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These ideological tensions played out between various nations worldwide, independent or acting as puppet states, in what are known as the various theatre's of war

European Theatre

African Theatre

Pacific Theatre

1939-1942

1942-1945

  • Germany's push into Russia would be hugely unsuccessful due to the Russians fighting a war of attrition
  • Utilizing the "scorched earth" technique, the Russians wore down the Germans aided by a harsh winter until they were able to score key military victories that halted the German offensive
  • The difficulties faced by Germany on the Eastern front forced Rommel to withdraw from Africa to provide reinforcements
  • The arrival of highly efficient American troops combined with Rommel's withdrawal to force the Axis into surrender in 1943, the first victory for the Allies on the Western front
  • American intelligence found a way to break Japan's codified message system, driving them to a series of victories where they greatly hurt the Japanese fleet
  • From there the Americans and Australians assaulted Japanese occupied islands such as New Guinea, giving them locations they could use to bomb mainland Japan
  • In the early stages of the war, Canada was primarily involved in the Battle of the Atlantic, combating the German U-Boats with our Merchant Marine convoys in the attempt to carry supplies from North America to Britain
  • On land, however, Canadian forces had rarely seen action, and only in the largely unsuccessful defense of Hong Kong and raid on Dieppe
  • William Lyon Mackenzie King, frustrated with the lack of involvement from his troops, requested that they be used in the Allies attempt to open up a Western front through an invasion of Italy
  • The invasion would end up being successful, giving the Allies the confidence to initiate a similar assault on the beaches of France in the attempt to end the Nazi occupation and begin hitting the Germans from both fronts
  • The D-Day landing would be supported by Canadian infantry who also aided the Allies greatly in their push through France and into Germany in the following years
  • While our troops did not distinguish themselves in combat to the same degree that they did in WWI, these late contributions were greatly valuable

The Story of World War II

Major Moments, Battles and Events

The Allied Powers

All The World's A Stage

Ideology:

And All The Men And Women Merely Players

Democracy

Main Nations:

Britain, France, The United States, The Commonwealth

The Impact on Civilian Populations

The Theatres of the Second World War

Strategic Allies:

China, Russia, Poland, Norway, Belgium, Ethiopia

Ideological Background:

The Allies are motivated by the fight to maintain democratic freedom in the world. This necessitates a world view driven by free market capitalism, colonial hierarchy, international trade and large scale peace. The rights of the individual are championed in this system as each individual makes valuable contributions to the creation of great and civilized nations

  • World War II was a decidedly global affair, best characterized by its far reaching impact worldwide and the total effects of its combat on involved nations
  • While the conflict is primarily viewed and analyzed from a military perspective, it is important to recognize that this was more of a war of ideologies than one of militarized nations
  • The world view's of the Axis and Allied powers could not have been more polarized, providing the backdrop for every armed conflict
  • Perhaps even more significantly, the main victims of this war were not the troops fighting on either side, but rather the civilian populations of involved nations
  • China and Russia were the two nations responsible for the majority of casualties during WWII, and both of these nations report more civilian than military casualties; in fact, of nations directly involved in the conflict, only Germany and Britain report more military deaths than those of civilians
  • Close to 20 million European civilians perished during the war, of which over 2/3rds were accounted for by the Holocaust

The Axis Powers

Ideology:

Fascism

Main Nations

Germany, Italy, Japan

Strategic Allies:

Russia, Spain, Hungary, Yugoslavia

Ideological Background:

  • If we identify WWI by the brutal trench warfare it featured, WWII can similarly be classified as a conflict of occupied nations and the perils faced by their citizenry, concluding with the massive loss of civilian life after the dropping of the atomic bombs

The German ideal involved the aggressive control of small puppet states to provide a larger empire with the natural resources necessary to centrally supply a subordinate population. The economy and the well-being of the citizenry would be determined by centralized government, largely controlled by a powerful military force deemed necessary for the expansion and protection of the state.

