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The Atlantic Battle
The Atlantic Battle was the longest military engagement of the Second World War that the Canadian military faced, lasting from September 1939 to May 1945. Men and women of the Canadian Merchant Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force played an important role in the efforts to support the allies. More than 4,600 courageous Canadians lost their lives at sea serving for many peoples freedom and the protection of themselves. -
The Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid was first started on August 19, 1942, and would prove to be the bloodiest battle for Canada’s military in the entire Second World War. Of the almost 5,000 Canadian soldiers who took part in this cruel and devastating raid on occupied France, more than half became casualties. A total of 916 Canadians soldiers lost their lives during this tragic event. -
The Italian Campaign
The Italian Campaign was an important military effort for Canada during the Second World War. Just a bit more than 93,000 Canadians took part in this long frightening journey from July 1943 to early 1945. As Canada pushed from the south to the north of Italy over a 20-month period, the soldiers faced mountainous terrain, terrible weather and bloody battles against some of Germany’s best troops. More than 26,000 Canadians became casualties in this campaign. -
The Liberation of The Netherlands
From the fall of 1944 to the spring of 1945, the Canadian military played a major role in the "Liberation of The Netherlands" and its people who had suffered under the increasingly desperate German soldiers and severe starvation. The warm friendship that Canada still enjoys with the Netherlands is a sad but grateful reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by thousands of Canadians and the long lasting gratitude of the Dutch in ending the difficult reign of tyranny in their country. -
D-Day (The Battle of Normandy)
On June 6, 1944, known as D-Day. Allied troops stormed German defenses on the beaches of Normandy, France to open a way to Germany from the West. The coastline was a continuous fortress of guns, cement bunkers, barbed wire, and land mines. The Canadians suffered the most casualties of any division in the British Army Group. 359 Canadian soldiers were killed on D-Day alone, and 5,000 were killed in total during the battle of Normandy. These losses resulted in a victory for Canada and its allies. -
Atomic War
Canada had a smaller role in the development of atomic energy, a business that was produced when atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August 1945. Canada had a source of uranium in a mine at Great Bear Lake. That summer the Canadian government acquired control of the mine. A team of scientists that had been working on the project in England was moved to Canada. Canada actually had no part in dropping the bombs in Japan unless their uranium was used to make them. -
