FALL OF FRANCE AND THE CANADIAN HOME FRONT

Fall of France

Maginot Line – The most sophisticated trench in history.

Decoy on Belgian front (May 10th)

Panzer division passes through Ardennes (May 13th)

French troops attempt to break GER supply lines (May 18th)

Race to the coast (May 20th) Belgium surrenders (May 28th) GER forces push south. Paris

falls (June 14th) France surrenders (June 22nd) Vichy Regime negotiates

peace (July)

Dunkirk (May 28th - June 4th)

British and French troops fall back to Port of Dunkirk

GER pauses to consolidate troops and repair equipment

“Operation Dynamo” put into effect

Civilian vessels used to evacuate British troops

300,000 men evacuated. 68,000 killed or captured

The operation was viewed as a success in Britain but Churchill cautioned that “Wars are not won by evacuations”

40:30 – 46:50

Northern France

THE HOME FRONT

Conscription Debate

Fearing a backlash from French Canadians, MacKenzie King promises that Canada will not introduce conscription for “overseas service”.

Germany’s early success creates public pressure for Canada to introduce conscription but the high number of volunteers made it unnecessary.

In 1940 King introduces the “National Mobilization of Resources Act” which allows conscription for domestic defence only.

“Zombies” were people who had been conscripted into the army under the NRMA and trained but then refused overseas service. Zombies were resented by most other Canadians.

As volunteer enlistment numbers fell, pressure once again mounted for overseas conscription. In response to this pressure in 1942 King holds a Plebiscite (referendum) on conscription.

“Not necessarily conscription, but conscription if necessary” (King)

Results

63% of Canadians supported consrciption.

80% of English voted YES

73% of French voted “NON”

17,000 “Zombies” served overseas before the end of the war.

By the End of the War Canada had Produced:

1 billion dollars of munitions 1.7 million small arms 43,000 heavy guns 16,000 aircraft 2 million tonnes of explosives 815,000 military vehicles 50,000 tanks and armoured

gun carriers 4,000 Naval vessels 40,000 Naval guns 150 Snowmobiles Radar sets and Electronics Synthetic rubber plants Uranium for the ’Manhattan

Project’

Highlights

Over 200,000 women enter the industrial workforce

Canada supplies $4 Billion worth of equipment to Britain during the war. Much of Britain’s

equipment was lost at Dunkirk

Canada ends the war with the world’s 3rd largest navy and 4th largest air force.

$33 Billion Dollar Price Tag

Victory Bonds

First bond drive raised over $200 million in 48hrs

Supported by intense adverstising campaigns.

By the end of the war over $12.5 Billion had been raised through war bonds.

Canada’s primary lender was the Canadian people.

Hey Kid, Get to Work!

Fundraising campaigns even targeted children.

Sixteen stamps purchased at 25 cents each equalled a $4 certificate that could be redeemed seven-and-a-half years later for $5.

“Stamp out the U-Boat” campaign 360 stamps buys one depth charge

Victory gardens (over 200,000) Ontario Farm Service Force OFSF

(Children, Women, Seniors) Involved over 55,000 Ontario

students School delayed three weeks to

bring in harvest

Salvage and Scrap

1942 becomes illegal to horde steel amounting to over 500 lbs. Offenders faced $5000 fines and up to 5 years in prison.

Canadians were encouraged to donate everything from old tires to women’s under garments all in service of the war effort.

School programs encouraged students to collect and postal workers went door to door collecting materials.

Put on your thinking hats

Is conscription justifiable?

Under what circumstances?

LDHSS Salvage Drive Challenge