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On September 1, 1939, German soldiers began their invasion of Poland, triggering the outbreak of World War II.
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The fight lasted 9 months. This Battle was the longest continuous battle of the Second World War. Germany sank supply ships destined for Britain from other countries. Canadian frigates protected supply ships. Victory was costly: more than 70,000 Allied sailors, merchant sailors and pilots were killed, about 4,400 of them from Canada and Newfoundland.
（https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-the-atlantic） -
The Battle of Britain was the first battle of the Second World War fought mainly in the air. The Germans used the air force to attack British shipping. The Royal Air Force defends Britain from a massive Nazi attack. After nearly four months of fighting, Britain blocks the Luftwaffe's plans. The British were able to push the Germans back and win the battle because they had radar. Almost 25% of combat pilots are from Canada.
(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-britain) -
Hong Kong was the first place where the Canadians fought land warfare in World War II. From December 8-25, 1941, nearly 2,000 soldiers from Winnipeg and Quebec City were sent to guard Hong Kong against the invading Japanese forces. When the British colony surrendered on Christmas Day, 290 Canadians were killed in the fighting. Canada failed because Canadian soldiers are untested soldiers.
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The Allies wanted to scare the Germans so they could divert their soldiers from Russia (the USSR) and wanted information on the German coastal defenses in France. They decided to conduct a brief raid on the French coastal town of Dieppe. Operation Jubilee was the first Canadian Army engagement in the European theatre of the war. The raid was a disaster. More than 900 Canadian soldiers were killed and thousands wounded and captured.
(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dieppe-raid) -
A large number of Canadians served in the RAF, and the development of the Canadian National Aviation Organization overseas was delayed. Canadian pilots bombed German cities at night, but not very successfully, as many pilots died and the city was not completely destroyed.
(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/second-world-war-wwii#TheAirCampaign) -
Canada's longest WWII army battle was in Italy. The Battle of Ortona was one of the toughest challenges Canadian forces faced in the Italian campaign of World War II. As the Canadian infantry tried to advance through the rubble and narrow streets of Ortona, they were all attacked by hidden defenders. Canada blows holes in building walls to avoid being shot by Germans. That is called mouse-holing.
(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ortona-canadas-mini-stalingrad-feature) -
In the final months of the Second World War, Canadian forces were given the important and deadly task of liberating the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. Canada freed the Netherlands from the Nazis, allowing food and other relief to reach millions of desperate people. More than 7,600 Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen died fighting in the Netherlands.
(https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/liberation-of-holland) -
Juneau Beach was the code name for the Allied invasion of 10 kilometers of the French coastline on D-Day on June 6, 1944, during World War II. The Canadian Army occupied the beach and its seaside villages under heavy artillery fire from the German defenders. The Canadian Army suffered heavy casualties in the first attack, but took control of the beach by the end of the day. Canada had 1,074 casualties, including 359 dead.
(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/juno-beach) -
Victory over Japan Day, or VJ-Day, on 15 August 1945, marked the end of the war in the Pacific and the end of the Second World War. The surrender of Japan was observed across Canada with joy, and in some cases street riots. The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan — one on Hiroshima and one on Nagasaki. Atomic bombs that led to the surrender of Japan and killed many civilians.
(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vj-day-victory-over-japan)