1. World War Two Begins Sept. 1, 1939: Germany invaded Poland
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Canada declared war on Germany also on Sept. 10, 1939
German troops march into Poland

2. Canada Not Ready to go to War
In , Canada’s military budget was only $35 million (remember in WWI the military was spending $1 million every day)!
Much of the Canadian equipment was out of date, rusted, left over from the first war

3. Lack of Support for the War
Quebec, German and Italian Canadians did not support the war
King saw Canada’s role as mainly supply, not as a source of troops
Because of the Depression, many Canadians felt that we had our own problems without getting involved in a European war

4. German Early Victories
Germany defeats Poland by the end of September, 1939
April, After a lull in fighting over the winter, known as the “phony war,” Germany invades Denmark and Norway, fighting is finished by June
May 10 Germany invades Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
June 25, 1940 France officially surrenders to Germany

5. Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg – lightning war
Germany used air strikes, followed by tanks, then infantry to rapidly attack and destroy defending forces

6. Britain Stands Alone
Following the German invasion of Western Europe, Chamberlain resigns and is replaced as British P.M. by Winston Churchill
To prepare for an invasion of Britain, Germany begins “the Blitz,” a bombing campaign directed at the British air force and cities

7. The Evacuation of Dunkirk
As German troops advance into France, the British army was trapped
Between May 26 and June 4, British and French soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk, but the British army lost a lot of tanks and heavy equipment