When my first wife and I were tourists in the Netherlands in 1976, the people in Amsterdam treated us like we kicked out the Nazis the day before. Any male. female, any age, and coming from a Dutch-Canadian farming community we felt right at home and appreciated. Thank you for the rememberance.
The Canadian Tulip Festival is the direct result of Princess Margriet being born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The Dutch Royal Family gifted 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa 1945 and to this day 20,000 tulip bulbs are gifted to Canada each year by the Netherlands.
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was one of the first major contributions by Canada, at the beginning of the war. The BCATP provided training for all the aircrew positions as well as the aviation support trades, toward the success of the air war. Many air bases were quickly constructed across the country in 1939 - 1940 to provide the necessary facilities needed to house the participants. These individuals arrived from not only from the commonwealth, but nations such as Norway, Poland, and even volunteers from the USA before December 1941. Churchill referred to Canada as "the Aerodrome of Democracy".
Agreed. It should be number one on this list. Also, the liberation of The Netherlands and the supply of food to its starving population. Not to forget that Canada provided shelter to the Dutch Royal family, something that has never been forgotten by The Netherlands.
My dad was in Corvettes, uncle John was in Bomber Command. When i was a kid I was always more at ease around adults so I spent a lot of time around my dad and his buddies, all of them were WW2 veterans. They never talked about the war, fishing was a favourite subject. They had a familiar sense of humour, a manliness about them as well as love of common sense and a great respect for human dignity.
I've had way too many small brain Americans say we Canadians didn't do anything in the second world war. Now I have something to send them rather Than expletives and facts thanks as always simon
Here in the Netherlands 🇳🇱, we remember the Canadians. Lots of people fought in and over the Netherlands, (Arnhem, the Scheldt), but the Canadians did most of the heavy lifting, and are considered the main liberators here. It was quite the relief, at the time, and people were very happy and grateful. They were literally starving at the time, so the Canadians were very, very welcome. Thanks again for that.
I dated a Dutch man whose parents, as teens, sabotaged bridges, roads, anything German they could find. At night. No lights. Dead if caught. Because of Canada’s liberation of the Netherlands, his parents and their siblings emigrated to Canada. They are so appreciative, all these decades later, of our help. They’re very proud to be Canadians. It’s an honour to have known them.
In my city (in Canada) we have a large Carillon in our city centre park, donated by the Netherlands as a memorial and appreciation for the Canadian efforts there in WWII. I'm glad we're friends and I should really visit :)
Thank you for creating a video on this topic. I was an American tourist from Seattle on holiday near 11 November 1999 to Vancouver Island British Columbia. Imagine my surprise when I found a painting on one of the ferries about the Flower Class Corvette HMCS ALBERNI. The brass plaque on the frame mentioned the loss of 59 of her crew in 1944 by the German UBoot U480. But it was the sacredness of Remembrance Day that Canadians felt that moved me so much that I returned to Seattle, quit my job, immigrated to British Columbia and created the HMCS ALBERNI Museum and Memorial (HAMM) and The Alberni Project Society. Imagine an American, born and raised in the shadow of Yellowstone, growing up truly believing that my father and John Wayne single-handedly won the Second World War now making sure that the history of the Canadian Forces be preserved for future generations.
Wow! Such an amazing history and contribution. Thank you, from Montreal for keeping lives, spirits and memories, Alive. Please let me know when the movie, and or book, is coming out :) I'll be there opening night. Cheers from Canada Merci beaucoup pour tous
American perspective: Canadian contributions in WWI and WWII are immeasurable. They answered the call in 1914 and fought the end in 1918. In WWII Canada joined England in 1939 and fought in all theatres of the European War to include D-Day where they went ashore on Juno Beach. In the air, on the land, and on the water Canada was instrumental in the victories of both world wars. I had the honor of serving with Canadian troops. Our great friend and neighbor to the north!
@@willcruickshankw5527: Indeed they did, but only directly in Hong Kong in December 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Army attacked, invaded & occupied the British Empire’s Crown Colony there! Some, very few individuals however (Volunteers), Canadians (Literally, only a handful) did fight & serve in mainland China, such as Dr. Norman Bethune, who was a volunteer medical officer (Surgeon) attached to Mao Tse Tung’s Communist Army, who were then fighting both Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalist’s (Koumintang’s) Forces as well as the invading Japanese Imperial Army in conflicts that lasted altogether between 1931 to 1949 there!! Actually, more Canadian 🍁volunteers in those days wanting to fight Fascism, Nazism or Japanese Imperialism, were more motivated to go to Spain & fight in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) for the Republicans-side, rather than in China & fight for their ideals there, and likely as not, voluntarily join the International Brigades in one of their MacKenzie-Papineau battalions of the Lincoln-Washington Brigade consisting then of mainly American & Canadian volunteers!!
One small accomplishment ( Operation Eclipse 1945) that always go unnoticed is the saving of Denmark from being occupied by Soviet forces in April 1945. A small group of lightly armed Canadian paratroopers occupied the city of Wismar in northern Germany, a town that was to be in the Soviet sphere of control. They set up roadblocks to stop the Russian T 34 tanks. It was basically to delay the Soviets a couple of days, so Allied forces could occupy Denmark. Stay safe, stay sane, stay strong Ukraine 🇺🇦
The Canadians raced to the town, set up camp, and told the Soviets (paraphrasing here), "It would be a shame if we had to use this artillery division just over that hill that we totally have supporting us."
800 Canadian paratroopers, and 21 British tanks had a Mexican stand off with and entire guards tank army (Approx 120,000 men 500ish tanks). The Canadians didn't blink. Even shot a few Russians who tried to break into the town at night. Ice in their veins.
@@stevestruthers6180 Brits? Dude they said British tanks we USED British tanks in WW2 he never said British run British tanks dude. So it was just us Cunucks
Canada doesn't have to brag about how great it is, it's obvious by how the world views and treats Canada. though it is nice to be recognized for our accomplishments every once in a while.
I used to be very nationalistic in my youth, however I've since changed, as Canada has it's own set of problems. If you allow yourself to be blinded by nationalism you'll never fix the problems with your country, and will never get better. I love Canada but we are a flawed place and should never forget it.
As an American veteran, I am well aware of the contributions by Canadian troops, particularly on the drive up the east coast of Italy and in Normandy, Where the 3rd ID faced hard fighting and prevailed. Canadian troops in WW2 were elite units, imo.
Princess Margriet of The Netherlands was born in Ottawa Civic Hospital, as the Dutch Royal Family had gone into exile in Canada in 1940. Also, The Netherlands continues to send 20,000 tulips to Ottawa every year.
Well done, Canada! Could I suggest another one, this time on Australia? Such things as… 1. The Kokoda Trek where we fought a withdrawal across New Guinea until backed on to Port Moresby before they were halted and pushed all the way back over the Owen Stanley Ranges. Made more admirable when you consider this was done by the “Choco’s”, reservists described as “Chocolate Soldiers” because they would melt in the heat of battle. 2. Milne Bay - The first land defeat inflicted on the Japanese Army, also in New Guinea. 3. Our part in the defence of Tobruk…the famous Rats of Tobruk. 4. Or the Goebels named “Scrap Iron Flotilla” that ran supplies and fresh troops into Tobruk and taking the wounded out. 5. Z-Force - the attack on Singapore by frogmen. Or what happened to them and others on the Burma Railway… Just to get you started.
I once heard a funny clip that was edited and never heard from a CBC radio broadcast interviewing a soldier in Europe as the war raged . The journalist said that Canadian soldiers have a reputation for cursing excessively . Why is that ? The soldier replied "Because we've been here the F&^%n longest !"
