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Second World War
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The War comes to Canada
The Battle for Hong Kong
Disaster at Dieppe
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
Bomber Command
The Royal Canadian Air Force
The Home Front
Conscription
The Italian Campaign
Canada at D-Day
The Normandy Campaign
Liberating Northwest Europe
Victory
The War against Japan
Forced Relocation: the Japanese-Canadian Story
Going Home
Counting the Cost
A Nation Transformed

VICTORY

1945

First Canadian Army helped lead the final Allied offensive against Germany.

The major Allied ground offensive from the west against German territory began on 8 February 1945. Fighting through the Rhineland, piercing the formidable Siegfried Line, and penetrating the Reichswald and Hochwald forests, the Canadians helped deal a deathblow to German resistance in this sector. It was difficult going. The Canadians advanced over heavily-flooded or densely-forested ground against fierce enemy resistance.

In April, Canadian troops liberated most of the Netherlands. By the time German forces on the British and Canadian front surrendered on 5 May the Canadians had advanced to Oldenburg, in northern Germany, while Canadian paratroopers had penetrated even farther east. The Germans formally surrendered on 8 May 1945, known as Victory-in-Europe, or ‘V-E’ Day.

See also :
Canadian Newspapers and the Second World War : VE Day, 8 May 1945

Victory


VICTORY
NAC-PA- 133323


Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M8
1-800-555-5621