotted Japanese ships to the south of the island. The squadron was attacked by the Japanese and forced to land on the ocean, but managed to warn the Allied forces on the island to give them time to prepare for the Japanese attack. This was a major Canadian contribution to the defense of Ceylon and is the reason why Japanese forces did not capture it. In addition to the valuable assistance that Canada provided to efforts in the air and sea, it is important to recognize the important contributions made at home. On the home front, Canada made major financial contributions and contributions of goods that allowed the Allied war effort to continue and achieve victory over the Axis powers. The Canadian government contributed much needed funds by raising billions of dollars through taxes and bonds to help finance the war. “Over the course of the war, Canada’s 11 million people raised $8.8 billion in war bonds.”13 These funds were used to supply Allied troops with food, vehicles, weapons, and munitions to continue the war. Canadians also supported the war by following a rationing program to ensure enough goods and food was available to send to fighting troops. Finally, one of the most important contributions on the home front that directly influenced the outcome of the Allied force’s effort was the Canadian government’s direction of significant funds to support the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan established in Canada. Canada contributed its land, air space, air bases, and training schools to train British pilots.14 “In all, 131,553 graduated, more than 50,000 of whom were pilots. Canadians accounted for 55 per cent of the graduates.”15 This program strengthened the Allied forces by providing trained pilots and crew and in numbers needed to sustain the effort for the duration of the war. Overall, the commitment, support and efforts of Canadians on the home front to provide Allied forces with financial assistance, equipment and goods, and training were as important the soldiers who fought overseas. The Allied nations’ successful outcome in the Second World War was in large part due to the significant contributions Canada made on land, in air and sea, and at home. Canada proved her role as a major contributor to the battles in Normandy, Burma, and Sicily. Canada’s air force and navy added needed strength to the Allied efforts. Financial, material, and training support provided by Canada at home helped sustain Allied operations for the duration of the war. Canada’s contributions to the Allied war effort extended past the events of the Second World War and built a foundation for Canada’s future and its relationships with its Allies.
Endnotes

1. Don Quinlan, et al., The Canadian Challenge (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2008), 118. 2. Quinlan 118. 3. Quinlan 118.

4. Quinlan 122.

5. Quinlan 122.

6. Veteran Affairs Canada, The Burma Campaign, http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/history/ secondwar/fact_sheets/burma-campaign (27 April 2013).

7. Veteran Affairs Canada, The Burma Campaign.

8. Veteran Affairs Canada, Conquest of Sicily. http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/history/ secondwar/canada2/sicily (27 April 2013).

9. Veteran Affairs Canada, Conquest of Sicily.

10. Quinlan, 116.

11. Veteran Affairs Canada, The Battle of the Atlantic: The Achievement. http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/history/secondwar/atlantic/atlanpub7 (27 April 2013).

12. Jack McFadden and Pierre Landry, Juno Beach: Canada in World War II. (Toronto: Penguin Group (Canada), 2004), 23. 13. Quinlan, 131.

14. J.L. Granatstein, The Last Good War. (Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2005), 13.

15. J.L. Granatstein, and Desmond Morton, A Nation Forged in Fire: Canadians and the Second World War 1939-1945. (Toronto: Lester & Orpen Dennys, 1989), 105.