History Channel used to run a series that covered Canada's contributions. Season 1 "For King and Country" Season 2 "For Queen and Country". Season 1 covers both world wars, season 2 covers after Queen Elizabeth took the throne. I was not happy when it was taken off-air.
damn right we are ignored! we scared the Germans! without Porthope Ontario there would been no fuel for the a bombs! without camp X the spy game would been nothing! its in Oshawa ontario, without our planes and men, it would been a longer war! more so our New Foundland boys! my grandfather fought in Italy and germany, he landed on Juno beach 3rd wave. he survived and came home died in 1988 he is my hero ,
If you think that the Canadians at Dieppe and The Scheldt got a raw deal from Montgomery and the politicians, you must research the Battle of Hong King. The Royal Rifles and the Winnipeg Grenadiers, as well as the other Commonwealth forces already in Hong Kong, were ordered to fight a hopeless battle. The Battle of Hong Kong started on Dec 7, 1941 (yes, the same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor) and ended with the surrender of all defenders on Christmas day. My grandfather and 11 of his cousins went into Japanese POW camps and only 4 of his cousins made it home. The Canadian and English governments swept the whole thing under the rug for decades. It's only been recently acknowledged by the the governments of Canada, England and Japan. The Japanese government made a formal apology to the Canadians for the severe mistreatment, torture and murders committed by the Japanese running the POW camps. Research the Battle of Hong Kong.
When I was in scouts one of our leaders father came to talk around remembrance day. He was in Hong Kong and lost a finger and was captured. He joked about the finger but nearly broke down thinking about his time as a POW. That has stuck with me all these years.
@@mweiss0033 I don't recall as I was quite young. But it was in Saskatoon and the North Saskatchewan regiment was part of the Canadian rifles. And people move around.
So disappointes to not see the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands on this list. My grandfather was a part of that campaign, and the Netherlands still celebrates Canada for that. That was a huge deal. He and many surviving CAF members and family members got all expense paid trips there in the early 90s for one of the anniversaries even. I remember my grandfather going on that trip quite clearly and watching the celebration/parades broadcasted on Canadian TV.
As a Canadian I would add the liberation of the Netherlands and The Battle of Hong Kong to the list. As for the POW camps, there is one a few minutes away from me. Many POWs didn't bother returning home after the war and instead opted to stay in Canada
There was an enormous prison camp for German soldiers in Price Edward County in southern Ontario. It’s closed now, but many of the soldiers stayed at the end of the war, and became Canadian citizens. The camp became a centre for severely mentally handicapped people. My friend’s wife worked there and she took a friend and I for a tour. It was still quite evident that it had held POW’s all those years ago.
I've interviewed a few of these old soldiers in BC. The running theme was that they had no idea that a place could be so free... an interesting sentiment for people who were POWs.
@@justincronkright5025 It was called Prince Edward Heights. Haven’t been out that way in over 20 years. It was a German POW camp in WW2, and was a home for severely affected adults with birth defects. My friend, who worked there at the time, has unfortunately passed away, so I don’t know if the building is even there. Y relatives in the area are all gone as well. It was somewhere near Milford/Cherry Valley in the County. My uncle had a farm just west of Cherry Valley, and it was somewhere around that area. Sorry my memory is so bad … I’m getting old, lol.
@@justincronkright5025 I just did a search. It’s listed as Picton Heights in the title but called Prince Edward Heights in the video. Didn’t watch it all, but it’s there. Check it out …
Don't be sorry my friend. Its up to us to say: Thank you for what you have done! (It's not up to you to ask for a thank you!) Many blessings from a (many) 🇩🇰.
I'm one American who actually DID know about Canada's nuclear contributions. (My family has deep roots in The Westinghouse Electric Company, So I know a bit of electrical and nuclear history). ALSO, A Canadian built the first usable "Walkie Talkie" during WW2. This is NOT as well known as that other more famous piece of Canadian communications tech: The telephone. Personally I would like to thank yinz Canadians for North America's BEST sports: Hockey and Basketball!!🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
To give you an idea of the scale of the Canadian and British involvement in D-Day and the rest of the European campaign: they had more boots on the ground than the Americans for the first couple of days. I'm not hating on the US or diminishing the sacrifice made by American soldiers. The US, Canadians and British, as well as Free France and the resistance in occupied countries, were called the Allies for a reason and without either of them we wouldn't have a free world today. This is just to add some perspective.
Served alongside Canadians in Cyprus and Germany. Fantastic people, marvellous sense of humour and adventure. Their contribution to WW2 was immense, but what they did in WW1 was probably more important to them as a nation, it pretty much made moder Canada 🇨🇦. As an aside, it might be worth looking into the contribution of some of the other, lesser known allied forces, such as Brazil, who fought in the Italian campaign, and Mexico, who I believe, had Air Force Units in the Pacific theatre.
Canada pre-ww1:*has like no military* Canada after ww1:*comes out with the 3rd strongest army and 4th strongest navy* (I may have had something wrong in there if so correct me)
Yeah, I hate when my fellow countrymen tout America's part but forget that there were many nations involved and it took the effort of all of them to win. I hate to think of how it would have turned out if we had stayed neutral, we were the Allied's storehouses and factories.
That's because Americans tend to forget other countries outside their own exist. Those who do know Canada fought in both world wars, honestly believe Canada was involved AFTER they themselves got there. They completely forget we were in Korea, let alone the 3rd largest presence there.
As an American, I’m glad to hear about nations other than America who sacrificed so much. There are other nations and cultures who contributed so much in WWI and WWII that aren’t discussed about as much. From Canadians and Aussies to Gurkhas to French, and yes Soviet’s. They all gave more than we can comprehend or appreciate and imagine in todays modern warfare.
As a Dane I would put the Canadian paratroopers saving Denmark from Russian occupation on the list. Canadian paratroopers blocked the russians from access to Denmark and "only" the island of Bornholm in the Baltic sea was bombed and occupied by the russians. The occupation of the island lasted for a year. This is the same island where the Nord Stream pipe lines were bombed last year.
@@misledprops I was standing on Juno and began to cry, it laid so heavy on my soul. I thought about my Grandfather who carried a letter from the Chaplin who laid his son's body to rest in his wallet until the day he died. We still have that letter
My grandfather took part in the Scheldt campaign, it was a very brutal affair, comparable to Passchendaele in The Great War. In the final days of the campaign his cousin’s Sterling bomber was shot down only a few miles north of where my grandfather was on the ground. No one survived the crash. The whole crew is buried together in a Dutch town’s community cemetery laying among the people they died to help liberate. I hope to visit their graves one day.
The Haida sat on the walkway along the shore of Lake Ontario for years. My kids and I climbed through the “guts” of the ship many times. No charge to go aboard back then. The Haida was suffering degradation and was moved elsewhere after I’d left the city. Don’t know where she is now, but my family enjoyed her and admired her role in WW11. 🇨🇦🖖🏻🇨🇦
I used to do training weekends on the Haida as a Sea Cadet in high school... We got to sleep in hammocks just like the old sailors would but those mannequins would scare the 💩 out of us in the middle of the night during duty watch!
@@kally0208 I did a week on the Haida as a cadet when I was a kid. It was nearly winter, half the corps got hypothermia, the food was terrible, and it was some of the most fun I have ever had. What a memory.
As a 55 year old Canadian, my generation was not taught about what Canada did in WW I or WW2. It was not until I joined the CAF, 1Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, that I began to learn how important Canada's contribution to both World Wars, and the Korean War was. Thanks for this video.
as a 72 year old I was educated in a far more concentrated affect. I knew much more than my children do and suspect that in many provinces no history is taught prior to the 50's . I also came from an RCAF family and lost an uncle in the Netherlands so maybe that is why we spoke of at home.
i was getting kicked out of class and suspended because i challenged the British social studies teacher on WW1 and WW2 actions of Canada. I was lucky that my father stuck up for me and set em straight that the boy was 100% right. got a week off school for the poor choice of words i used. i flunked the class but dad over saw my work and knew the teacher had it out for me.
That is odd. I'm only slightly younger and we definitely did learn about both world wars in grade 10 history class. It was all 20th century history and 90% of it was about the two wars from the Schlieffen plan all the way to Market Garden.
@@theguyfromsaturn we learned about Dieppe and that's about to it. Even in high school we didn't take too much about Canada's involvement in both World wars or Korea for that matter. I learned about that when I joined the Forces.
TY from a Canadian. A mini brag is OK by me once in a blue moon. You are among the very few, who recall openly , that Canadian troops got the deepest on D-Day. Heard they had to pull back for fear of being flanked, an cut off.
