Why Was Ww2 A Turning Point In Canada

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Historians argue that World War II was a real turning point in Canada's history since it influenced all aspects of the life of the whole nation. In this war, the country faced a lot of challenges and lost much, but notwithstanding, this major global conflict played one of the greatest roles in building Canadian statehood and its independence at an international level. World War II brought tremendous social change concerning the actual role of gender in Canada. With hundreds of thousands of men enlisting, women became integral parts of the workforce, dispelling previous notions about female aptitude. According to the Canadian War Museum, the activities that women undertook during wartime were critical for gender equality (Canadian War Museum). …show more content…

Economically, World War II fueled unmatched growth and industrial expansion in Canada. Many industries were expanded to such a great extent so as to satisfy the wartime production needs; this created huge employment opportunities and fueled economic growth. Governmental interventions in the form of resource management and price controls also contributed effectively towards the war effort while stabilizing the economy during times of global turmoil. Historian J.L. Granatstein describes them as critical steps that can be held liable for the survival of Canada through wartime and the transformation of the country into a significant industrial nation of the twentieth century in present times (Granatstein, 2005). Crown Corporations, among which was Victory Aircraft Limited, became quite successful at creating vital aircraft and enhancing the Canadian aerospace technology, thus sealing the position of Canada as an industrially advanced …show more content…

The demands of this war required Canada to have strong participation in world affairs, with immense military contributions toward the pivotal battles of Normandy and the liberation of the Netherlands. Historian Desmond Morton believes that it is during this war that a national identity emerged, and eventually a drive toward unity above regional and linguistic divides was able to empower Canada's effort in world diplomacy (Morton, 2010). Gradually, this new cohesiveness expressed itself in crucial contributions to institutions of global governance, as in the case of the United Nations, right after the war. In the immediate aftermath of the war, Canada's multilateralism, peacekeeping, and humanitarian intervention had become a means to find its place in world affairs. It is due to World War II that Canada's social values were remolded, the pace of economic development increased, and its place in the world was elevated. These class struggles of the epoch instilled the sense of oneness and toughness that survives to this very day as the driving force behind the identity and international role of

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