Essay On Canada In Ww2

Canadian involvement in WWII: The Italian Campaign

During world war 2, Canada had made many important war efforts. The Italian campaign was Canadas second longest battle in world war lasting 2 years in a allied battle across Sicily, as Canadians had served in heat, snow, and mud. Canadians had played a significant role in this battle, as the German army's respect for Canadian soldiers began to grow.

The Italian Campaign had started on July 10th, 1943 When the first Canadian Infantry Division, and Armored Brigade began Operation Husky, the Seabourn invasion on Sicily. With the Italians overwhelmed, Canadians had quickly advanced on Pachino. On July 11th the Canadians experienced a lot of delay, by thousands of Italian soldiers surrendering.

By the Italians rapid collapse, the Germans were not ready to give up Sicily, and established defensive lines. These heavy defense lines, were set up on terrain of ridges, mountains, and rivers. When one of these were breached, they quickly fled to another.

For 17 days, Canadians had engaged in house-to-house fighting in Ortono, during the Hasting and Prince Edward regiment carried out while the nighttime ascent of 204 Monte Assoro to surprise the Germans.

Canadians had met heaviest resistance on July 18th in Valguernara which resulted in 145 causalities, including 40 killed, Germans had lost 250 men. Field marshal Albert Kesselring had said his men were fighting highly trained mountain troops, titled "mountain boys", with this, German respect for Canada began to grow.

The Battle of Ortono, took place on Christmas 1943, this was the most difficult battles for Canada and is referred to as the "Black Christmas". Ortono is a town of stone castles and buildings, this setting limited, the use of tanks, and heavy artillery. Canadians had went house to house, to smash through walls and buildings, this act was called mouse-holding. They had liberated the Town, on December 26 after more than a weeks struggle.

In 1944s late summer and fall, the Allies had breached Germanys gothic line, located in the north. However, Canadians had not been able to celebrate Germanys surrender, but by February 1945, they had been transferred to northwest Europe to rejoin the Canadas first army, and joined the allied advance on the Netherlands and Germany to assist in ending the war in

Europe.

For years after, Canada remembers this battle as a great war effort. Those who had fought in world war two had accomplished greatly and had sacrificed a lot for Canadians and the world. Many of those who fought greatly in world war one and bravely in world war two. We as Canadians, honor veterans when talking about the past, present and future, as they fought for our freedom.