I guess I'm one of the few. As an American, I actually DID know about Canada's nuclear contributions. (As well as the British contributions). If you get all of your history from pop culture, you might not know. But even a casual history "buff" should. ALL of the Allies contributed greatly. One or two countries could NOT have defeated the Axis. Also a "fun fact" the neat bit of Wartime "kit" known as the "Walkie Talkie" was first successfully made by Donald Hings, A Canadian.
In Denmark🇩🇰 too, we will never forget how the 🇨🇦fought for us and the rest of Europe. And yes, they have not received enough credit for their great effort in WW2!
One Canadian contribution to the World War 2 effort was artillery spotter plane pilots. These were drawn from many sources, and one was a Candian artillery lieutenant from Vancouver BC who was injured storming Juno, and could have been sent home because of his injuries were fairly severe, but wanted to fight. He got recruited for the spotter pilot job, graduated from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 with eleven other Canadian artillery officers and flew Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer in support of 1st Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery. Flying the Auster, which had no armour, or weapons, but flew over enemy lines to help guide artillery strikes. He became quite the aviator! At one point, he slalomed his Taylorcraft Auster through a series of telelgraph polls! Although he was never actually a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, he was once labelled the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Force". His name? James Doohan, but most of the planet knows him as Montgomery Scott, or Scotty, the head engineer of the USS Enterprise during the command of Captain Kirk.
While on holiday in the UK in 2012, we took a trip to France to visit the battlefields of D-Day. Our ferry went from Newhaven to Dieppe and back, so I made a point to visit the Dieppe cemetery. Respect to our cousins. 🇦🇺 (I visited Canada about 9 months later and spent a brilliant 6 weeks there)
Why did you use the Maple Leaf Flag as the thumbnail? Not a single man who fought in WWII would have recognised it or known what it was. They fought & died under the Red Ensign.
Yep!!! My grandfather was a US Army combat veteran of WWII. He always admired the absolute GUTS of the Canadians. Of course the nation that gave the world ice hockey is a nation that's not f***ing around! 🇨🇦👍😁👍🇨🇦
Another amazing video Simon, Ty. I served 12 years in the military here in Canada ( Ret.Sgt ) I served 3 years in the Reserves with a a Highland regiment on the East Coast (2NSH) they had battle honors from Vimy Ridge and Dieppe, and I served the remainder of my career with 2RCR . I can assure you what we lack in quantity we make up for in quality of soldiers . 🇨🇦
This Canadian's mother's future brother in law was machine gunned in Sicily and saved by locals going out after dark to steal boots from the dead. Her brother was a Canadian Army engineer in Italy at Ortona and possibly Monte Cassino. Later he was in the thick of the Battle of the Scheldt and the liberation of Holland. She had an uncle who was a pilot who refused to discuss the the war. My mother and one of her sisters were in uniform at a training base in Calgary to free up 2 more men to go overseas. My father was in from 1939 and was an armor instructor in England and on cleanup duty of the beach at Normandy for some time after VE Day. Very few Canadian families were not touched by WW2.
Nice to hear about contributions from other parts of the British Empire. Canada. Australia and New Zealand didn't have much manpower, but regularly punched above their weight and did an awful lot despite that.
@DJ: Canada’s population in 1939 was 11 million. Ten percent ( 1.1 million people) served during the war. About 67% of that number volunteered. Most of Canada’s contributions was in the European theatre, however Canadians did assist the Americans in liberating the two islands in The Aleutian Islands. Stay safe, stay sane, stay strong Ukraine 🇺🇦
My old Regiment, The Lincoln & Welland has a battle honour "Bergen Op Zoom". It is an annual remembrance for the Regiment and the Regiment's connection with the people of Holland is always at the forefront.
My father was captured at Dieppe. Born in Manchester, UK during WWI to an English mother and an American father serving in the British army, my father was raised mostly in the U.S. When Germany invaded Poland he enlisted in the U.S. Army. But after the fall of France in 1940 he grew frustrated with U.S. inaction so he bolted for Canada, which was in the war. He enlisted at Windsor, Ont. the Essex Scottish, which was shipped to England. The first two years were spent guarding Southern England from Nazi invasion and undergoing intensive training. My father fell in love with an English woman and they were married in Sept. 1941. By 1942 the Canadian 2nd Division was getting restless, it had seen no action. So they were chosen for the Dieppe Raid, which was mounted on Aug. 19. As Simon noted, it was a complete fiasco. My dad was a Sgt. in a regiment tasked with the frontal assault on the port and town of Dieppe. But the Germans were waiting for them and cut them down on the beach. More than 900 Canadians died on the beach. The Essex Scottish was decimated and never recovered. My dad was captured and spent the rest of the war in POW camps. His wife in England (not my mother) gave birth to their child, a daughter, while he was a POW. (She turned 80 a few days ago.) Being a POW in Germany and the long march at the end of the war in unbearable winter conditions was a brutal experience, but he survived. He would never talk about this war experiences to me when I was a boy. He died in March 1973 a few days before I turned 16. BTW, a number of documents that were only recently declassified reveal that the Dieppe Raid was actually a cover operation whereby commandos under Ian Fleming (who after the war would create James Bond) were supposed to "pinch" intelligence Bletchley Park was desperately seeking to break the code of the four-rotor German Enigma in order to stop the carnage Nazi U-Boats were inflicting on convoys in the North Atlantic. A Canadian historian and writer, David O'Keefe has researched and written about this extensively.
The most common omission of Canadian contributions to WWII is regarding the D-Day invasion. Almost without fail, narratives constantly refer to the "British and American" forces which invaded Normandy. This is largely rooted in the American assumption that Canadians were British and the British assumption that everyone who was not American was British. The fact that there were five main beachheads at Normandy and that one of them was taken by Canadians is largely overlooked or just mentioned in passing, and this is a gross disservice to those Canadians who fought and died there.
One contribution that is often overlooked, as it is here, was the donation by Canada, a country with a population slightly over 11 million, of $1 billion ($18 billion today) to Britain to pay for the food and war materiel that Canada supplied for the war effort. No lend/lease, no 60 year repayment plan, no strings attached. That's on top of the 10% of the population that joined up and served in some capacity during the war.
My second cousin Fl/Off. John Milton McLay served as a navigator in RCAF 432 Squadron. On their first combat operation in a brand new Halifax III bomber they were shot down over Vervier Belgium. Six of they eight crew members were killed including my cousin. May they rest in peace.
Thanks for this! A lot of my family fought in both wars, including leading the efforts in liberating the Netherlands, but two generations removed I haven’t learned much other than a few family stories. It’s great to hear the large scale impact the country had.
My grandfather ran a weapons manufacturing plant during ww2. The factory was responsible for manufacturing most of the weapons for Canada and England during ww2.
Thanks for reminding us that the Allied victory wasn’t just the UK and the U.S.! So many videos concentrate just on those two countries and leave the Commonwealth countries out, as well as the Resistance groups.
As a Canadian this makes me happy to see, as a Canadian Soldier, this makes me extatic. We're almost never depicted in pop culture despite this, if Hollywood would open its eyes, it could easily find material for a band of brother's type series and a whole era of movies. My units story from WW2 does have an excellent book, and I'd love to see it be made into something like Band of Brother's but it's just not gonna happen. No one in Hollywood wants to make a movie about cancuks they want Americans
7:10 it was not the Japanese or Germans who were put to work in the fields. They were actually Canadians, born in Canada, who had German and Japanese heritage. Most of them only spoke English too. I love your videos
You forgot to mention the 1st special service force! The joint American/Canadian commando unit made up of frontiersmen and trappers. Saw service in Italy and France
I’m proud to say. My hometown. Swift Current Saskatchewan donated tens of thousands of horses to the front line troops. Butchered Boiled and canned straight from our local industrial Horse Plant.
Thanks for finally showing Canada. My father fought in the war and was in both D-day and the Battle of the Bulge. (as well as Korea) It is nice to finally get some recognition.
I was talking to a British man and told him that up to his death my government told my grandfather he was not a part of WWII as a merchant marine at 14 years old. A tear fell as he said, "I'm British and that's not how we feel. Without boys like your grandfather there were no bullets, no bombs, no food, no guns, no war. Your grandfather and those who fought with him were the reason we still have a country, and we will be forever grateful." Love you and miss you Poppo. I hope you are finally at peace.
