Learning Guide for Counterpoints: Exploring Canadian Issues Unit 1-5: Reading Guide Name: / 92 Canada and World War II Resource: Counterpoints: Exploring Canadian Issues, Chapter 5 Canada Declares War 1. What was the Munich Agreement of 1938? 2. What happened in March of 1939? 3. Why did King George IV and Queen Elizabeth visit Canada in May 1939? 4. Why did Prime Minister King not want a war? 5. What happened on September 1, 1939? 6. What did Prime Minister King recommend to Parliament on September 8, 1939? 7. What qualification did the Justice Minister put on his and Quebec s support for the declaration of war? 8. What did PM King promise Quebec and Parliament? 9. What happened on September 10, 1939? 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 1 of 8
10. What was the condition of Canada s armed forces in September 1939? 11. How many volunteered for service in September alone? 12. Who was Tommy Prince? 13. What was the government s response to black volunteers? 14. What pay could a private (the lowest ranked soldier) expect? 15. What was the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan? 16. Why was PM King glad to have Canada fill this need? 17. Who was C.D. Howe? 18. What powers did he have? 19. What was total war? 20. Why was it necessary? The War in Europe 21. What countries were known as the Allies? 22. What countries were known as the Axis? 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 2 of 8
23. What was the phony war? 24. What was the blitzkrieg? 25. Where did the Germans launch their first attacks in April 1940? 26. Where was their next attack (in May 1940)? 27. How was this attack similar to German strategies in WWI? 28. Describe the evacuation of Allied troops at Dunkirk. 29. What happened on June 22 nd? 30. What was Operation Sea Lion? 31. What targets did the Germans attack in preparation for invading England? 32. What defenses did the British have? 33. Describe the Battle of Britain. The War Spreads 34. What was Operation Barbarossa? 35. What helped the Russians stop this 1941 German invasion of Russia? 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 3 of 8
36. What is the significance of the battle of Stalingrad? 37. Why did Japan plan to invade US and European colonies in SE Asia? 38. How did Japan start their attacks? 39. Why do you think they attacked a military base of such a powerful country? 40. What became of the 1975 Canadian soldiers sent to defend Hong Kong? Canada s Role in Europe 41. What was Dieppe? 42. What was Dieppe s purpose? 43. Why were Canadian troops chosen for this raid? 44. What was the size of Canada s navy at the start of the war? 45. How did Germany try to stop supplies from reaching Britain from North America? 46. How did the Allies try to protect its ships? 47. Describe the corvettes Canada built to defend the convoys. 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 4 of 8
48. What helped the Allies track the movements of German U-boats? 49. Why were the Allies able to get materials to Europe despite heavy losses to their ships? 50. How big was the Canadian navy by war s end? 51. How big did Canada s air force get during WWII? 52. What sort of attacks was it making on Germany in mid-1943? 53. Describe the effects of the raids on cities such as Hamburg as detailed by Johnnie Fauquier. 54. What is your opinion of such activities? 55. How many Canadian bomber crews died in this war? 56. What roles did women have in the RCAF s women s division? The Tide Turns 57. Canadians did not participate in the fighting in North Africa but they did help invade Sicily and Italy. Describe the fighting they faced in towns such as Ortona. 58. Which beach did Canadians attack on D-Day during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944? 59. How many Canadian soldiers participated in this attack? 60. What casualties did they suffer? 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 5 of 8
61. What task were Canadian soldiers given in March of 1945? 62. What conditions were faced by the Dutch in the winter of 1944-1945? 63. Why do you think the fighting was so difficult in Holland? 64. What were the Russians doing while the fighting in France etc. took place? The Holocaust Discovered 65. Describe the Nazi s final solution for eliminating all those they considered undesirable. If you haven t already seen them you should watch The Pianist or Schindler s List. Japan Surrenders 66. What happened on August 6 and 9, 1945? 67. What reasons did US Admiral William Leahy give for not using the atomic bomb against Japan? 68. What arguments did Colonel Paul Tibbets give to support the use of the atomic bomb against Japan? 69. What did Robert Oppenheimer mean when he said, We knew the world would not be the same? 70. Suggest reasons why President Harry Truman of the United States decided to allow the use of the atomic bombs instead of some other means to end the war with Japan. 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 6 of 8
The War at Home 71. How did women help the war effort? 72. Why were single women desirable workers in war factories? 73. What would contribute to inflation during the war if nothing was done? 74. How did the government initially hope to stop inflation? 75. What steps were taken in 1941? 76. What further anti-inflation policy was introduced in 1942? 77. Give examples of a weekly ration for a single adult. 78. Why were unions able to make gains for workers even though the government tried to restrict their activities? 79. What influence did the CCF have on government social policy during the war? 80. Why did PM King hold a plebiscite or referendum on conscription in April 1942? 81. Why did PM King continue to avoid sending conscripted soldiers overseas until 1944? 82. Why was it necessary to send even conscripted soldiers to Europe in 1944? 83. What was their reaction? 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 7 of 8
84. How many of the 12000 soldiers sent actually reached the front? What the War Meant to Canada 85. Describe the effect the War had on Canada s economy. 86. What changes in the relative importance of agriculture and other industries occurred as a result of the War? 87. What attitudes do you think contributed to support for the removal of Japanese-Canadians from coastal BC during WWII? 88. Why do you think the property of Japanese-Canadians was confiscated? 89. What choices were Japanese-Canadians given after the war ended? 90. What compensation do you think should have been given the Japanese-Canadian by Canada? 91. What rank did Canada s air force and navy have at the end of the War? 92. How do you think this might affect Canada s image of itself on the world stage? 2005 Better Classroom Guidebooks Unit 1-5 - Page 8 of 8