battles of ww2 Flashcards
when was the Battle of the Atlantic?
1939-45
Battle of the Atlantic
by 1941, Nazi bases were in which 5 countries?
France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway
Battle of the Atlantic
what happened to Allied ships for the first 3 years of the war?
were being sunk faster than they could be built
Battle of the Atlantic
what was the Black Pit / The Greenland Gap?
beyond aircraft protection
Battle of the Atlantic
what was Canada’s army like at the beginning of WW2?
6 warships, 5 minesweepers, 2000 naval personnel
Battle of the Atlantic
what was Canada’s army like at the end of WW2?
373 warships, 93 000 naval personnel
Battle of the Atlantic
what was Canada’s purpose to Britain?
source of food, raw materials, weapons of war
Battle of the Atlantic
what was invented and installed in 1941?
radar systems
when was the Battle of Britain?
1940
Battle of Britain
what was the operation?
Operation Sea Lion
Battle of Britain
what did the Nazis ask Britain to do and what was Britain’s response?
to surrender and join them; Britain refuses
Battle of Britain
why did Hitler send the Luftwaffe against the RAF?
to attempt to gain control of the sky and invade Britain through English Channel
Battle of Britain
what parts of Britain did Hitler bomb and why?
British planes on the ground; industrial areas so they couldn’t make any more planes
Battle of Britain
what was Hitler’s plan?
bomb Britain into submission
Battle of Britain
what was Hitler’s plan once he defeated the British Navy?
once they have control of the ports, turn against the Soviet Union and then attack the Americas
Battle of Britain
what was Hitler’s first plan to defeat the British?
send the Luftwaffe against the Royal Air Force and blow them out of the sky
Battle of Britain
once the Germans had the sky, what could they do?
invade Britain via the English Channel
Battle of Britain
what was the issue with sending the Luftwaffe against the Royal Air Force and blowing them out of the sky?
the battle was fought above Britain- every time a plane was shot down, British pilots would eject and return to an air base and rejoin the battle; German pilots were taken as POWs
Battle of Britain
what was Hitler’s second plan to defeat the British?
bomb the planes on the ground and the industrial areas of Britain so no more planes could be made
Battle of Britain
what was the issue with bombing the planes on the ground and the industrial areas of Britain?
Germans had to bomb in the day to see their targets- were easily seen and shot down; Britain had new radar technology and could detect the Germans and get their planes in the air before they reached them
Battle of Britain
what was Hitler’s third plan to defeat the British?
bomb Britain (people, cities) into submission
Battle of Britain
what was the issue with bombing Britain into submission?
the British would rather see their cities destroyed than surrender; Germany continues bombing throughout the war
Battle of Britain
when did Germany give up bombing Britain?
September 1940
Battle of Britain
what was Canada’s part?
flew in the RAF in the battle against the Luftwaffe
Battle of Britain
by mid October 1940, Canadians were credited with _______________
31 enemy aircraft destroyed and 43 damaged
when was the Battle of Hong Kong?
1941
Battle of Hong Kong
what was the operation?
Operation Hana Suka
Battle of Hong Kong
almost _____ Canadian and _______ Allied soldiers are stationed in Hong Kong to defend the British colony from Japanese attacks
2000 / 12 000
Battle of Hong Kong
what was believed about the Japanese?
they were poorly trained and equipped
Battle of Hong Kong
what happened on December 8 1941?
Japanese planes bomb Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
what happened on December 18 1941?
50 000 Japanese soldiers arrive in Hong Kong at night
Battle of Hong Kong
what did PM King and his Cabinet decide on December 7 1941 and why?
to go to war with Japan in response to bombing
Battle of Hong Kong
when did Canadian troops engage the Japanese in battle and when did they surrender?
December 18 engage, December 25 surrender
Battle of Hong Kong
what were the Canadian casualties?