Newfoundland joined the Dominion of Canada on March/31/1949.Operation Eclipse, in Wismar Germany, where the Canadians stopped the Russians from taking Denmark is an operation a lot of Canadians don't know as well.
The main reason Newfoundland is a part of Canada was due to their contributions in the first and second world wars. Between regular service and their contribution to civilian services such as the merchant marine and other places they were over represented as compared to other commonwealth countries. The toll both world wars had on their male population was a contributing factor to joining canada. It's possible they'd still be independent. 22,000 served in regular forces out of a population of 300k, with another 10k serving in the merchant marine.
I would love to see the ANZACS version of this. A forced colonial army that made the UK, America and the germans go wtf? From a farmer army that shocked the world to one of the highest trained military in the world.
Simon, thanks so much for covering this important history. I am a proud Canadian and Newfoundlander, ex military engineer (reserve). It is so important to know what these brave soldiers have done for us. My son did a research project on the Argentia Navel base. It was still active up until recent history. The story of that place is fascinating. Happy to share that with you. Cheers
After the executions of Canadian POW’s on June 7th, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division stopped taking SS prisoners, and began something of a tit for tat reprisal spree with the SS. It got to the point were later during the Normandy campaign, 21st Army Group had to ask 3rd Can Div to please start taking prisoners again.
Really glad you put this out . My grandfather was a radio man in ww2 and was there D-Day , made it home from war and had a heart attack. EdwardTaylor Murray RIP🇨🇦
Thanks Simon, we here in Canada seem to always get forgotten about when it comes to nearly everything. We had some of the top scientists that got the western world to the moon as well. Actually, THE top guy was from here in the maritimes.
I'm a veteran... a Cold War veteran... of the RCN. I had the honour to serve alongside many veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic. They were the iron men with hearts of oak that we know of from the history of the Commonwealth going back centuries. The finest kind, every one! My Uncle also served in the UK from 1940 - 45... in a support role, another Uncle was captured at Hong on 25 December, 1941 and was a POW until 1945. Our next door neighbour was an infantry soldier who landed in Normandy on D plus 1 and helped to liberate Holland, our neighbour across the street was in the RCAF as an aerial gunner... there are more that I could mention who served in War 2. I also have many relatives who served Canada in War 1... artillery and infantry... from 1915 to 1918... grandfather and uncles x 5. Canada serves when needed. Oh... and my father and 2 of his cousins in Korea. Followed by my own - and 1 brothers - service during the Cold War. Nice to see Simon talking about our boys, however briefly.
As I have lived for decades in the US, I can tell you that the average American is shockingly ignorant (even mockingly ignorant) of the efforts of its most important ally in WWII. However, many veterans and historians are very aware of Canadian war efforts. Most Americans also have no idea about BSC and its Canadian head Intrepid, which was instrumental not only in swaying American public opinion in favour of the allies, but actually was the impetus for the creation of the (eventual) CIA.
In Ottawa, within the Peace Tower sits the Memorial Chamber. The chamber displays eight Books of Remembrance, books listing fallen Canadians. The chamber floor is comprised of stone collected from European battlefields Canadians participated in; Vimy, Ypres, Somme and Verdun. 11AM each morning sees each book turned to a new page; so it is possible to ascertain which day to be present for the reveal of a lost relative. I witnessed this ceremony by happenstance. It was gripping.
Here in the Netherlands, we certainly do *not* forget Canada. We owe our freedom to Canada.
Thank you.
We never forget you either, especially in the Spring when the beautiful Tulips are in bloom to help serve as a reminder.
Cheers. 🇨🇦
When my first wife and I were tourists in the Netherlands in 1976, the people in Amsterdam treated us like we kicked out the Nazis the day before. Any male. female, any age, and coming from a Dutch-Canadian farming community we felt right at home and appreciated. Thank you for the rememberance.
My grandfather was a part of that! He loved being able to go back years later too
The Canadian Tulip Festival is the direct result of Princess Margriet being born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The Dutch Royal Family gifted 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa 1945 and to this day 20,000 tulip bulbs are gifted to Canada each year by the Netherlands.
We have Dutch ties in toronto (Brampton) tulips from the Dutch and nice gardens they make with them
Thank you! I am very proud of my country and it’s great to hear how much we were a part of the allies. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was one of the first major contributions by Canada, at the beginning of the war. The BCATP provided training for all the aircrew positions as well as the aviation support trades, toward the success of the air war. Many air bases were quickly constructed across the country in 1939 - 1940 to provide the necessary facilities needed to house the participants. These individuals arrived from not only from the commonwealth, but nations such as Norway, Poland, and even volunteers from the USA before December 1941. Churchill referred to Canada as "the Aerodrome of Democracy".
Beautiful!
Agreed. It should be number one on this list. Also, the liberation of The Netherlands and the supply of food to its starving population. Not to forget that Canada provided shelter to the Dutch Royal family, something that has never been forgotten by The Netherlands.
My dad was in Corvettes, uncle John was in Bomber Command. When i was a kid I was always more at ease around adults so I spent a lot of time around my dad and his buddies, all of them were WW2 veterans. They never talked about the war, fishing was a favourite subject. They had a familiar sense of humour, a manliness about them as well as love of common sense and a great respect for human dignity.
Thank you Simon.
I've had way too many small brain Americans say we Canadians didn't do anything in the second world war. Now I have something to send them rather Than expletives and facts thanks as always simon
Lol, don't take seriously what bullies tells you😂.
USA were always the best in bragging. That counts for nothing😊!!
My great-uncle Jacques was a bombardier with the RCAF during WW2. He was shot down and killed over Germany.
Here in the Netherlands 🇳🇱, we remember the Canadians. Lots of people fought in and over the Netherlands, (Arnhem, the Scheldt), but the Canadians did most of the heavy lifting, and are considered the main liberators here.
It was quite the relief, at the time, and people were very happy and grateful. They were literally starving at the time, so the Canadians were very, very welcome.
Thanks again for that.
I dated a Dutch man whose parents, as teens, sabotaged bridges, roads, anything German they could find. At night. No lights. Dead if caught. Because of Canada’s liberation of the Netherlands, his parents and their siblings emigrated to Canada. They are so appreciative, all these decades later, of our help. They’re very proud to be Canadians. It’s an honour to have known them.
My Grand-father landed at Dieppe, and then some how survived to go on to Belgium... and then was sent home to spawn my father. Whew !
Any time! Speaking of which, mind if we crash on your couch next week? We're coming in to uhhh, dissuade a Russian invasion maybe? 🤷🏻
🥃🍷🍸🍺🍷🥃🍺🍸
@@slcpunk2740 Sure, no worries. I have a big fridge.
In my city (in Canada) we have a large Carillon in our city centre park, donated by the Netherlands as a memorial and appreciation for the Canadian efforts there in WWII.
I'm glad we're friends and I should really visit :)
Thank you for creating a video on this topic. I was an American tourist from Seattle on holiday near 11 November 1999 to Vancouver Island British Columbia. Imagine my surprise when I found a painting on one of the ferries about the Flower Class Corvette HMCS ALBERNI. The brass plaque on the frame mentioned the loss of 59 of her crew in 1944 by the German UBoot U480. But it was the sacredness of Remembrance Day that Canadians felt that moved me so much that I returned to Seattle, quit my job, immigrated to British Columbia and created the HMCS ALBERNI Museum and Memorial (HAMM) and The Alberni Project Society. Imagine an American, born and raised in the shadow of Yellowstone, growing up truly believing that my father and John Wayne single-handedly won the Second World War now making sure that the history of the Canadian Forces be preserved for future generations.
That's awesome! Victoria girl here! :)
Thanks for that !
Lies, no American says on holiday.
WOW, what can I say but a great big Thank You.
Montreal Girl here . . .🇨🇦
Wow! Such an amazing history and contribution.
Thank you, from Montreal for keeping lives, spirits and memories, Alive.
Please let me know when the movie, and or book, is coming out :)
I'll be there opening night.
