The Liberation of Holland By Elizabeth, Annabel, and Tess

When May 5 th 1945 Where To Liberate: To free a country, city, or people from enemy occupation. Holland - Maastricht, Berlin, Belgian

Process  Began with American troops who entered Maastricht on September 13 th,  British troops played a major role in liberating the south.  Task of the first Canadian army, led by General H.D.G. Crerar was to clear Dutch approaches to the key Belgian port of Antwerp. Completed in November  There were still more Allied troops than Canadian troops under Crerar, but in mid-March 1945 Canadian Corps arrived from Italy to replace British Corps.  Royal Canadian Regiment moved to an assembly area at Eefde, Holland and began to clear German forces on April 9th, 1945 from eastern Holland. Resulted in minimal casualties.

 Soviets turned their attention to demolishing the city.  Over 200 Germans were taken prisoner during the capture of Apeldoorn on April 17th.  From this point on, defense to the Allies advances were weak.  The Canadian Corps pushed north to the Ijsselmeer, which isolated German forces in the west Netherlands.  The second group of Corps drove northeast to Groningen and Leeuwarden, then east into Germany.  Hostilities ceased May 5 th, Canadians liberated western Holland, Rotterdam (the national centre of government) The Hague; and the national capital, Amsterdam.

Hitler’s Death  During the last great siege of the war, Hitler stayed put in his bunker after deciding to remain in Berlin instead of fleeing to his home in the Bavarian Alps.  On April 30 th, 1945 Hitler committed suicide.

V-E Day (Victory in Europe)  Celebrates the defeat of the NAZI war machine,  May 8 th, 1945 Victory in Europe announced when German troops surrendered.  In Prague, Germans surrendered to their Soviet rivals.  In Copenhagen and Oslo; at Karlshorst, near Berlin; in northern Latvia; on the Channel Island of Sark, the German surrender was realized in a final cease-fire.  V-E Day not celebrated in Moscow until it was made official with a radio broadcast salute from Josef Stalin, dictator of the USSR.

"The age-long struggle of the Slav nations...has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the NAZIS. The war is over.”

Relationship Between Holland and Canada  The Liberation of Holland helped to revive the Dutch from their unbearable winter, sending relief and creating a meaningful relationship between the Dutch and the Canadians  The Canadian soldiers who fought to free Holland are still honored today. Dutch children participate in services and tend to the graves of Canadians who died in the Netherlands.

The End