The Battle of Britain The Invasion of Russia & Pearl Harbor

 After the fall of France, Britain was left to battle Germany alone  However, the powerful British Navy protected then from attack  Hitler planned to invade Britain (Operation Sea Lion) but realized the only way this was possible was if Germany could control the skies above the English Channel  Therefore, the German Air Force began to attack Britain in an attempt to destroy the British Air Force

 The Battle of Britain was fought only in the Air  The first time Canadians saw action in the war  British won with the help of RADAR and new Spitfire fighter planes  Operation Sea Lion was scrapped and Britain was safe  However, Hitler continued to attack Britain by invading British Colonies in North Africa

 Although Hitler has a pact with Russia, he decides to invade them  He is driven by his hate for communism and Jews and his quest for more natural resources and living space (Lebensraum) for the German people  The plan was delayed by 3 months because Germany was forced to help the Italians in Greece  Started on June 22, 1941

 Hitler believed that Russia was “a house with rotten wood, If you kick in the door, the whole place would collapse”  In the early stages, the Nazis scored amazing victories, however, they were stopped before the reached Moscow, the Soviet Capital.  Russia’s enormous size, horrible weather and vast amount of people gave them an advantage over Germany  Also, Joseph Stalin (the leader of the USSR) was willing to sacrifice anything to win and forced millions into military service (even women)  Russian soldiers who retreated or failed were killed, Russians who were captured without injury faced death if they came home

 Japan continues its march through China  On Dec 7, 1941, Japan launches a full scale attack in every direction  They attacked islands in the pacific, Hong Kong (a British colony) and into Indochina (modern day Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos)

 Hong Kong was a British colony in Southern China  Britain knew that if Japan attacked there would be no hope  However, the British did not want to leave the colony without putting up a fight  Therefore, the British government requested help from the Canadian Army  2000 Canadians were sent

 The Japanese attacked with a force of over 20,000 men and soon overwhelmed the British and Canadian defenders.  Although the Canadians fought bravely, they suffered heavy casualties and were forced to surrender when Hong Kong's government fell.  At Hong Kong, the Japanese routinely tortured and killed prisoners and civilians  On Christmas day, 1941, the Japanese murdered dozens of nurses, doctors and wounded soldiers in a military hospital (The Christmas Day Massacre)  Canadians who were captured were sent back to Japan to work as slave laborers. They were denied proper food and medical care. Few of these men lived to see the end of the war.

 Dec 7, 1941, the Japanese also attack the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawai'i  Japanese bombers and fighters from aircraft carriers destroy many American warships and kill thousands of people  Japan was hoping to destroy the American Navy in one stroke in order to rule the pacific region  Germany declares war on the USA in support of Japan  The USA officially enters WWII

 Germany is defeated at the Battle of Britain (only air planes, Canada’s first combat)  German attacks North Africa  Germany invades Russia but is stopped outside Moscow  Japan attacks in every direction  Japan hits Pearl harbor (USA enters war)  Japan hits Hong Kong (Canada’s first ground combat. Canadians are tortured, killed and captured)