Canada’s Ultimate Story offers captivating tales of fascinating Canadian people, places and events, with engaging historical journalism and striking archival and contemporary imagery that combine to bring the stories of Canada to life like never before.
A rich array of online content expands on these stories and encourages interaction, bringing together thousands of Canadians who love our nation and want to know more about its history and achievements.
It’s 1944 and, as Allied armies fight their way through France, supply lines are stretched thin. The tools of war must travel from Normandy to a front that’s moving further from the D-Day beaches by the moment. The Belgian port at Antwerp offers the solution the Allies need—extensive docks and facilities ideally situated to support the invasion of the Reich.
The port is taken. But to get supplies into Antwerp, Allied ships have to navigate the Scheldt, and the 80-kilometre estuary into it is controlled by the enemy. The Canadians are given the job of driving the Germans out.
We cannot forget the First World War. Even though more than 90 years have passed since the guns fell silent, we are still shocked by the savagery of that conflict. The butcher’s bill worldwide was 10 million combatants, with countless more millions of civilians perishing through starvation, violence and even genocide. For Canada, a Dominion of the British Empire, with a population of fewer than eight million and not yet 50 years old at the start of the war, the country paid a terrible price. More than 60,000 Canadians were killed in the cataclysm from 1914 to 1918.
The Second World War, which lasted six years from 1939 to 1945, totally involved the Canadian people. The nation’s men and women served in huge numbers, 10 per cent of the population of 11 million putting on uniform. Millions more worked in war plants, in the mines and fields, and in the bureaucracies supporting the government.
Big land, bigger oceans, huge mountains, wide waterways and wildlife wilderness—Canada offers breathtaking vistas in every direction. Discover the countless wonders of our country. O Canada tells our story from our first peoples through to our achievements in space. With hundreds of photos and illustrations the O Canada is full of Canadiana, personalities, achievements and amazing statistics.
Read about the victories, losses and defining moments of Canadian soldiers and veterans. Honour their stories and remember.
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