Figure 1.--With the outbreak of war in Europe, Canada rushed soldiers to Britain which became the First Canadian Division. Conscription proved, however, to be a very contentious issue in Canada. A Canadian reader tells us that here early in the war a boy 6 or 7 yeas-old walking with his father who is probably about to depart for Britain. He may have been involved in the Dieppe Raid (1942) or the D-Dy landings. The photograph was taken in Quebec. The boy wears a dark shirt, short pants longer than usual, and long stocking rolled on his ankles. We of course are left with the question, did the little by here get his daddy back after the War.

Canada entered World War II reluctantly to support Britain (1939). Prime Minister Mackenzie King insisted that Canada control its war effort, in contrast to its World war I experience. King at first believed that the French would prove a bulwark to the Germans and that hoped that Canada might only have to train aircrews and manufacture arms for the Allies. King and his important ally in Québec, Ernest Lapointe, promised that there would be no conscription for overseas service as had been introduced in World War I. The collapse of France and NAZI victories elsewhere in Europe meant that a huge Allied army would have to be raised. As a result the issue of conscription rose again. King did not dare introduce conscription without overwealming public support. King called for a national plebiscite on conscription (April 24, 1942). The Canadians by a ratio of 3 to 1 voted for conscription (April 27). The English-speaking majority voted ovewealming for conscription. The French-Canadians in Québec rejected it. This was an interesting vote as the primary use of the Canadian Army was to be in Europe to liberate France. We suspect the vote was more of French-Canadian attitudes toward the British than attitudes toward the French. Evven after the plebecite, however, King did not immediatedly introduce national conscription. In fact he dismissed his pro-conscription defense minister, Colonel J. L. Ralston. As a result, the Canadian Army which stormed ashore at Juno Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944) was a voluntary force. King did not introduce conscription until late in the War (late 1944). King remained popular even in Qué in part because he was clearly reluctant on the concscription issue. Few Canadian conscripts served overseas.

Conscription in World War I

Canada sought to create a 0.5 million man army through voluntary recruitment, but this effort failed. Support for conscription to build this army grew. Prime Minister Robert Borden spoke out and insisted that conscription was a military necessity (19217). German successes on the Eastern Front made it clear that the Germans would have substantial forces to deploy on the Western front that could resolve the War in 1918. Borden saw the military necessity and he also wanted to strengthen Canada's voice within the Empire. Borden crossed the Atlantic to see the situation of the Canadian troops in France. Contrary to what might have been expected, there was no special connection of French Canadians with France during World war I. Brorden and the Government were not popular among French Canadians. There were no separate French Canadian units. Nor were their Frech Canadian officers among the senior commanders. Ethnic tensions in Canada worsened during the War. Especially troubling fror French Canadians was that guarantees for French language schools in Manitoba and Quebec were ressinded. This was part of the reason that recruitment in Quebec was especially disappoingting. Quebec was about a third of Canada, but contributed only about 5 percent of enlistments. As the war situation worsened even fewer French Canadians volunteered. Candian units sustained more than 20,000 casualties during Spring 1917. During that same period, fewer than 100 men volunteered in Quebec. Borden pushed a consprition law through Parliament--the Military Service Act, believing it necessary to support the army in France. The Act made all Canaian men 20-45 years of age eligible for military service. French Canadians saw this as the English drafgooning them into the War. There were draft riots in Montreal and in Quebec City. Borden attempted to form a coalition Government. He asked iberal leader Laurier to join the Conservatives to form a Government. Laurier refused, in part because of the conscription issues as well as other political concerns, but some Liberals did join the Union (Coalition) Government. Bordem introduced two new laws (the Military Votors Act and the War Time Elections Act). These two acts were highly controversial, but produced a massive majority for the Union Goivernment (1918).

