USA and Canada involvement in World War 2

How was the USA and Canada involved in the War in Europe Canada was the only country in the Americas involved in the war before the attack on Pearl Harbour. Canada joined the war in 1939; within two months of the declaration of war, Canadian troops had arrived in the UK to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). However, the rapid advance of the Germans through Europe and the resulting rescue of British troops from Dunkirk meant that the battalion that had landed in France had to return to Brest and then to Britain. Other Canadian contingents joined British forces in the Far East and were involved in defending Hong Kong until its surrender on Christmas Day, 1941. ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ The Defence of Hong Kong (1941)- Canada The Battle of the Atlantic (1941 - 44)- Canada The Dieppe Raid (1942) Canada Allied landings in North Africa (November 1942) USA and Canada Allied invasion of Sicily ( July 1943) USA and Canada The strategic bombing campaign against Germany (1943 - 45) USA The D Day Landings (1944) USA and Canada/Britain Liberation of the Netherlands (1944-945) Canada Canadian Defence of Hong Kong (December 8-25, 1941) ● ● ● After the attack on Pearl Harbor and the expansion of the Japanese Empire in 1941, the British decided they needed a strong force to deter the Japanese from an invasion of the island of Hong Kong Canada was asked to supply troops to support the British and Indian forces ○ Two barely trained Battalion fought in Hong Kong: the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers With only 14,000 troops, defending Hong Kong was an impossible task ○ Canada lost 290 soldiers and another 500 wounded and Canadian POW were stuck to live in terrible conditions leading to another 260 deaths The Battle of the Atlantic (1941 - 44) What was the Battle of the Atlantic? ● ● ● Struggle between the Allied and German forces for control of the Atlantic Ocean Needed to continue to transport troops and supplies between North America and Europe while Germany worked to cut off these supply lines Germany used U-boats and other warships to sink Allied transports ships Map of the Battle of the Atlantic ● ● Mostly North Atlantic Connecting North America to Europe Aims and Events ● Battle over the shipping routes connecting North America to Europe ● ● ● ● ● ● 10 September 1939, Canada’s navy, merchant marine and air force were thrust into the Battle of the Atlantic Fall of 1940: German U-boat (submarine) attacks were dramatically successful Fall of 1941: the Americans were fully engaged in escorting shipping in the northwest Atlantic alongside the Canadians and British, and the U.S. Navy fought several battles with U-boats west of Iceland, where it had established advanced bases. By late 1941 the North Atlantic was comparatively quiet. Allied merchant shipping losses spiked between January and June 1942 Canada’s expanding military came in a timely fashion in 1942 as Canadian naval and air forces filled the void left in the North Atlantic by the departure of U.S. forces to the Caribbean and Pacific. Challenges ● Allies struggled to find effective ways to combat the enemy threat ○ ○ ● ● 400 Allied ships were sunk compared to the 7 u-boats from January to July 1942 Ships could not be replaced Technology ○ Aircraft → Allied planes were used earlier in the war and did not have enough range to offer cover ○ Germany on the other hand develop torpedos that were attracted to the noise made by a ship’s propellers Black Pit: a stretch of ocean beyond the range of Allied aircraft tasked with providing aerial coverage for the convoys Successes ● Growth of Canada’s navy was remarkable ○ from 6 ocean-going ships to 3500 personnel to 434 commission vessels and 403 merchant ships, 281 fight ships, 206 minesweepers, 254 tugs, and 3302 landing craft RESULT ● ● ● Convoy system had forced the u-boats back into the mid-Atlantic by late 1942 Allied leaders at the Casablanca Conference had begun to push major naval and air reinforcements into the North Atlantic Due to the improved spring weather by April, modern radar equipment, decoding the u-boat codes, new escort aircrafts carriers, very-long range patrol aircraft, and aggressive tactics, the Battle of the Atlantic had resulted in a major defeat of Germany’s submarine fleet by May Role of Americans ● ● ● ● Was still non-belligerent at the time ○ Belligerent: A belligerent is an individual, group, country, or other entity that acts in a hostile manner, such as engaging in combat. US turned over 50 WWI destroyers to Britain which helped to make good previous naval losses US received 99-year leases for bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, and Caribbean ○ Units were deployed in Iceland and Greenland They weren’t very successful and as a result, Allied merchant shipping losses spiked Role of Canadians ● ● ● “Canada participated in almost every phase of the development of anti-submarine warfare, from the planning of convoys to the forming of hunter-killer groups.” (Brereton Greenhous, W. A. B. Douglas)” Canada was a major participant, played a central role ○ Was one of Britain’s friendly territories near them ○ Canada’s Merchant Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force had critical roles ○ Principal contenders Canadian ships in British waters strove to fend off submarine attacks while rescuing survivors of torpedoed merchant ships Role of Canadians cont. