Summary
Highlights
Gladys Arnold, the sole Canadian reporter in France during May 1940, recounts the harrowing scene of a machine-gunned refugee train, a devastating sign of the war's onset. As France fell to German forces, she joined the mass exodus, witnessing acts of kindness amidst the horror before escaping to Canada, where she observed a disturbing lack of awareness about the war's global implications.
In June 1940, with Nazi Germany threatening England, Canada's Prime Minister Mackenzie King faced the dilemma of mobilizing for war while avoiding conscription for overseas service, a promise made to French Canada. The National Resources Mobilization Act was enacted, calling single men for home defense. Concurrently, King solidified Canada's future with America, forming a permanent joint defense board, shifting Canada's allegiance from Britain to the U.S. for continental security.
On August 8, 1940, Hitler launched the Luftwaffe to clear the way for an invasion of Britain. A few hundred Allied fighter pilots, including Canadians like Ernest McNabb, stood in his way. Despite being outgunned and outnumbered, the Canadian airmen, though initially inexperienced, fought valiantly. The critical aerial battle on September 15 saw an all-out attack, with Canadians proving instrumental in the Allied victory, thwarting the invasion threat.
CD Howe, Canada's Minister of Munitions and Supply, narrowly survived a submarine attack, highlighting the dangers of wartime transport. Howe, a determined engineer, was tasked with transforming Canada's depression-era economy into a powerful war machine. Elsie MacGill, Canada's top aeronautical engineer, led the production of Hurricane fighter planes, symbolizing Canada's industrial miracle. The war also catalyzed a significant shift for women, who entered factories in large numbers, leading to the establishment of state-funded daycare and opening new avenues for female employment.
The North Atlantic became a deadly battleground as German U-boats targeted Allied freighters, threatening to cripple Britain. Twenty-year-old Frank Curry experienced the brutal conditions of serving on a corvette, describing the miserable and relentless pounding of the sea. The Canadian navy played a crucial role in protecting convoys, facing immense challenges in the 'black pit,' an area beyond air cover. The human cost was staggering, with thousands of sailors perishing, and survivors often bearing deep psychological scars.
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 ignited long-standing fears and resentment against Japanese Canadians on the West Coast. Despite official reports that Japanese Canadians posed no threat, public and political pressure led to their forced relocation and internment. Muriel Kitagawa and her family, Canadian citizens, became victims of this racial persecution. Their homes and businesses were seized and sold, and families were separated, leading to profound bitterness and the largest forced exodus in Canadian history.
By 1942, the war highlighted an old conflict at home: conscription. Former Prime Minister Arthur Meighen pushed for compulsory service, clashing with Mackenzie King, who feared a repeat of the national division caused by conscription in WWI. King initiated a plebiscite to release his government from its anti-conscription promise. While English Canada largely voted 'yes,' Quebec overwhelmingly voted 'no,' revealing a deep cultural and political divide. King navigated the crisis with his famous 'not necessarily conscription but conscription if necessary' policy, narrowly averting government collapse.
In the summer of 1942, 5,000 Canadian soldiers were dispatched on a raid against Dieppe, France. The mission, intended to test German defenses and gain battle experience, was a disaster. The element of surprise was lost, and Canadian troops landed on a heavily fortified beach, facing intense German fire. Despite heroic efforts, including those of Captain Denny Whittaker and Lieutenant Colonel Dolar Menard, the raid resulted in devastating casualties, with over half the Canadian soldiers killed, wounded, or captured. The event was a tragic lesson in the brutal realities of war.
In 1942, the U.S. built the Alaska Highway through Canadian territory, a massive project reshaping the North and impacting indigenous communities like the Klinkit. This brought modernization but also disease and disruption. Simultaneously, Canada secretly supplied uranium from Great Bear Lake to the U.S. for the atomic bomb project. Miners, often Dene men, worked in hazardous conditions without knowledge of the risks, leading to a legacy of cancer and the community becoming known as the 'village of widows.'
In May 1942, the war arrived on Canada's shores when a German U-boat torpedoed a British freighter in the St. Lawrence River. The river became a battleground, with lifeboats and debris washing ashore. The Canadian navy struggled to counter the attacks, with vessels like the HMCS Charlottetown being sunk. These incidents claimed the lives of 258 civilians and military personnel, making the war a tangible reality for Canadians at home.
The war transformed Canada, bringing full employment and challenging old notions of government. Madeleine Perron observed that the government, once seen as powerless during the Depression, swiftly transformed the economy into a war arsenal. Fearful of a post-war return to hardship, Canadians increasingly favored the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). In 1944, Baptist preacher Tommy Douglas led the CCF to a historic victory in Saskatchewan, forming the first socialist government in North America and introducing pioneering social programs like free hospital care for certain groups.
By spring 1944, the Allies prepared for the invasion of Europe. Everett Hill, an ordinary Canadian soldier, reflected on his impending fatherhood and the ongoing war. On June 6, 1944, D-Day, 15,000 Canadians were part of the largest invasion in human history. While they advanced further than other Allied forces, the triumph came at a high cost, with nearly 3,000 Canadians killed or wounded in the first six days. The Battle of Falaise saw fierce fighting, and the German army in Normandy was decimated, but not without immense sacrifice from the Canadians, with Everett Hill among the fallen.
By September 1944, Canadian troops in Europe were facing heavy casualties, reigniting the conscription debate. Minister of National Defense James Ralston demanded overseas conscription, clashing with Prime Minister King, who feared national division. King eventually replaced Ralston but was forced to announce that 16,000 men trained for home defense would be sent overseas. This decision, though controversial, allowed the government to survive. As the war drew to a close, Canadians joined other Allied forces in liberating Europe. Renee Lévesque, a correspondent, witnessed the horrors of Dachau, a stark reminder of the war's immense human cost. The war ended with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, leaving a profound impact on a generation and bringing many Canadians home to a transformed nation.
For thousands of young Canadians, coming home meant embracing a future shaped by the war. Frank Curry, a navy veteran, looked forward to a peaceful home life. Many, like Dieppe hero Dolar Menard and Pierre Sevigny, went on to distinguished careers. The war brought social changes, new opportunities, and personal losses, as exemplified by Joan Hill and her daughter Lynn, who found a new home in Canada. The experience instilled new perspectives, setting the stage for a new Canada.