Cheers from Canada
Merci beaucoup pour tous
American perspective: Canadian contributions in WWI and WWII are immeasurable. They answered the call in 1914 and fought the end in 1918. In WWII Canada joined England in 1939 and fought in all theatres of the European War to include D-Day where they went ashore on Juno Beach. In the air, on the land, and on the water Canada was instrumental in the victories of both world wars. I had the honor of serving with Canadian troops. Our great friend and neighbor to the north!
Thank you for the kind words brother.
Thank you
Canadians also fought in China
Countless other conflicts and peacekeeping missions... Thanks brother kind words appreciated ❤🇨🇦💪
@@willcruickshankw5527: Indeed they did, but only directly in Hong Kong in December 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Army attacked, invaded & occupied the British Empire’s Crown Colony there!
Some, very few individuals however (Volunteers), Canadians (Literally, only a handful) did fight & serve in mainland China, such as Dr. Norman Bethune, who was a volunteer medical officer (Surgeon) attached to Mao Tse Tung’s Communist Army, who were then fighting both Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalist’s (Koumintang’s) Forces as well as the invading Japanese Imperial Army in conflicts that lasted altogether between 1931 to 1949 there!!
Actually, more Canadian 🍁volunteers in those days wanting to fight Fascism, Nazism or Japanese Imperialism, were more motivated to go to Spain & fight in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) for the Republicans-side, rather than in China & fight for their ideals there, and likely as not, voluntarily join the International Brigades in one of their MacKenzie-Papineau battalions of the Lincoln-Washington Brigade consisting then of mainly American & Canadian volunteers!!
One small accomplishment ( Operation Eclipse 1945) that always go unnoticed is the saving of Denmark from being occupied by Soviet forces in April 1945. A small group of lightly armed Canadian paratroopers occupied the city of Wismar in northern Germany, a town that was to be in the Soviet sphere of control. They set up roadblocks to stop the Russian T 34 tanks. It was basically to delay the Soviets a couple of days, so Allied forces could occupy Denmark.
Stay safe, stay sane, stay strong Ukraine 🇺🇦
The Canadians raced to the town, set up camp, and told the Soviets (paraphrasing here), "It would be a shame if we had to use this artillery division just over that hill that we totally have supporting us."
As a Dane I wouldn´t call it a small accomplishment. Thank you Canada! Slava Ukraini!
800 Canadian paratroopers, and 21 British tanks had a Mexican stand off with and entire guards tank army (Approx 120,000 men 500ish tanks). The Canadians didn't blink. Even shot a few Russians who tried to break into the town at night. Ice in their veins.
@@McTeerZor Quite possibly it was the fighting reputation of the Canadians and the Brits that stopped the Russians from advancing any further.
@@stevestruthers6180 Brits? Dude they said British tanks we USED British tanks in WW2 he never said British run British tanks dude. So it was just us Cunucks
Canada doesn't have to brag about how great it is, it's obvious by how the world views and treats Canada.
though it is nice to be recognized for our accomplishments every once in a while.
I used to be very nationalistic in my youth, however I've since changed, as Canada has it's own set of problems. If you allow yourself to be blinded by nationalism you'll never fix the problems with your country, and will never get better. I love Canada but we are a flawed place and should never forget it.
Agreed.
I'm a proud Canadian. 🇨🇦
@@claytonberg721 that's true for every country on the planet
@@phatphat7089 That's the point. Nationalism is for simple people who don't think.
@@claytonberg721 yup
Great video, very appreciated by this Canadian Armed Forces Veteran.
As an American veteran, I am well aware of the contributions by Canadian troops, particularly on the drive up the east coast of Italy and in Normandy, Where the 3rd ID faced hard fighting and prevailed. Canadian troops in WW2 were elite units, imo.
🫡
❤
@@Heathcoatman Thank you.
Royal Canadian Regiment Cold War I Veteran here
👍👏👏👏👊
Thank you from a Canadian
Co-signed
Ditto 👍👍👍🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Princess Margriet of The Netherlands was born in Ottawa Civic Hospital, as the Dutch Royal Family had gone into exile in Canada in 1940. Also, The Netherlands continues to send 20,000 tulips to Ottawa every year.
The room of the hospital where she was born was temporarily made Dutch territory, so that the princess would be born on Dutch soil.
20,000 tulips? That's like 6 billion dollars isn't it?
@@Grimlock1979 Wow, that's so cool.
@@RubyDoobieScoo they pay wholesale, not retail 🤣
@@Grimlock1979 I believe it was temporarily stateLESS.
Can you please do one of these for New Zealand?
Well done, Canada!
Could I suggest another one, this time on Australia? Such things as…
1. The Kokoda Trek where we fought a withdrawal across New Guinea until backed on to Port Moresby before they were halted and pushed all the way back over the Owen Stanley Ranges. Made more admirable when you consider this was done by the “Choco’s”, reservists described as “Chocolate Soldiers” because they would melt in the heat of battle.
2. Milne Bay - The first land defeat inflicted on the Japanese Army, also in New Guinea.
3. Our part in the defence of Tobruk…the famous Rats of Tobruk.
4. Or the Goebels named “Scrap Iron Flotilla” that ran supplies and fresh troops into Tobruk and taking the wounded out.
5. Z-Force - the attack on Singapore by frogmen.
Or what happened to them and others on the Burma Railway…
Just to get you started.
Ya brother hear ya many dont know that you Aussie and Zealanders have fought all over the world and one hell of a fighting force much love from Canada
We always stick up for our Australian Brothers and never forget how, like us, we were cannon fodder for the British until we weren't.
From Canada: Not to forget the Australian Coast Watchers. A huge contribution to the defeat of Japan.
I once heard a funny clip that was edited and never heard from a CBC radio broadcast interviewing a soldier in Europe as the war raged . The journalist said that Canadian soldiers have a reputation for cursing excessively . Why is that ? The soldier replied "Because we've been here the F&^%n longest !"
so true!!
😂
As an FYI ... the longest sniper kill shot in history, is from a Canadian JTF2 soldier.
As an FYI, that's not where the comma goes.
@@slcpunk2740 Hahahahaha! 🇨🇦
And 3 of the current top 5
I had no idea.
Another thing to be proud of.
Thanks, something new that I never knew. 🇨🇦
I bet he said sorry, on impact.
A video about Camp X would be very informative. It contributed a lot to the clandestine and special operations of WW2
See X Company tv show, nice dramatic show
@@donaldcake1 - ex members of Camp X went on to build the USA now CIA
@@donaldcake1 Is it on the real Camp X?
@@anothernamlesscommenter352no, it was dismantled after the war. There is nothing where it used to be.
there is a commerative plack on display and as a kid in 1949 I was lucky to have been on the camp.
@@stevenweaver3386
The Canadian contributions to the world have long gone unrecognized. Hope this video starts a trend.
Many of us have been working on fixing this for quite some time.
History Channel used to run a series that covered Canada's contributions. Season 1 "For King and Country" Season 2 "For Queen and Country".
Season 1 covers both world wars, season 2 covers after Queen Elizabeth took the throne.
I was not happy when it was taken off-air.
@@jaquigreenlees Lots of Canadian military history on my channel!
Where would the world be without Zambonis!?
@@michaeldowson6988 Why? Zamboni's have nothing to do with Canadian contributions to World War II.
damn right we are ignored! we scared the Germans! without Porthope Ontario there would been no fuel for the a bombs! without camp X the spy game would been nothing! its in Oshawa ontario, without our planes and men, it would been a longer war! more so our New Foundland boys! my grandfather fought in Italy and germany, he landed on Juno beach 3rd wave. he survived and came home died in 1988 he is my hero ,
Thank you for the recognition. 🇨🇦
If you think that the Canadians at Dieppe and The Scheldt got a raw deal from Montgomery and the politicians, you must research the Battle of Hong King. The Royal Rifles and the Winnipeg Grenadiers, as well as the other Commonwealth forces already in Hong Kong, were ordered to fight a hopeless battle. The Battle of Hong Kong started on Dec 7, 1941 (yes, the same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor) and ended with the surrender of all defenders on Christmas day. My grandfather and 11 of his cousins went into Japanese POW camps and only 4 of his cousins made it home. The Canadian and English governments swept the whole thing under the rug for decades. It's only been recently acknowledged by the the governments of Canada, England and Japan. The Japanese government made a formal apology to the Canadians for the severe mistreatment, torture and murders committed by the Japanese running the POW camps. Research the Battle of Hong Kong.