The European Theatre

The African Theatre

  • This was the largest and most influential theatre, often divided into the Eastern and Western fronts
  • Combat in this theatre was entirely land and air based, often in combination due to the German Blitzkrieg military strategy
  • In the initial stages of the war, this theatre was entirely focused on the West due to the non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union
  • The Axis powers dominated the early stages of the war in this theatre as a result, quickly occupying neutral nations, defeating France, and bombing Britain into a defensive position
  • However, the Axis powers were unable to capitalize on their advanced position in this early period due to a series of tactical errors, most notably the Miracle at Dunkirk
  • In the meantime, Britain had begun rehashing its WWI strategy of blocking naval supply lines to Germany to wear down the resource lacking countries
  • However, the tide in Europe would not change until years later, when Hitler made the same tactical error as his predecessors; an invasion of Russia
  • Often regarded as the African and Mediterranean Theatre, known for the fascinating battles that took place across Northern Africa between the tank forces of Italy and Germany against Britain and eventually the United States
  • The origins of this theatre can be drawn back to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, driven by Mussolini's desire to establish a New Roman Empire
  • Italy was primarily interested in territories surrounding the Suez Canal, an Egyptian hub of international trade
  • However, they found little success early on, as British troops pushed them back on multiple occasions, most notably during Operation Compass
  • It would be the arrival of Erwin Rommel and the Afrika Korps, Germany's finest tank battalion, that would swing the tide in the Axis powers favour
  • Rommel was a legendary general, initially sent in to aid Italian forces and ensure no further loss of territory
  • Dissatisfied with this objective, Rommel began an offensive against central orders and was successful to the point that dreams of taking the Suez were revitalized under his command ... until the entrance of American troops into the conflict in 1942

The Pacific Theatre

  • The Pacific Theatre was the longest lasting of all zones of combat, stretching from the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945
  • Initially this theatre was defined by Japanese aggression against China as well as the occupation and eventual control of many island nations such Thailand and British Malaya, but the nature of this zone of combat would be forever changed by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941
  • Japan's attack was meant as a preemptive strike against increasingly aggressive Western nations who had already begun trade embargoes in the attempt to discourage Japan from continuing with its recent conquests
  • Many historians consider this attack as the official starting point of the Pacific Theatre, which from this moment on was fought largely between the naval and air force troops of Japan and the United States, with both sides supported by smaller forces
  • Japanese forces were renowned as particularly brutal in their early invasion tactics, and would be condemned for their treatment of civilian populations as well as enemy prisoners of war for years to follow

May, 1940

September, 1939

June, 1941

December, 1941

Germany and the USSR Invade Poland

The Invasion of France and Miracle of Dunkirk

Japan Attacks Hong Kong

Germany Attacks the USSR

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

  • First use of the German Blitzkrieg technique
  • Country divided into Western and Eastern spheres of influence
  • Polish troops awaited help from Britain and France which never arrived
  • French troops fortified in Belgium anticipating German invasion
  • Germany surrounded troops by instead going through the Ardennes
  • British and French troops were able to evacuate the shores of Northern France due to an Axis military blunder

The invasion of Poland signified the official beginning of the war. Soon after the invasion, Britain and France declared war and Germany began its unbridled aggression against Europe

One of few conflicts involving Canadian soldiers in the early war period, the defence of Hong Kong was never seen as realistic. Its occupation is best known in Canada for the mistreatment of our POWs while under Japanese command. Over 200 soldiers died due to abuse and mistreatment in Japanese POW camps

  • An attack on Hong Kong was seen as extremely difficult to defend against
  • Britain had left only a small garrison of troops as a result; Canada volunteered reinforcements to bolster the defences
  • Japan occupied Hong Kong with relative ease, taking Canadian POWs after their victory
  • Hitler created the alliance with the USSR for strategic purposes; he always intended on invading at some point
  • Over 4 million Axis troops involved in invasion, the largest in history
  • This new front would account for 95% of German casualties from 1941-1944 and would be their ultimate downfall

This would be the largest error in German military strategy. Hitler desperately wanted the living space and natural resources Russia was rich in, as well as to eliminate the Communist threat the country posed. However, he underestimated the military toll this would take on his army