290 killed, 500 wounded, others taken as POWs
Battle of Hong Kong
how many Canadians would die in concentration camps?
267
Battle of Hong Kong
how and when did Brigader J.K. Lawson die?
December 25 1941 defending his station
Battle of Hong Kong
who was John Osborn?
awarded the first Canadian Victoria Cross of WW2 for sacrificing himself for others
when was the Dieppe Raid?
1942
Dieppe Raid
what was the operation?
Operation Jubilee
Dieppe Raid
what was Churchill under pressure for?
to send help to Stalin
Dieppe Raid
what was the point of Operation Jubilee?
to deceive, destroy, capture, and gain experience
Dieppe Raid
what was the German’s strategic advantage?
on cliffs overlooking the beaches
Dieppe Raid
what happened when Allies landed and tried to make it up the beach?
they were slaughtered
Dieppe Raid
what did the Allies learn?
what was needed for D-Day
Dieppe Raid
what were the Canadian casualties out of 4900?
907 killed, 1000 wounded, 1900 taken as POWs
when did Germany attack the USSR?
June 1941
Germany attacks the USSR
what was the operation?
Operation Barbarossa
Germany attacks the USSR
which pact did Germany break and why?
the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939; they wanted the “living space” that belonged to Russia
Germany attacks the USSR
Russia was so large that the troops kept retreating eastward, causing the Germans _________________
to get caught in Russia during the winter
Germany attacks the USSR
what stopped the Nazi offensive?
cold temperatures
Germany attacks the USSR
what policy did Russia use?
Scorched Earth- burning anything of potential use to the German army
when did Japan attack Pearl Harbour?
December 7, 1941
Japan attacks Pearl Harbour
was there a warning for the bombing of naval bases at Pearl Harbour?
with no notice or declaration of war
Japan attacks Pearl Harbour
why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour and what was the outcome?
to destroy the Pacific navy fleet, the fleet was damaged but not destroyed
Japan attacks Pearl Harbour
when did the USA join the Allies in WW2?
December 8, 1941
when was Ortona and the Italian Campaign?
1943
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
what was the operation?
Operation Husky
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
why was Sicily attacked?
in order to launch a fullscale attack on main Italy
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
the attack on Sicily was successful but ___________________
a large number of the Axis (German, Italy) forces were able to escape to Italy
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
what did Germans block Canadians from?
reaching Rome
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
where were Canadians blocked?
at Ortona
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
what did Germans have and what did they blow up?
high ground; all bridges leading into Ortona
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
what happened to Canadian forces?
losses were high but they were successful
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
to whom and when did Ortona fall?
to a regiment from Edmonton; December 1943
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
what new warfare was used?
“urban warfare”- close corridors; house to house, room to room
Ortona and the Italian Campaign
where did the Allies move to next?
to capture Rome
when was D-Day?
June 6, 1944
D-Day
what was the operation?
Operation Overload
D-Day
the largest invasion in history was a joint attack by ____________
Canada, Britain, USA
D-Day
where did troops need to land in order to invade Germany and where was the selected location?
on the Beaches of France- chose Normandy
D-Day
2000 bombers took out __________
German artillery
D-Day
what happened an hour after German artillery was taken out?
the first troops were sent up the beach
D-Day
what did the troops sent up to the beach have to deal with?
4-5ft of water, barbed wire, landmines, while being fired at
D-Day
was the operation successful?
yes
D-Day
what did Hitler then have to do?
fight a war on two fronts- Allies on west and Russians on east
D-Day
what was Canada’s part in D-Day?
attacked on Juno Beach
when was the Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe?
1945
Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe
what was Princess Juliana of Holland’s part in the war?
sent to Canada during ww2 and then sent 100 000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa in thanks
when is Victory in Europe Day and why?
May 8, 1945; Germany surrenders
when did Hitler commit suicide?
April 30, 1945
Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe
what was Canada’s part in Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe?
the main force who liberated the Netherlands
