Canada Prepares for War!

Canada Declares War! Sept 10, 1939 Canada declares war. Many Canadians were less than enthusiastic for another war. Support was massive but reluctant. WWII was only 20 years earlier.

Canada Declares War! Statute of Westminster meant that Canada was an independent nation and as such, declared war on Germany independent of Britain. Britain was Canada’s greatest ally at this point.

Canada Declares War! JS Woodsworth was the only person to vote against the war. He declared, “I vote for the children.”

Canada Declares War! Canada had already felt the effects of war. A week before Canada joined the war, the passenger liner Athenia was torpedoed by a German submarine. About 200 of the 1500 passengers were Canadian. Margaret Hayworth became “the rallying cry for the entire nation” and a state funeral was held.

Canadian Preparations 1939 Canada’s military was minimal. (See p 227) soldiers in armed forces 14 tanks 29 Bren guns 23 anti-tank rifles 5 small mortar guns 50 modern aircraft Navy had 10 operational vessels

Canadian Preparations While unprepared, Canada was quick to respond. Canada wanted to play a limited role troops and acting as a supplier of food and war materials to Britain. He wanted to avoid Conscription and losing lives.

Canadian Preparations Government immediately implemented the War Measures Act (gave the government power to change industries towards manufacturing war materials.)

Canadian Preparations Factories began producing aircraft. Flying bases were built on east and west coasts. September 12 the government had introduced a series of War Taxes to fund the preparations,

Canadian Preparations By the end of September men and women had enlisted in the armed forces. Many were unemployed men who were grateful for a new pair of boots, clothes, and three meals a day. A private was paid $1.30 a day.

Canadian Preparations September 16, the first convoy left for England. By January 1940, mostly untrained troops were in Britain.

At War! Germany dominates the war. Jan 1940 Hitler crushes Poland’s old- fashioned defences. Took Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Then Hitler turned to France.

At War! Thousands of British troops rushed across the English Channel to help. A contingent of Canadian soldiers stay in Britain. Germany took France in 6 weeks. May 1940, British and French troops had to be evacuated from the seaport of Dunkirk.

Most of the British war equipment had to be abandoned on the beaches in France.

At War! June 1940, Mussolini decides to join Hitler in the war. Most of Europe had fallen into the hands of the Axis powers, Germany and Italy. Canada responded by declaring war on Italy.

At War! Britain stood alone in Europe and as such, Canada became a vital life-line in the war helping Britain.