Germany occupied France within a matter of weeks, signing an armistice that ensured their cooperation. However, the Miracle of Dunkirk had allowed a great number of troops to escape instead of delivering a critical blow

May, 1940

August, 1942

December, 1941

April, 1940

The Dieppe Raid

The Battle of Britain and Election of Winston Churchill

Pearl Harbour and the U.S. Entrance Into the War

The Sitzkrieg and Invasions of Denmark and Norway

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

  • The Allies wanted to prove they could take and hold a beach in France by using an amphibious assault
  • Dieppe was meant to act as a symbolic step into offensive territory for the Allies as well as to gain intelligence
  • However, it was an utter failure, with over 60% of troops who touched the shore perishing and the Allies retreating from the attack within 5 hours

The majority of the soldiers involved in the massacre at Dieppe were Canadian at the request of the Canadian government, wanting to see action. The raid is universally seen as the low point in the war for the Allies, as they accomplished none of their objectives and appeared far removed from being able to take back France in the near future.

  • Japan needed to greatly damage the United States' naval fleet in order to continue their expansion into the Pacific
  • The attack damaged all eight US battleships and sunk four; however, six of these would be returned to combat by the end of the war
  • The attack created a prominent shift in American attitudes towards intervention

While the United States posed a threat to Japanese expansion, they were still a decidedly isolationist population at this time and were not guaranteed to join the war. This attack, seen as a preemptive strike against the inevitable by the Japanese, was instead a direct cause of the US joining the war effort

  • Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain at the request of the British PM
  • His election came just as Germany prepared to launch an offensive against Britain
  • Not wanting to risk the loss of troops an amphibous assault would bring, Germany used the Luftwaffe to continuously bomb major targets such as military bases

Germany's goal of an armistice with Britain was not accomplished due to the strength Churchill inspired in his people. Churchill also managed to draw Nazi bombings away from his military positions by baiting them into attacking major cities. This is often seen as the first military defeat for the Axis powers.

Allowed for the United States to line their pockets by selling military technology to the Allies while also setting the stage for the eventual invasion of France. Also showcases the importance of the Battle of the Atlantic, active long before land combat

  • Also known as the "phoney war," denoting a period of non-aggression
  • Both sides militarizing at a quick rate while the Axis engaged in side invasions in Norway and Denmark
  • The Allied blockade begun during this period, and naval warfare was active

The Tide Begins to Turn

Canadian Contributions

  • The Allied position was at a low point at the beginning of 1942; the Axis had occupied all of mainland Europe, Japan was threatening Australia and Hawaii, and Rommel and the Afrika Korps had pushed up to the Suez Canal
  • However, with American involvement imminent and the German army heading into Russia, the Allies realized the longer the conflict continued the more it would work in their advantage, so long as they could hold on
  • As the war progressed into the next year, events in the various theatre's signalled a shift in the momentum of the war

Pacific Theatre

European Theatre

African Theatre

January, 1942

February, 1943

August, 1945

June, 1944

The Battle of Midway

D-Day

Russia Defeats Germany at Stalingrad

America Drops the Atomic Bomb

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

  • A huge naval victory for the United States only 6 months after Pearl Harbor
  • American codebreakers deciphered the Japanese system giving their forces advance knowledge of the attack
  • An American ambush took place as a result, causing irreparable damage to the Japanese navy

The Japanese shipbuilding industry was not advanced enough to match their losses following this battle with production, leading to the gradual weakening of their once formidable navy. Following this victory, the US set about invading Japanese occupied Pacific islands

Japan surrendered days after the bombs fell, effectively bringing the war to a conclusion. However, the long lasting effects of these atomic strikes on the citizens of Japan and their perceptions of the Western world would be widespread. The force of atomic weapons was also demonstrated by this attack.