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Maintained Atlantic lifeline through convoy protection For many months, escorting was main task Many died not from enemy attacks, but from exposure and accidents in the fog and winter gales Canadian’s had escorted over 25,000 merchant ships, protecting Britain’s integrity and morale Delivered 165 million tons of supplies to Britain and Allied forces that liberated Europe RCN sank, or shared in the destruction, of 31 enemy submarines “The Allies, meanwhile, recognized Canada’s large and expanding contribution to the war at sea by making Canadian and Newfoundland waters a distinct theatre of operations under Canadian command.” (Dr. Roger Sarty) The Dieppe Raid (1942) Summary - a.k.a Operation Jubilee - An Allied assault on the German-occupied port of Dieppe, France - August 19, 1942 - Canadians made up the great majority of the attackers in the raid - First Canadian Army engagement in the European theatre of the war Aims/Events of the Dieppe Raid - To test the Allies’ ability to launch amphibious assaults and obtain info on the defense power of Nazi Germany - The Dieppe Raid had two phases that rapidly followed one another - First Phase: - Assault troops were to approach from the flanks and launch a surprise attack at daybreak - Main goal: to neutralize the artillery positions at Berneval and Varengeville - Second Phase: - Frontal assault against Dieppe itself, to capture the harbour and the German landing barges that were moored there Result and Contribution by Canada ● ● ● ● First Canadian Army engagement in the European theatre of the war More than 900 Canadian soldiers were killed, and thousands more were wounded and taken prisoner Valuable lessons for subsequent Allied amphibious assaults on Africa, Italy and Normandy Launched across the English Channel from southern England, Operation Jubilee (as the raid was called) involved more than 6,000 soldiers — 4,963 of them Canadian, plus 1,075 British troops, 15 French nationals and hundreds of airmen and sailors from Canada, Britain and the United States. Role of Canadian Troops ● ● “Canada… was tired of not having taken an active role in the European war” (Fletcher 2017) Raid carried out by 2nd Canadian Infantry Division (2CID) ○ ● ● 8 air squadrons from the Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI/”Rileys”) sent 582 soldiers ○ ○ ● 211 survived with 109 of the m injured >170 could not be evacuated and became POW 916 Canadian casualties ○ ● 4,963 troops of over 6,100 total 68% Believed Churchill set it up to prove that invasion was impractical Role of Canadian Troops ● ● ● ● ● ● “It [Dieppe] is enshrined in Canadian history as an episode of great bravery against overwhelming odds.” (The Local France, 2017) Canadian troops were mostly untested Provided a lot of lessons for the invasions of the Normandy beaches later on Plan was to carry out division-sized attack on the Channel port, hold it, then retreat Shooting and attack from all sides Created a bond between Canadians and Dieppois Allied landings in North Africa (November 1942) Summary ● ● ● ● The US officially entered the war in December 1941 and began direct military assistance in North Africa on 11 May 1942 Involved the US and the UK vs French North Africa (mainly French-held territories of Algeria and Morocco) Amphibious operation Aims: ○ relieve pressure on the Soviet Union by imperiling Axis forces in the region and by enabling an invasion of Southern Europe in 1943 ○ secure bridgeheads for opening a second front to the rear of German and Italian forces battling the British in Libya and Egypt Summary ● ● Key Events/Battles: ○ three amphibious task forces simultaneously seized the key ports and airports in Morocco and Algeria ■ targeted Casablanca, Oran and Algiers Results: Allied victory ○ postponed the landing in France until 1944 ○ First major operation carried out by the US and UK in WWII ○ Failed to draw away large numbers of Germans from the Eastern Front Canadian Involvement ● Canadian-manned landing crafts and RCN corvettes supported the Algerian and Moroccan landings ○ ○ ○ ○ corvettes sank 3 submarines in the North African theatre the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) provided the majority of the ships and escorts RCN supplied the LCM (Landing Craft Mechanized-armoured landing craft that could carry vehicles, light tanks, and troops) and provided 