When I was in scouts one of our leaders father came to talk around remembrance day. He was in Hong Kong and lost a finger and was captured. He joked about the finger but nearly broke down thinking about his time as a POW. That has stuck with me all these years.
@@logangamble1890 W
Do you recall if he was in the Royal Rifles or the Winnipeg Grenadiers? My grandfather & cousins were members of the Royal Rifles.
@@mweiss0033 I don't recall as I was quite young. But it was in Saskatoon and the North Saskatchewan regiment was part of the Canadian rifles. And people move around.
So disappointes to not see the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands on this list. My grandfather was a part of that campaign, and the Netherlands still celebrates Canada for that. That was a huge deal. He and many surviving CAF members and family members got all expense paid trips there in the early 90s for one of the anniversaries even. I remember my grandfather going on that trip quite clearly and watching the celebration/parades broadcasted on Canadian TV.
The Scheldt is related to that. You are complaining about an omission that does not exist.
As a Canadian I would add the liberation of the Netherlands and The Battle of Hong Kong to the list. As for the POW camps, there is one a few minutes away from me. Many POWs didn't bother returning home after the war and instead opted to stay in Canada
There was an enormous prison camp for German soldiers in Price Edward County in southern Ontario. It’s closed now, but many of the soldiers stayed at the end of the war, and became Canadian citizens. The camp became a centre for severely mentally handicapped people. My friend’s wife worked there and she took a friend and I for a tour. It was still quite evident that it had held POW’s all those years ago.
I've interviewed a few of these old soldiers in BC. The running theme was that they had no idea that a place could be so free... an interesting sentiment for people who were POWs.
@@Momcat_maggiefelinefan I live near & am from Belleville, had never heard of any PoW camp in the county. Thanks for sharing I'll take a look into it.
@@justincronkright5025 It was called Prince Edward Heights. Haven’t been out that way in over 20 years. It was a German POW camp in WW2, and was a home for severely affected adults with birth defects. My friend, who worked there at the time, has unfortunately passed away, so I don’t know if the building is even there. Y relatives in the area are all gone as well. It was somewhere near Milford/Cherry Valley in the County. My uncle had a farm just west of Cherry Valley, and it was somewhere around that area. Sorry my memory is so bad … I’m getting old, lol.
@@justincronkright5025 I just did a search. It’s listed as Picton Heights in the title but called Prince Edward Heights in the video. Didn’t watch it all, but it’s there. Check it out …
As Canadians we are so sorry you had to make a video on how accomplished we are.
Yup, eh
Don't be sorry my friend. Its up to us to say: Thank you for what you have done! (It's not up to you to ask for a thank you!)
Many blessings from a (many) 🇩🇰.
Not many people know about the Canadian contribution to the war effort, and to the nuclear research.
I'm one American who actually DID know about Canada's nuclear contributions. (My family has deep roots in The Westinghouse Electric Company, So I know a bit of electrical and nuclear history). ALSO, A Canadian built the first usable "Walkie Talkie" during WW2. This is NOT as well known as that other more famous piece of Canadian communications tech: The telephone. Personally I would like to thank yinz Canadians for North America's BEST sports: Hockey and Basketball!!🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Also first nuclear accident happened at Chalk River Ontario 1952
To give you an idea of the scale of the Canadian and British involvement in D-Day and the rest of the European campaign: they had more boots on the ground than the Americans for the first couple of days.
I'm not hating on the US or diminishing the sacrifice made by American soldiers. The US, Canadians and British, as well as Free France and the resistance in occupied countries, were called the Allies for a reason and without either of them we wouldn't have a free world today. This is just to add some perspective.
Served alongside Canadians in Cyprus and Germany. Fantastic people, marvellous sense of humour and adventure. Their contribution to WW2 was immense, but what they did in WW1 was probably more important to them as a nation, it pretty much made moder Canada 🇨🇦.
As an aside, it might be worth looking into the contribution of some of the other, lesser known allied forces, such as Brazil, who fought in the Italian campaign, and Mexico, who I believe, had Air Force Units in the Pacific theatre.
Canada pre-ww1:*has like no military* Canada after ww1:*comes out with the 3rd strongest army and 4th strongest navy* (I may have had something wrong in there if so correct me)
"They went up Vimy Ridge as Albertans, Nova Scotians, Manitobans.
They came down as Canadians."
Thanks for reminding us that our victory in WWII was an allied victory and no one nation defeated the Axis alone.
Yeah, I hate when my fellow countrymen tout America's part but forget that there were many nations involved and it took the effort of all of them to win. I hate to think of how it would have turned out if we had stayed neutral, we were the Allied's storehouses and factories.
Funny thing the paperwork says France and allies... weird
@@headsetlucky13 that's Charles de Gaulle for you
@@slcpunk2740 yes he was the acting government almost in its entirety what of it
It's sad your education system is so star and stripe washed. Self criticism is healthy.
Thanks man most Americans think we didn’t fight or fight in any war
They tend to forget about 1812 and on.
That's only because they'd have to admit we burnt the White House to cinders in 1812.
I’m American and I surely never thought that just never knew the extent
That's because Americans tend to forget other countries outside their own exist.
Those who do know Canada fought in both world wars, honestly believe Canada was involved AFTER they themselves got there.
They completely forget we were in Korea, let alone the 3rd largest presence there.
Approx. 35-50 thousand Canadians fought in The Union Army as well.
Yes it’s nice for someone to acknowledge the fact that Canada was its own fighting force and not just lump us in with Britain
You forgot to mention the key role Canada played in training radar operators for the Allies.
The video is only 10 contributions, not all contributions. 🇨🇦
Thank you Simon for highlighting my country 🇨🇦 my grandfather was stationed in England during ww2
The German weather equipment was in the north tip of Labrador, not on the island of Newfoundland. It was several hundred miles further north.
He did that story a month ago on Today I Found Out. I guess he forgot 😂
@@sandybarnes887 A slip of the tongue maybe....
As an American, I’m glad to hear about nations other than America who sacrificed so much. There are other nations and cultures who contributed so much in WWI and WWII that aren’t discussed about as much. From Canadians and Aussies to Gurkhas to French, and yes Soviet’s. They all gave more than we can comprehend or appreciate and imagine in todays modern warfare.
As a Dane I would put the Canadian paratroopers saving Denmark from Russian occupation on the list. Canadian paratroopers blocked the russians from access to Denmark and "only" the island of Bornholm in the Baltic sea was bombed and occupied by the russians. The occupation of the island lasted for a year. This is the same island where the Nord Stream pipe lines were bombed last year.
As a Haligonian.. I'm familiar with most of these.. See also: Halifax Explosion, which you've covered on another channel 👍💥
My mother was very young when her older brother died on the beach of Normandy.... I was able to travel there and stand on that beach
Must have been a heavy moment. It’s surreal to see the view of the beach from the turrets (and Vice versa) in person.
@@misledprops I was standing on Juno and began to cry, it laid so heavy on my soul. I thought about my Grandfather who carried a letter from the Chaplin who laid his son's body to rest in his wallet until the day he died. We still have that letter
My grandfather took part in the Scheldt campaign, it was a very brutal affair, comparable to Passchendaele in The Great War. In the final days of the campaign his cousin’s Sterling bomber was shot down only a few miles north of where my grandfather was on the ground. No one survived the crash. The whole crew is buried together in a Dutch town’s community cemetery laying among the people they died to help liberate. I hope to visit their graves one day.
I figured the 1st Special Service Force would have showed up on a list like this with their distinctive red arrowhead patch.
Fantastic video. Would love to see a video about the WWII service of HMCS Haida. The "fightingest" ship in the the Canadian Royal Navy.
The Haida sat on the walkway along the shore of Lake Ontario for years. My kids and I climbed through the “guts” of the ship many times. No charge to go aboard back then. The Haida was suffering degradation and was moved elsewhere after I’d left the city. Don’t know where she is now, but my family enjoyed her and admired her role in WW11. 🇨🇦🖖🏻🇨🇦
@@Momcat_maggiefelinefan Sheila Copps abused her government position to have it moved to hamilton. I too remember exploring the Haida as a kid.
