How did Canadians contribute to the war effort ?

Canadians contributed to the war effort both militarily speaking and on the home front.

Military Involvement
Canadian soldiers participated  in major battles at Dieppe and D-Day. They were also involved in
Hong Kong, in various battles throughout Italy, and in the liberation of Holland. They fought the
German Nazis in the air, on the sea and on land.
 

In all : 700,000 went overseas 47,000 killed 55,000 wounded 11,000 taken prisoner

On June 6th in 1944, the greatest combined military force ever assembled launched the
invasion of Europe on the beaches of Normandy, France. Ten thousand soldiers were killed
or wounded that day. Here is part of a report on the assualt from CBC Radio's outstanding
war correspondent, Matthew Halton.[182Kb]
 

The Home Front Wartime production By the end of the war  Canada had produced: 16, 000 aircraft 741 naval vessels 800,000 transport vehicules 55,000 tanks and armoured vehicules 149,000 heavy guns, 133 million rounds of heavy ammunition and 5 billion rounds for small arms

Wartime restrictions In 1942 rationing (fixed amounts in time of scarcity or war) came about-  butter, coffee, sugar, meat, and gasoline were some of the items that were rationed. Rubber, glass, old saucepans and toothpaste tubes (aluminum) were recycled for military production. Government controlled prices and wages to prevent inflation. The federal government centralized control over production by taking control over resources from the provinces.

• Income tax rates were raised to pay for the war effort.
• Canadians were urged to buy Victory Bonds, War Savings Certificates and stamps to help

  
  raise money. By the end of the war, Canadians poured  8.8 billion dollars into the effort.

• For the sake of national security, the Canadian government, through the War Measures Act,

  
  was empowered to institute censorship, allow search without warrant and impose restrictions
  on individual liberties.

• With Japan entering the war in 1941, Japanese Canadians in British Columbia had their property seized and thousands were evacuated to internment camps because they were considered a threat to national security. They stayed in the camps until the end of the war.

Try the following questions on Canada's war effort.