17 corvettes for naval support RCN landing craft ferried to shore over 15,000 American troops, who met little opposition when they landed on the coast Significance Military perspective: ● Toulon ○ ○ ● The lack of determined resistance by the Vichy French convinced the Germans that France could not be trusted The Germans and Italians immediately occupied southern France and German troops moved to seize the French fleet in the port of Toulon Tunisia ○ ○ After the German and Italian occupation of Vichy France and their unsuccessful attempt to capture the interned French fleet at Toulon, the French Armée d’Afrique sided with the Allies Allied troops advanced east into Tunisia with the goal of trapping Axis forces Territorial perspective: ● Control of the Suez Canal ○ ○ ○ Wanted access to oil from the Middle East and raw materials from Asia. Britain, which was the first major nation to field a completely mechanized army, was particularly dependent on the Middle Eastern oil. The Suez Canal also provided Britain with a valuable link to her overseas dominions—part of a lifeline that ran through the Mediterranean Sea. Significance of Invasion -- Historian Perspective Perspective of: Matthew G. St. Clair “The rapid reinforcement of German forces from Italy to Tunisia would soon overshadow the initial success” ● ● St. Clair believed that the invasion had less of a significance due to how it was only of temporary success Believed that the invasion was set for a bloody campaign in which Allied commanders were to learn valuable lessons that would be applicable throughout the war, making the victory less valuable through his perspective Significance of Invasion -- Historian Perspective Perspective of: Robert Satloff “America's first offensive operation in the European theater of war” “the greatest amphibious attack in history” ● ● In the eyes of Satloff, the invasion was significant and crucial in order to hem Rommel’s forces in between US troops on the west and British troops to the east He believed that it played a critical role in setting the terms of America’s long term relationship with the rulers and peoples of the Middle East, therefore making it a justified action in the eyes of an American historian Video: Operation Torch Allied invasion of Sicily (July 1943) Summary ➢ Code-named Operation Husky ➢ Began before dawn on July 10, 1943 ➢ Combined air and sea landings ○ 150,000 troops ○ 3,000 ships ○ 4,000 aircraft ➢ All landed at the southern shores of the island ➢ Stormy weather provided an element of surprise ➢ Aim/goal: ○ to destroy Italian fascist regime ○ to draw Axis troops away from France and the Soviet Union ➢ Result: Allies successfully capture Sicily ○ Mussolini was arrested - July 24, 1943 ○ New government was set-up under Marshal Pietro Badoglio ○ began secret discussions with the Allies about an armistice. Canadian Involvement ● ● ● ● Canada's Italian campaign started on July 10, 1943 The 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade began the seaborne invasion of the island of Sicily 7 men died and 25 others were wounded warfare technique of ‘mouse holing’ whereby Canadians would go from house to house by blowing down the walls of adjoining structures and clearing out the defenders ○ Carried out by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade at Leonforte US Involvement ● ● ● ● The U.S. Seventh Army was involved in the invasion Landed in southeastern Sicily between Licata and Scoglitti airborne landings started on 9 July 1943 ○ The paratroopers were also widely dispersed → creating confusion 8,781 Americans killed, wounded, missing, or captured Significance of Invasion -- Historian Perspective Perspective of Stefano Luconi - Italian “Italian Americans felt ‘not too hot’ about having to go to war with Italy” ● ● ● Reveals the thoughts of the Italian Americans about the invasion Drove the Italians out of the war; eventually signing an armistice Gained valuable experience on amphibious warfare and beach landing, as well as coalition planning and execution The Strategic Bombing Campaign Against Germany (1943 - 45) The Strategic Bombing Campaign: Quick Overview Strategic bombing, was an approach to aerial bombardment designed to destroy a country’s ability to wage war by… ● ● ● demoralizing civilians targeting infrastructure (industry, rail, refineries) The Allies targeted industrial regions of Germany such as the Ruhr United States Involvement ● ● The United States conducted controversial fire bombing on Hamburg (1943), Dresden (1945) and other German cities Attacked waterways in 1943 with strikes on Dortmund-Ems Canal and Mittelland Canal, which caused traffic problems on the RHine river and effected the shipment of supplies. ○ This damaged Germany’s coal supply to the extent that coal was virtually non-existent by March 1945 Results ● ● ● ● Approximately 410,000 German civilians were killed by Allied air raids. From July 1944 to January 1945, about 