Although it has been overshadowed by other events of the Second World War, Canada’s role in the Italian Campaign, from 1943 to 1945, was significant. Canadian forces played a major role in this campaign, whose goal was to open a second front in order to ease the pressure on Russian forces in the east. Canada fought under British command alongside British and American units, but our soldiers saw some of the fiercest fighting and achieved glory many times, including at the Battle of Ortona, one of...
Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940 marked the beginning of five years of terror for the Dutch people. They faced oppression and death with remarkable stoicism, but nothing could save them from the Hunger Winter of 1944-5, when more than 30,000 people died of starvation. In this time of unimaginable despair, Canada came to the rescue, playing the largest role in liberating the Netherlands and ending the Nazi reign of terror. The Canadians gave the Dutch freedom – and food –...
Many have called it the most important event of the twentieth century – and Canada played a key role. When Canadian troops landed at Juno Beach, they faced some of the fiercest opposition of the attack, and yet they managed to advance further inland than all the other Allied forces. D-Day: Juno Beach, Canada’s 24 Hours of Destiny chronicles that momentous day hour-by-hour, through the words of the men themselves. With more than 300 illustrations, this is a vivid remembrance of one of Canada’s...
