War!
The twentieth century (1900-2000) saw two wars that involved a large number of countries and spread to many parts of the world.
That's how they became known as World War One (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). World War II began in 1939 when the
leader of Germany, Chancellor Adolf Hilter, wanting control over other countries, began a military invasion of their territory.
His allies (Axis), Italy and Japan, joined him in his push for world domination. Other nations joined together as the Allies to fight the
invasion of their sovereignty. Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth, made the choice to follow Britain into the war.
This decision, although greeted with a heavy heart by the Canadian people, would transform Canada from a recently independent
British colony with a focus on harvesting its natural resources to an industrial nation.
While Canadian soldiers fought on the battlefields of Europe, the Canadian civilian population was called upon to fight the war
on the Canadian home front. There weren't big battles with live ammunition that destroyed our fields and meadows, towns and
cities, nor killed our people. No, it was a different kind of fight. We were the support team that got on side and manufactured
the goods and provided the services of war so that our soldiers were equipped to go into battle. No part of Canada was left
untouched. Our small Prince Edward Island town of Summerside had the war effort come right
to our doorstep and we rose to the occasion. There was a role for everyone, young or old, male or female. If the war changed
the role of Canada on the world scene, it changed even more so the communities within Canada. When victory was declared in
1945 there was no turning back. Summerside and Canada had changed forever.
The twentieth century (1900-2000) saw two wars that involved a large number of countries and spread to many parts of the world.
That's how they became known as World War One (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). World War II began in 1939 when the
leader of Germany, Chancellor Adolf Hilter, wanting control over other countries, began a military invasion of their territory.
His allies (Axis), Italy and Japan, joined him in his push for world domination. Other nations joined together as the Allies to fight the
invasion of their sovereignty. Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth, made the choice to follow Britain into the war.
This decision, although greeted with a heavy heart by the Canadian people, would transform Canada from a recently independent
British colony with a focus on harvesting its natural resources to an industrial nation.
While Canadian soldiers fought on the battlefields of Europe, the Canadian civilian population was called upon to fight the war
on the Canadian home front. There weren't big battles with live ammunition that destroyed our fields and meadows, towns and
cities, nor killed our people. No, it was a different kind of fight. We were the support team that got on side and manufactured
the goods and provided the services of war so that our soldiers were equipped to go into battle. No part of Canada was left
untouched. Our small Prince Edward Island town of Summerside had the war effort come right
to our doorstep and we rose to the occasion. There was a role for everyone, young or old, male or female. If the war changed
the role of Canada on the world scene, it changed even more so the communities within Canada. When victory was declared in
1945 there was no turning back. Summerside and Canada had changed forever.