The losses Germany suffered at Stalingrad would cripple their offensive into the USSR, forcing them to withdraw months later. The Red Army immediately began pushing west toward Germany, putting the Axis on the defensive for the first time

  • Japan refused to cease their aggression after Italy and Germany surrendered
  • America wanted to avoid an assault on the Japanese mainland due to the loss of troops it would necessitate
  • After multiple warnings received no response, they believed they had no choice but to drop the atomic bombs
  • Over 150 000 Allied troops involved in invasion, supported by air force and naval troops
  • Canadians troops were the only force to meet all of their objectives
  • After the successful invasion, the Allies poured troops into Normandy, amassing over 900 000 in months
  • Hitler was invested in the symbolic value of occupying the city named after Stalin
  • Refused to allow his troops to withdraw from the city
  • The winter weather and lack of supplies forced the Germans to retreat after huge military losses

Germany had spent four years building their foritifications to defend against this assault. The Allies successful invasion allowed them to amass troops in Normandy before beginning an assault on Germany from the West. As the Allies pushed forward, Germany was under attack from both fronts

October, 1945

September, 1943

May, 1945

May, 1942

The Formation of the United Nations

The Allies Invade Italy

Hitler Dies, Germany Surrenders

The Americans Enter North Africa and Operation Torch

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

Three Things To Know

Significance

  • The invasion was possible due to the newly gained Allied position in Northern Africa
  • Acted both as a practice run for the amphibious assault on occupied France and as an elimination of German allies
  • Canadian troops were heavily involved in the invasion and occupation of Italy
  • The failure of the League of Nations had not discouraged the Allied countries from the formation of an international organization meant to maintain peace
  • The UN was broad in scope, with over 50 countries signing its initial charter
  • The UN also involved the creation of a Security Council, where the world's most powerful countries could collaborate on decisions

The world leaders behind the UN believed that it would succeed where the League of Nations had failed in taking decisive actions to prevent the outbreak of future wars. The formation of this organization signified the intentions of world leaders to create long lasting peace, and the accomplishments of the UN since have upheld that standard

  • Germany nearly launched a successful counter-offensive against Allied forces
  • However, the Allies held their positions in the Battle of the Bulge, not allowing Germany to reach key oil reserves
  • With pressure mounting on both the Eastern and Western fronts, Hitler ended his own life and the Allies began to liberate German concentration camps

The inability of the Germans to stop the Allied landing at Normandy and their subsequent invasion marked the end of the German war machine. The Soviet contribution in this process made them feel entitled to a great deal of Eastern Europe following the war, and Hitler's death brought about a swift surrender from Germany

This invasion forced Germany to withdraw even more troops from the Eastern Front as it officially opened the Western zone of combat. It also turned Hitler's strongest ally, the Italians, against him as Mussolini was deposed following Italy's surrender. Finally, it gave the Allies confidence in the amphibious assault

  • The Allies decided to open the Western front by sweeping the Axis out of Africa
  • The Afrika Korps were recalled to Germany to defend against the USSR
  • This allowed American forces to earn an Axis surrender in Africa in 1943

This defeat was the first on the Western front the Axis had suffered. It also provided the Allies with strategic territory to plan an assault on Southern Europe, using Northern Africa as a base of operations. This is where the invasion of Italy would be based out of.

The Post War World

  • While the threat of the Axis had been eliminated at the conclusion of WWII, the ideological tensions that had driven the war were still very much alive
  • While the USSR had been instrumental in defeating the Axis powers, their world view was still in direct opposition to the democratic ideals of the Allies
  • Furthermore, the contribution the Soviets had made in the defeat of the Axis had earned them the right to more control over Europe in Stalin's mind
  • Towards the end of the war, realizing they would soon emerge victorious, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin had met at the Yalta Conference
  • During this meeting, the Allies had agreed that the USSR would be given control of Eastern Europe following the war, due to their great efforts
  • However, neither Churchill nor Roosevelt truly trusted Stalin; they felt they were left with no choice due to the Russian loss of life during the conflict
  • The Red Army had occupied massive portions of Europe during the war, and now upon its conclusion Stalin refused to withdraw his troops
  • The war may have been over, but the struggle between democracy and fascism had only just begun ...
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