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)