@@C4L3D0N Thought it was Hamilton, but never looked for her as I’d moved 200k east. Thanks for the info.
I used to do training weekends on the Haida as a Sea Cadet in high school... We got to sleep in hammocks just like the old sailors would but those mannequins would scare the 💩 out of us in the middle of the night during duty watch!
@@kally0208 I did a week on the Haida as a cadet when I was a kid. It was nearly winter, half the corps got hypothermia, the food was terrible, and it was some of the most fun I have ever had. What a memory.
As a 55 year old Canadian, my generation was not taught about what Canada did in WW I or WW2. It was not until I joined the CAF, 1Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, that I began to learn how important Canada's contribution to both World Wars, and the Korean War was.
Thanks for this video.
as a 72 year old I was educated in a far more concentrated affect. I knew much more than my children do and suspect that in many provinces no history is taught prior to the 50's . I also came from an RCAF family and lost an uncle in the Netherlands so maybe that is why we spoke of at home.
They're too busy teaching them rainbow people and apps
i was getting kicked out of class and suspended because i challenged the British social studies teacher on WW1 and WW2 actions of Canada. I was lucky that my father stuck up for me and set em straight that the boy was 100% right. got a week off school for the poor choice of words i used. i flunked the class but dad over saw my work and knew the teacher had it out for me.
That is odd. I'm only slightly younger and we definitely did learn about both world wars in grade 10 history class. It was all 20th century history and 90% of it was about the two wars from the Schlieffen plan all the way to Market Garden.
@@theguyfromsaturn we learned about Dieppe and that's about to it. Even in high school we didn't take too much about Canada's involvement in both World wars or Korea for that matter. I learned about that when I joined the Forces.
TY from a Canadian. A mini brag is OK by me once in a blue moon. You are among the very few, who recall openly , that Canadian troops got the deepest on D-Day. Heard they had to pull back for fear of being flanked, an cut off.
I guess I'm one of the few. As an American, I actually DID know about Canada's nuclear contributions. (As well as the British contributions). If you get all of your history from pop culture, you might not know. But even a casual history "buff" should. ALL of the Allies contributed greatly. One or two countries could NOT have defeated the Axis. Also a "fun fact" the neat bit of Wartime "kit" known as the "Walkie Talkie" was first successfully made by Donald Hings, A Canadian.
In Denmark🇩🇰 too, we will never forget how the 🇨🇦fought for us and the rest of Europe.
And yes, they have not received enough credit for their great effort in WW2!
This French Canadian lady stands in solidarity and appreciation. Thank You.
One Canadian contribution to the World War 2 effort was artillery spotter plane pilots. These were drawn from many sources, and one was a Candian artillery lieutenant from Vancouver BC who was injured storming Juno, and could have been sent home because of his injuries were fairly severe, but wanted to fight. He got recruited for the spotter pilot job, graduated from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 with eleven other Canadian artillery officers and flew Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer in support of 1st Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery. Flying the Auster, which had no armour, or weapons, but flew over enemy lines to help guide artillery strikes. He became quite the aviator! At one point, he slalomed his Taylorcraft Auster through a series of telelgraph polls! Although he was never actually a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, he was once labelled the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Force".
His name? James Doohan, but most of the planet knows him as Montgomery Scott, or Scotty, the head engineer of the USS Enterprise during the command of Captain Kirk.
While on holiday in the UK in 2012, we took a trip to France to visit the battlefields of D-Day.
Our ferry went from Newhaven to Dieppe and back, so I made a point to visit the Dieppe cemetery. Respect to our cousins. 🇦🇺
(I visited Canada about 9 months later and spent a brilliant 6 weeks there)
Thank you for the acknowledgement and respect for my country's contributions ! ( A grateful Canadian )
As a Canadian I really appreciate this video, Simon 🙂 thank you for making it!
Why did you use the Maple Leaf Flag as the thumbnail? Not a single man who fought in WWII would have recognised it or known what it was. They fought & died under the Red Ensign.
Others would not have recognised it.
All Canadian soldiers wore a red maple leaf on their shoulder to mark them as Canadian troops.
@@millwrightrick1 Actually it was just a red patch.
On D-Day, Canadian troops landed on the best defended beach of the operation and advanced further inland than any other landing group that day.
Yep!!! My grandfather was a US Army combat veteran of WWII. He always admired the absolute GUTS of the Canadians. Of course the nation that gave the world ice hockey is a nation that's not f***ing around! 🇨🇦👍😁👍🇨🇦
Yeah…but you had Scotty from Star Trek! 🤣😂
@@colinr1960Scotty WAS actually Canadian. Captain Kirk, too don't forget!🇨🇦
@@jamesslick4790 Yes. He went ashore on D-Day.
@@jamesslick4790 Well, except for hockey, Canadians don't start fights, they finish them! LOL
Another amazing video Simon, Ty.
I served 12 years in the military here in Canada ( Ret.Sgt ) I served 3 years in the Reserves with a a Highland regiment on the East Coast (2NSH) they had battle honors from Vimy Ridge and Dieppe, and I served the remainder of my career with 2RCR .
I can assure you what we lack in quantity we make up for in quality of soldiers . 🇨🇦
There's also the Battle of the St Lawrence! When Uboats attacked our coast.
This Canadian's mother's future brother in law was machine gunned in Sicily and saved by locals going out after dark to steal boots from the dead. Her brother was a Canadian Army engineer in Italy at Ortona and possibly Monte Cassino. Later he was in the thick of the Battle of the Scheldt and the liberation of Holland. She had an uncle who was a pilot who refused to discuss the the war. My mother and one of her sisters were in uniform at a training base in Calgary to free up 2 more men to go overseas.
My father was in from 1939 and was an armor instructor in England and on cleanup duty of the beach at Normandy for some time after VE Day.
Very few Canadian families were not touched by WW2.
The Black Watch was part of the 5th Brigade. The brigade included also the Calgary Highlanders and le Regiment de Maisonneuve.
Nice to hear about contributions from other parts of the British Empire. Canada. Australia and New Zealand didn't have much manpower, but regularly punched above their weight and did an awful lot despite that.
@DJ: Canada’s population in 1939 was 11 million. Ten percent ( 1.1 million people) served during the war. About 67% of that number volunteered.
Most of Canada’s contributions was in the European theatre, however Canadians did assist the Americans in liberating the two islands in The Aleutian Islands.
Stay safe, stay sane, stay strong Ukraine 🇺🇦
My favorite contribution by Canada is participation in the First Special Service Force.
My old Regiment, The Lincoln & Welland has a battle honour "Bergen Op Zoom". It is an annual remembrance for the Regiment and the Regiment's connection with the people of Holland is always at the forefront.
My father was captured at Dieppe. Born in Manchester, UK during WWI to an English mother and an American father serving in the British army, my father was raised mostly in the U.S. When Germany invaded Poland he enlisted in the U.S. Army. But after the fall of France in 1940 he grew frustrated with U.S. inaction so he bolted for Canada, which was in the war. He enlisted at Windsor, Ont. the Essex Scottish, which was shipped to England. The first two years were spent guarding Southern England from Nazi invasion and undergoing intensive training. My father fell in love with an English woman and they were married in Sept. 1941. By 1942 the Canadian 2nd Division was getting restless, it had seen no action. So they were chosen for the Dieppe Raid, which was mounted on Aug. 19. As Simon noted, it was a complete fiasco. My dad was a Sgt. in a regiment tasked with the frontal assault on the port and town of Dieppe. But the Germans were waiting for them and cut them down on the beach. More than 900 Canadians died on the beach. The Essex Scottish was decimated and never recovered. My dad was captured and spent the rest of the war in POW camps. His wife in England (not my mother) gave birth to their child, a daughter, while he was a POW. (She turned 80 a few days ago.) Being a POW in Germany and the long march at the end of the war in unbearable winter conditions was a brutal experience, but he survived. He would never talk about this war experiences to me when I was a boy. He died in March 1973 a few days before I turned 16. BTW, a number of documents that were only recently declassified reveal that the Dieppe Raid was actually a cover operation whereby commandos under Ian Fleming (who after the war would create James Bond) were supposed to "pinch" intelligence Bletchley Park was desperately seeking to break the code of the four-rotor German Enigma in order to stop the carnage Nazi U-Boats were inflicting on convoys in the North Atlantic. A Canadian historian and writer, David O'Keefe has researched and written about this extensively.
