Operation Barbarossa
Germany’s first act in its invasion of the Soviet Union was to destroy this branch of the USSR’s military, eliminating 4,000 aircraft in just three days.
What is the air force?
This surprise attack by Japan on December 7, 1941, brought the United States into the Second World War.
What is Pearl Harbor?
There were many of these soldiers at the Battle of Dieppe, making up the majority of the attacking force.
Who are Canadian soldiers?
Canadian forces used this dangerous tactic, blasting through the walls of adjacent buildings, to avoid deadly streets.
What is “mouseholing”?
This French region was chosen for the Allied landings because it offered long beaches, room to advance inland, and fewer German defenses than the Pas de Calais.
What is Normandy?
When retreating from German forces, the Soviet Union made the advance much harder by blowing up bridges, burning crops, dismantling factories, and destroying fuel supplies, an approach known as this.
What is the scorched-earth policy?
After the defenders of Hong Kong surrendered in 1941, Canadian soldiers were forced into camps and became these.
What are POWs?
This Soviet leader demanded action from the West, hoping a major raid on the French coast would force Germany to defend multiple fronts.
Who is Stalin?
The beginning of the Italian campaign started with this Allied invasion on July 10, 1943, marking one of the toughest campaigns of the war.
What is Sicily?
Canadians were given this beach to storm on D-day.
Juno Beach
As temperatures plunged between –30°C and –40°C during the early winter, German soldiers suffered frostbite and hypothermia because they lacked this.
What is proper winter clothing?
These two Canadian regiments were sent to defend Hong Kong in 1941 and faced brutal fighting during the Japanese invasion.
Who are the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada?
At Dieppe, Canadian troops struggled to move, take cover, and even land tanks because the beach wasn’t sand at all, but was instead covered in these.
What are pebbles?
Despite intense fighting, Canadian soldiers still marked this holiday in Ortona, sharing special meals in shelled-out buildings.
What is Christmas?
This massive system of bunkers, mines, concrete gun positions, and beach obstacles was built by Germany to stop an Allied invasion.
What is the Atlantic Wall?
In October 1941, heavy rains turned Russian roads into deep mud, slowing the German advance and causing supply shortages, a seasonal obstacle known as this.
What is The Rasputitsa?
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, how long did it take for Japan to launch its invasion of Hong Kong?
What is six hours?
Many historians debate whether the lessons learned from the failed Dieppe raid helped support the success of this later Allied landing.
What is D-Day?
Canadians were given the task to capture this town in the Italian Campaign.
On the night before the beach landings, these soldiers were dropped behind enemy lines to capture bridges and disrupt German defenses.
Who are the Allied paratroopers?
After Japan remained neutral in the East, the Soviets deployed fresh divisions from this region, helping to strengthen defenses around Moscow and push back the Germans in December 1941.
What is Siberia?
This Canadian soldier earned the Victoria Cross at Hong Kong after sacrificing himself by jumping on a grenade to save his men.
Who is Sergeant-Major John Osborn?
Before reaching the shore, the Canadian landing force triggered a brief sea battle when they encountered this on the way.
What is a German convoy?
Although the capture of Sicily led to Mussolini’s downfall, these troops continued to resist, forcing the Allies to keep fighting through the island.
What are German forces?
On D-Day, this Canadian military branch provided 110 ships and 10,000 sailors to support the invasion.
What is the Royal Canadian Navy?