13,536 people were killed every month. Even small villages had no reason to feel safe. They were attacked too, either by accident, as substitutes for another target, or because of local industry, as in the case of the “Deutsche Gasolin AG”, an oil refinery in the village of Dollbergen. Some morale and many German production plants were lost. Still not enough for Hitler to surrender The D Day Landings (1944) D-Day: A Quick Overview on Everything - D-Day, began on June 6, 1944 when 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on the fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. - One of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. - Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. - The Normandy landings signalled the beginning of the end of war in Europe. D-Day Operation Overlord Brief Context ● Operation Overlord ○ ● Operation Neptune (June 6, 1944) ○ ● Battle to control the Normandy regions of France Landing operations on Normandy ■ Utah Beach - USA ■ Omaha Beach - USA ■ Gold beach - UK ■ Sword Beach - UK ■ Juno Beach - Canada Objective ○ Tasked to open and secure a beachhead ■ Beachhead will allow the supplies to be transported more easily Pre-Invasion Operations Operation Bodyguard ● The Allies created double agents to pass false information to Berlin ○ ● They also created false radios and purposely leaked it to the Germans The Allies also created a large and fake fighting force near Dover and facing Pas de Calais the closest point from England to fool the Germans. ○ Fake tanks, loud speakers, and false radio broadcasts were used to trick the enemy. Canadian Support: Fighting Forces and Casualties ● ● ● The Royal Canadian Navy contributed 110 ships and 10,000 sailors and the RCAF contributed 15 fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons to the assault. Total Allied casualties on D-Day reached more than 10,000, including 1,074 Canadians, of whom 359 were killed. By the end of the Battle of Normandy, the Allies had suffered 209,000 casualties, including more than 18,700 Canadians. Over 5,000 Canadian soldiers died. The End of the First Day ● ● ● ● Canadians linked up with the British from Gold Beach but could not link with Sword Beach US troops at Utah cleared the area in less than one hour of landing, advanced 9.7km inland Troops at Omaha failed to clear primary objective and suffered heavy casualties Only 100 of the 2,400 tons of supplies scheduled to be landed on D-Day were landed. Significance ● ● ● Failing any landing could’ve delayed beachhead establishment as it would prevent Allied beaches from linking Allied forces suffered high casualties in exchange for establishing a fighting front in mainland Europe Massive logistical effort in preparing for the invasion, greatest invasion in history Video Summary of D-Day: Liberation of the Netherlands Operation Market Garden (Sept 1944): Canada played a crucial supporting role in this Allied attempt to liberate the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. While the operation itself was a failure, Canadian forces provided vital reinforcements to stabilize the front lines. Canadian 1st Division: The 1st Canadian Division led the push to liberate key cities in the western Netherlands, including the towns of Willemstad, Breda, and ’s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), fighting fiercely in tough terrain. Relieving Starvation (1944-45): As winter set in, Dutch civilians suffered severe food shortages. In the "Hunger Winter" (1944-45), Canadian forces participated in "Operation Manna," a series of air drops that brought food and supplies to the starving population. Liberation of the Netherlands The Battle of the Scheldt (Oct-Nov 1944): One of the most important and bloody campaigns, where Canadian forces fought to clear German troops from the Scheldt estuary, allowing the Allies to use the Port of Antwerp for supplies. This was a pivotal moment in the liberation process. Canadian 2nd Corps in Northern Netherlands: In the spring of 1945, Canadian forces pushed through the remaining German defenses, liberating the northern provinces of the Netherlands, including Groningen and Friesland. Dutch Gratitude and Legacy: Canada's role in liberating the Netherlands is still deeply cherished. The Dutch royal family and citizens continue to honor Canadian soldiers annually, particularly on May 5th (Liberation Day) and May 8th (Victory in Europe Day), for their courage and sacrifice. Liberation of the Netherlands The Final Days ▪ In April 1945, the battle was coming to a close. ▪ On the 30th April, 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. VE-Day ▪ The major Allied ground offensive from the west against German territory began on 8 February 1945 ▪ In April, Canadian troops liberated most of the Netherlands ▪ The Germans formally surrendered on 8 May 1945, known as Victory-in-Europe, or ‘V-E’ Day ▪ The war in Europe was over!! Victory in Europe (VE Day)