To our Canadian cousins. Thank you for your war efforts.
Big thank you to Simon and the team for giving the True North Strong and Free some much deserved but never expected praise.
The most common omission of Canadian contributions to WWII is regarding the D-Day invasion.
Almost without fail, narratives constantly refer to the "British and American" forces which invaded Normandy. This is largely rooted in the American assumption that Canadians were British and the British assumption that everyone who was not American was British. The fact that there were five main beachheads at Normandy and that one of them was taken by Canadians is largely overlooked or just mentioned in passing, and this is a gross disservice to those Canadians who fought and died there.
Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.
One contribution that is often overlooked, as it is here, was the donation by Canada, a country with a population slightly over 11 million, of $1 billion ($18 billion today) to Britain to pay for the food and war materiel that Canada supplied for the war effort. No lend/lease, no 60 year repayment plan, no strings attached. That's on top of the 10% of the population that joined up and served in some capacity during the war.
Vive le Canada
I grand father served in ww2 in the Canadian Navy. I still have his medal of honor hanging on my wall.
My Uncle was a midshipman on the King George in the south Pacific ; he retired an Admiral .
In Canada we don't spell "Honour" like an American. 🇨🇦
Canada has never issued a Medal of Honour.
We do have the Victoria Cross, the Star of Military Valour, and the Medal of Military Valour.
We had two people win the VC during the raid on Dieppe.
My second cousin Fl/Off. John Milton McLay served as a navigator in RCAF 432 Squadron. On their first combat operation in a brand new Halifax III bomber they were shot down over Vervier Belgium. Six of they eight crew members were killed including my cousin. May they rest in peace.
Thanks for this! A lot of my family fought in both wars, including leading the efforts in liberating the Netherlands, but two generations removed I haven’t learned much other than a few family stories. It’s great to hear the large scale impact the country had.
My grandfather ran a weapons manufacturing plant during ww2. The factory was responsible for manufacturing most of the weapons for Canada and England during ww2.
Thanks for reminding us that the Allied victory wasn’t just the UK and the U.S.! So many videos concentrate just on those two countries and leave the Commonwealth countries out, as well as the Resistance groups.
Canadians of 1 Can Para also jumped into Normandy prior to the invasions.
As a Canadian this makes me happy to see, as a Canadian Soldier, this makes me extatic. We're almost never depicted in pop culture despite this, if Hollywood would open its eyes, it could easily find material for a band of brother's type series and a whole era of movies.
My units story from WW2 does have an excellent book, and I'd love to see it be made into something like Band of Brother's but it's just not gonna happen. No one in Hollywood wants to make a movie about cancuks they want Americans
7:10 it was not the Japanese or Germans who were put to work in the fields. They were actually Canadians, born in Canada, who had German and Japanese heritage. Most of them only spoke English too. I love your videos
You forgot to mention the 1st special service force! The joint American/Canadian commando unit made up of frontiersmen and trappers. Saw service in Italy and France
Great video. Though you missed the battle of Hong Kong and the merchant marine.
I’m proud to say. My hometown. Swift Current Saskatchewan donated tens of thousands of horses to the front line troops.
Butchered Boiled and canned straight from our local industrial Horse Plant.
This was a very fascinating episode. Thank you.
Thanks for finally showing Canada. My father fought in the war and was in both D-day and the Battle of the Bulge. (as well as Korea) It is nice to finally get some recognition.
💯 great content !
I was talking to a British man and told him that up to his death my government told my grandfather he was not a part of WWII as a merchant marine at 14 years old.
A tear fell as he said, "I'm British and that's not how we feel. Without boys like your grandfather there were no bullets, no bombs, no food, no guns, no war. Your grandfather and those who fought with him were the reason we still have a country, and we will be forever grateful."
Love you and miss you Poppo. I hope you are finally at peace.
Newfoundland joined the Dominion of Canada on March/31/1949.Operation Eclipse, in Wismar Germany, where the Canadians stopped the Russians from taking Denmark is an operation a lot of Canadians don't know as well.
Awesome piece. Nice to see Canada get some recognition.
And just so we’re clear it’s pronounced New-fund-land….
Yes, b'y
The main reason Newfoundland is a part of Canada was due to their contributions in the first and second world wars. Between regular service and their contribution to civilian services such as the merchant marine and other places they were over represented as compared to other commonwealth countries. The toll both world wars had on their male population was a contributing factor to joining canada. It's possible they'd still be independent. 22,000 served in regular forces out of a population of 300k, with another 10k serving in the merchant marine.
Yeah. Our town was built so Ferry Command could fly bombers over to Britain during WWII
I would love to see the ANZACS version of this. A forced colonial army that made the UK, America and the germans go wtf?
From a farmer army that shocked the world to one of the highest trained military in the world.
Simon, thanks so much for covering this important history. I am a proud Canadian and Newfoundlander, ex military engineer (reserve). It is so important to know what these brave soldiers have done for us. My son did a research project on the Argentia Navel base. It was still active up until recent history. The story of that place is fascinating. Happy to share that with you. Cheers
After the executions of Canadian POW’s on June 7th, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division stopped taking SS prisoners, and began something of a tit for tat reprisal spree with the SS. It got to the point were later during the Normandy campaign, 21st Army Group had to ask 3rd Can Div to please start taking prisoners again.
There’s an unbelievable amount of people even in Canada who don’t know Canada was apart of WW2
I’m from Newfoundland and Labrador we didn’t join Canada until 1949
Really glad you put this out .
My grandfather was a radio man in ww2 and was there D-Day , made it home from war and had a heart attack.
EdwardTaylor Murray RIP🇨🇦
Thanks Simon, we here in Canada seem to always get forgotten about when it comes to nearly everything. We had some of the top scientists that got the western world to the moon as well. Actually, THE top guy was from here in the maritimes.
Canadians effort will never be forgotten. Never!!! Take that from your newest neighbors, Denmark 🇩🇰😊!
I'm a veteran... a Cold War veteran... of the RCN. I had the honour to serve alongside many veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic. They were the iron men with hearts of oak that we know of from the history of the Commonwealth going back centuries. The finest kind, every one!
My Uncle also served in the UK from 1940 - 45... in a support role, another Uncle was captured at Hong on 25 December, 1941 and was a POW until 1945. Our next door neighbour was an infantry soldier who landed in Normandy on D plus 1 and helped to liberate Holland, our neighbour across the street was in the RCAF as an aerial gunner... there are more that I could mention who served in War 2.
I also have many relatives who served Canada in War 1... artillery and infantry... from 1915 to 1918... grandfather and uncles x 5. Canada serves when needed. Oh... and my father and 2 of his cousins in Korea.
Followed by my own - and 1 brothers - service during the Cold War. Nice to see Simon talking about our boys, however briefly.
Thank you for making this video
We don't hear enough about the contribution other allies
As I have lived for decades in the US, I can tell you that the average American is shockingly ignorant (even mockingly ignorant) of the efforts of its most important ally in WWII. However, many veterans and historians are very aware of Canadian war efforts.
Most Americans also have no idea about BSC and its Canadian head Intrepid, which was instrumental not only in swaying American public opinion in favour of the allies, but actually was the impetus for the creation of the (eventual) CIA.
my greatgrandfather fought in italy at the battle of ortona with the princess patricia light infantry
In Ottawa, within the Peace Tower sits the Memorial Chamber. The chamber displays eight Books of Remembrance, books listing fallen Canadians. The chamber floor is comprised of stone collected from European battlefields Canadians participated in; Vimy, Ypres, Somme and Verdun. 11AM each morning sees each book turned to a new page; so it is possible to ascertain which day to be present for the reveal of a lost relative.
I witnessed this ceremony by happenstance. It was gripping.