Title: Stepping Stones to Glory

Steps: Rearmament, Rhineland, Danzig, ? ? ? ? … Boss of the Universe

King George VI

Declaration of war speech

September 3, 1939

Socials 10

Tuesday, May 13th

1. In the news
2. Causes of WWII - Political Cartoon Analysis
3. How did Canada Respond to the outbreak of war?
1. Source Analysis
2. Questions

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Critical thinking question

How do you think Canada responded to the threat of war?

Consider:

• What you already know about Canada’s response to WW1
• Political response- we jumped right in! Tight connection to Britain
• Social response- separate battalions for black, indigenous, War Measures Act, enemy aliens
• What you know about how Canada emerged from WW1
• Political impact- more autonomy from Britain… growing sense of identity
• Social impact- more rights for women, still lots of discrimination, war veterans with shell shock, disabilities
• Economic impact - cost a lot, but boosted industrialization, growth of factories
• How Canada was impacted by the Great Depression
• Few jobs…. Worse if you were an immigrant

How did Canada respond to the outbreak of WWII?

Canada in the 1930’s

Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King

“Nothing is to be gained by creating an internal problem in an effort to meet an external one”

Policy of isolationism- staying out of the affairs of other nations.

• Hoped appeasement of Hitler would work.
• Canadians made many sacrifices in WW1.
• Conscription had divided the country.

Anti-Semitism

Defn: discrimination or hostility towards Jews

Refugees were seen as a burden to the state.

Immigration Rates

• 1928: 166,783
• 1933: 14,382

SS St. Louis

Set sail in 1939 with 907 Jewish passengers seeking asylum from persecution.

Canada refused to allow them to dock.

Result- went back to Germany, many people died later in concentration camps.

Senator Cairine Wilson advocated in favour of refugees. Many supported her and opposed the govt’s stance.

Only 5000 Jewish refugees admitted between 1933-1945.

Canada’s Response to War

Sept. 3, 1939- Britain declares war

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Sept. 8, 1939- PM Mackenzie King calls a special session of Parliament to decide whether Canada should join the war.

• JS Woodsworth of the CCF party is the only opponent
• Parliament votes in favour of going to war
• Canada declares war Sept 10, 1939

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BUT

• Promises NO conscription for fighting overseas. Only for defense of the homeland…. “ Compulsory for home defense only”

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Phony War: September to May, 1940

• No real fighting. Thought Germany was going to invade France
• Denmark and Norway attacked in April, 1940

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-Hitler takes all of mainland Europe with Blitzkreig, soon Br/Fr troop pushed to Dunkirk beach

-May 26, 1940 Mass evacuation of Allied troops from mainland Europe (340 000 by June 4 on beaches of Dunkirk)

-June 22 France surrenders to Germany, Britain alone in war, now need more help from Canada

-“Operation Sealion” Germany prepares to take Britain

-June 10, 1940-May 1941 Massive bombing campaign of Southern England (53 straight days in London) à London Blitz

-Although Hitler was initially successful, his concentration on London Civilians (Hitler’s 1st major mistake) allowed RAF to recover. With help from 80 Canadian pilots, able to force Hitler to give up. During Battle, Canada supplies Britain with Ships traveling the Atlantic

-Hitler then turns attention to Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa)à 2nd major mistake

-First action for Canada will be December 1941 in Hong Kong

Mobilizing Resources

• 58,000 volunteers!
• People are eager to serve, but not cheering in the streets like WW1
• High % of indigenous pops volunteered
• African-Canadian volunteers were initially turned away

Why?

• Sense of national pride, either for Britain or Canada
• Job opportunity! Some men had been unemployed for 10+ years

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British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP)

Canada’s initial contribution to the war effort was training pilots and flight personnel.

Airfields were built on the Prairies.

Old aircraft were refitted and used for training.

Cost: $2.2 billion

130,000 people trained.

Mackenzie King hoped to avoid conscription by contribution in other ways, like training.

Total War

Defn: when the resources of an entire nation are needed to fight a war.

C.D. Howe, Department of Munitions & Supply

• Vancouver: built ships for the Navy
• Montreal: built planes and bombers
• Car industries: built military vehicles including tanks
• Ontario & Quebec: munitions factories
• Crown Corporations: gov’t owned businesses and industries that were created to fill a need that the private sector couldn’t
• Telephone co’s, fuel refineries, uranium mines
• Agriculture: wheat, beef, dairy and other foods

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Signs:

• Holland
• Belgium
• Balkans
• Why worry about the other fellow
• Wait until they attack us
• It’s none of our business
• Compulsory home defense only!

1. Describe what you see in the cartoon (figures, objects, size, shading).
2. What issue or event inspired the cartoon?
3. How are words used (speech bubbles, labels) used to clarify the meaning?
4. What is the title or caption of the cartoon?
5. Are any of the people, events or objects exaggerated?
6. What people or objects in the cartoon are symbols? What does each one symbolize?
7. Are any comparisons (analogy) being made? If so, what are they?
8. How does the cartoonist use caricature, satire or irony to make a point?
9. What is the overall message or meaning of the cartoon? (This usually reflects the opinion of the cartoonist.)
10. Do you agree with the cartoonist’s point of view?
11. How effective is the cartoon?

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"Le festin du tigre", John Collins, 30 octobre 1941, M965.199.3242, © Musée McCord

Key Terms & Questions

• Use the textbook to complete Part 1: Causes, Outbreak & Canada’s Response.
• Update or start a key terms list (or flash cards) with new vocabulary from today’s lesson:
• SS St. Louis
• Total War
• Crown Corporations
• British Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP)
• isolationism