The Battle of the Atlantic
When: 1941
Where: The Atlantic Ocean Events: The Battle of the Atlantic was a large scale struggle over shipping routes between the Allies and Germany. It was the largest and most significant battle in the war. Canada played a huge role in this battle, it is likely that the Allies would not have been successful in this battle if not for Canada. When the war first began, Canada’s Navy was small and insignificant. However, the Navy was built up and soon became a significant force in the war. The US and Canada became almost solely responsible for supplying Britain with necessary materials and supplies, and so Germany tried to take advantage of this by attacking supply ships to cut off Britain’s sustenance. Against initial expectations, Britain ended up winning this battle in 1943. There were technological advances, which contributed to their success, such as: -The Convoy System: The Allied ships would travel in “packs” to protect agasinst German U-Boat attacks. -Corvettes: Canadian built ships that were effective attackers, used when the convoy system was lacking in success. -Sonar: Much like radar, allowed Alllies to find the locations of U-Boats and enemy ships using sound waves. -Code: Germany’s naval code was cracked by Britain, taking away the element of surprise and aiding in Britain’s success. Canadian Significance: As previously stated, Canada played a huge role in this Allied victory, they helped in many ways, including the following: -Building corvettes to protect British Ships -Canadian women joined the navy and became “WRENS,” helping greatly in offshore jobs. -Canadian Merchant Marines transported goods to Europe. -The use of Halifax as an important port. |