WORLD WAR II (1939-1945)
Technology and Total War
Lingering issues (post WWI) Germany Russia Weak states U.S. withdrawal; UK too France left to contain a humiliated
Germany German “stab in the back” theory
and national mood of outrage
WWII in brief
1939-1945 Two military alliances: the Allies and
the Axis Involved majority of world’s nations “Total War” Mass deaths (including the
Holocaust) Use of nuclear weapons
Key belligerents
Allies Axis
United Kingdom Commonwealth allies
(Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.)
France United States Soviet Union Poland Etc.
Nazi Germany Japan Italy (Hungary, Romania,
Bulgaria) Etc.
Preparing for the next war Collapse of Wall Street stock
market in Oct. 1929 Weimar Republic dissolved and in
Jan. 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany
Hitler, Benito Mussolini (Italy), Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union), militarists in Japan
Preparing for the next war Coming to terms with lessons of
WWI Changing technology, reduced
budgets, skies now a factor German innovation Compared to Britain, France, Soviet
Union
Air and Sea Power
Use of aircraft Focused on future potential and
irrelevance of armies and navies Two approaches:
Strategic bombing of civilian centres Disabling enemy’s economic system
Air and Sea Power
The case for Germany: Emphasis on cooperation with other
services Strategic bombing Navigation and blind bombing
devices The Blitz
7 September 1940 and 21 May 1941 Major raids on 16 British cities (London
hit 71 times)
Air and Sea Power
Some Navies ignored lessons of WWI
British didn’t counter submarine menace: sonar
Germany took minimal steps Japanese and Americans were
innovative
Rise of Fascism (p.302)
WWI : 1,300,000 French soldiers killed (1 /10 adult men); 300,000 injured, 600,000 widows
Fascism in Italy & Germany
Hitler elected German Chancellor, 1933.
The Road to War
Hitler and a new world order Racist ideology Dangers of capitalism and
communism Hitler believed Germany “must either
seize the territory and resources required for its world-historical mission or sink into insignificance” (p. 302)
Dismantling of Versailles settlement and program of rearmament
Triumph of the Will (1934-1935)Leni Riefenstahl (p. 209)
Nationalistic pride, Eugenic
Triumph of the Will
Nazi’s defied Treaty of Versailles rearmament.
Remilitarized Rhineland 1936.
Deutschland Uber Alles (p. 304-306)
March 1938, Hitler annexed Austria to German Reich, Sights on Czechoslovakia.
Appeasement: Munich Pact of Sept. 30, 1938.
Hitler & Stalin: non-aggression treaty August 1939.
Sept 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, at war.
How Was the War Fought? BLITZKRIEG & TANK WARFARE
Germans: Blitzkrieg or lightening war
Mechanized, fast, & efficient
“Weapons of World War II” Tanks
MAGINOT LINE (p. 308)
French defensive
Elaborate fortifications along German border.
Underground forts.
8 months: “phony war.”
More Technology
Light Machine guns: German Mauser MG 34 & British Bren
Machine Guns 7:11 min in.
Spitfires & Hurricanes (British) (p. 310-311)
vs. German Stuka Dive Bomber or Ju 87
More Technology
Fighter Bombers
Bazooka (Allied)
Panzerschreck Rocket propelled grenade (Germany)
Long-Range Heavy Carpet & Precision Bombers (p. 301-302)
Heinkel HE-111 (German)
Atomic bomb
Total War
Spring 1940, Canada began to mobilize for total war.
Canada: Rational reasons, Morally worthy.
Counter Propaganda: The War for Men’s Minds (1943) (21min)
The Homefront & Frontlines
Recruitment campaign
June of 1941- Germany invades Russia. Two-front war, Germans winning.
1941, Canada & Britain declared war on Japan
December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on American military base Pearl Harbour, US enters war on side of allied forces.
Propaganda: Freeing Men to Fight
Rosie the Riveter
Patriotic duty to country
Sense of loss & Loyalty
Cartoons from Love hate and Propaganda
Women in Military
1st time women’s section of army
CWAC’s in 1941. Air Force in 1942 & 1943, Navy WREN’s
Support jobs (clerical), so men released for technical jobs/combat.
“I’m the proudest girl in the world!”
43 000 Canadian women enrolled in armed forces, 4000 in nursing
Case Study: Dieppe Raid Aug. 19, 1942
Shingle beaches
German anti-aircraft guns
Large gun batteries
Machine gun “pill boxes”
Super-raid, led by Canadians-- ended in disaster
Russian Front to Western Offensive
(p. 318-319) Stalin: offensive in West to reduce pressure
Commonly believed: unless offensive in West within short term, US concentrate efforts in Pacific against Japanese
Mass rallies
Planning & Preparations
Original Plan: “Operation Rutter”
Aims:
1- Harass Germans
2- Engage superior Luftwaffe planes
3- Test German defences
4- Provide Allies with experience
Surprise?
Surprise lost…
Raid on Dieppe: compromise
Tried to make operation less weather dependant
Commando forces landing from sea
Dieppe Commando Forces & Main Objectives
Final plan: Assault landings 8 locations, air bombing support, fire support from naval force stationed offshore
Commando forces land pre-dawn darkness, 3 waves. Edges of beaches into main beach.
No. 3 Commando and No. 4 Commando
Main Assault
Main assault landing force: Canadian 2nd division landing in 4 separate locations.
1st wave: land immediately to east of Dieppe at Puys & west at Pourville half an hour before main assault.
Disabled machine gun nests.
The Raid
Dieppe Assault Footage
Canadians expected 1500 poor quality German soldiers not 3500 highly trained veterans
Canadians not rehearsed raid, guns new, never fired.
Admiralty refused to provide battle ships for Channel.
General Montgomery resigned command. Replacement, General Paget, went ahead with plan
Operation Jubilee August 18,1942
230 ships assembled southern English ports.
Convoy warned Germans?
Commandos: LCP (20 men). 3 tanks to each LCT.
Point of No Return, No. 3 Commando
At 3:47am, before landing, ran into 5 German ships armed trawlers escorting tanker.
4:40am landed, small % arrived at correct landing points.
Sniping
No. 4 Commando
In west, No. 4 commando landed on schedule & executed almost flawless operation.
Hard fighting, overran & neutralized coastal battery on west flank.
Royal Regiment of Canada
Germans alerted killed men as came off landing craft.
Of 495 men who landed, 227 men died.
The Outcome
Raid 9 hours. 4,000 Canadian & British killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
Escape and Aftermath
22-foot tide came in, many wounded drowned.
Major-General Roberts unfairly scape-goated
What Went Wrong?
1. Topographical
2. Poor Intelligence
3. Time & Tide
4. Tactical surprise
Lessons learned
1. Must capture significant port? No.
2. Intelligence
3. Communication
4. Armoured landing craft
5. Bombardment of entrenched defensive positions
6. German ramifications?
A Preventable Tragedy
Did lives lost at Dieppe contribute to success of Normandy invasion during D-day? Yes, but needn’t have done.
Decision to go ahead political (Churchill)
Colonial troops expendable, planes & battleships were not.
Conclusion: What was effect of Dieppe on Canadian national identity?
Loss
Canadian 2nd Division liberated Dieppe Sept. 1st, 1944.
Emotional Response (co-opted for ads)