1. Canada & The End of the War in Europe

2. Preparing for D-Day
While the Allies were winning in Italy, planning was happening to take back Europe
Plan to send a massive force across the English Channel to attack northern France
Dieppe had shown that surprise would be essential
They set up decoy invasion preparations across from Calais, France (Operation Fortitude)

3. D-Day
Operation Overlord – June 6, 1944 – after a weather delay, Canadians would be part of the real attack on France
Massive air and naval bombardment allowed ships with 150,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers to deploy in Normandy France
Beach Landing Code Names:
American: Utah & Omaha
British: Gold & Sword
Canadian: Juno

4. D-Day Landings

5. D-Day
After Dieppe, Allies had improved landing craft and communication, more effective air and naval support and the British designed tanks that could crush German bunkers and clear minefield paths
Germans were taken by surprise – many Allied commanders did not even know their orders until that very morning

6. Juno Beach
Canadians were assigned to Juno Beach that had strong German defences: bunkers, barbed wire fences, landmines and anti-tank defences
The Canadians fought their way through and past the German defences
The Canadians at Juno had gained the most land out of all the Allied D-Day forces and only about 350 Canadians died, 574 wounded and 47 captured

7. Canada & The Liberation of Europe
In 6 days after Juno, 2800 Canadians die taking more territory from the Germans and liberating French channel ports including Dieppe
Battle of the Scheldt – a path to Antwerp, Belgium for supplies was needed so the First Canadian Army was sent to clear German forces out
Canadian victory in November 1944 in securing Antwerp, but 6400 Canadians died – this victory allowed a huge Allied advantage in taking the rest of Europe from the Nazis

8. Liberating the Netherlands
After the Battle of the Scheldt, there was a break until February 8th, 1945
Canadians joined the Rhine Offensive campaign
Canadian forces drove the Germans out of the Netherlands, whose people were starving

9. Germany Surrenders
Canadians free the Netherlands and march into Northern Germany while the other Allies converge on Berlin
Hitler commits suicide on April 30th as the Soviets enter the city
May 5: Ceasefire
May 7: German forces surrender
May 8: VE Day (Victory in Europe Day)
The war in Europe is over May 8th, 1945

10. V-E Day