War Erupts in Europe (September 1939)

The British and French backed down to Hitler and the NAZIs at Munich. Hitler pledged to make no more terrtorial claims in Europe. He broke that pledge within months and began a campaugn against Poland. He felt he had been cheated out of his war at Munich. This time he did not deal with the Allies, but with Poland directly, knowing that would not back down. The NAZis invaded Poland with Blitzkrieg (September 1, 1939). The British and French honored their ciommitments to Poland and declared war (September 3).

Canada Joins Britain

Canada entered World War II reluctantly to support Britain (1939). The status of Canada had changed with the Treaty of Westminster (1927). Canada was now an independent country within the Commonwealth, but dutilfully declared war on Germany. Canada rushed soldiers to Britain which became the First Canadian Division.

Canadian Plans

Prime Minister Mackenzie King insisted that Canada control its war effort, in contrast to its World War I experience. King at first believed that the French would prove a bulwark to the Germans and that hoped that Canada might only have to train aircrews and manufacture arms for the Allies. To avoid a contentous national debate, Prime Minister King assured Canadians that connscription would not be necessary (1917). King's important ally in Québec, Ernest Lapointe, promised that there would be no conscription for overseas service as had been introduced in World War I.

Fall of France (May-June 1940)

The German Western Offensive launched May 10, 1940 smashed the British Exdpeditionary Force (BEF) abnd the French Army in only a few weeks. It was a starling development. The world including President Roosevelt in American and Primne Minister King in Canada were shocked. The First Canadian Division was not deployed with the BEF to France. Most of the BEF made in back to Britain as part of the Dunkirk evacuation (May 1940). They had to leave their weapons, including artillery and vehicles behind. Thus for several weeks, the First Canaduan Division was few units fully equipped and prepared to repel the expected German cross-channel invasion.

Conscription Debate

The collapse of France and NAZI victories elsewhere in Europe meant that a huge Allied army would have to be raised. Even America which was neutral initiated a draft in the face of intense opposition from isolationists organized by the American First Committee. This was the first peace-time conscription in American history. The conscription issue also rose again in Canada.

Plebecite

King did not dare introduce conscription without overwealming public support. King called for a national plebiscite on conscription (April 24, 1942). The Canadians by a ratio of 3 to 1 voted for conscription (April 27). The English-speaking majority voted ovewealming for conscription. The French-Canadians in Québec rejected it. This was an interesting vote as the primary use of the Canadian Army was to be in Europe to liberate France. We suspect the vote was more of French-Canadian attitudes toward the British than attitudes toward the French.

French Canadians

French Canadians did volunteer. We do not at this time have statistics on the relative rate of volunteering in English and French speaking Canada. We have the impression that French-speaking Canadians did not volunteer in the same proportionsl numbers as English speaking Canadians, but we do not yet have precise data. A French-Canadian reader writes, "Many French Canadians did volunteer. Many French Canadians were among the dead and captured at Dieppe (1942). When I was a student, I worked at the Molson Brewery in Montreal and my boss was one of those taken prisonners by the Germans at Dieppe. Would you be interested to join the army when you know that, as a minority, you will be exploited like Blacks in dirty battles? I will give you the exact number of soldiers who died for "Liberty". The sacrifives of Americans at Omaha Beach on D-Day resulted in great benefits for America. America became the most wealty country in the world. It was not the same with canada. And to be sure French Canadians didn't want to fight for this atheist and revolutionary country called France. Québec, the "priests province" was far from France and even today, we are suspicious against this country. You have no idea how Québec and France are against each other in French speaking countries in Africa, mainly in Education." [HBC note: We like to include comments from readers as not only include a great deal of useful information as well as reveal the outlook of readers around the world. This of course does not always mean that we agree with the comments. We diasgarre with our reader here in it was World War II that made America a great power. America was a very reluctant participant in the War. What has made America a great power is the strenth of its economy and the ingenuity and energy of its people. Of course these attributes were to make America a fearsome adversary once it was forced into the War. Also while Blacks were discriminated against in World War II, they were not exploited. In fact they were largely kept out of combat.]

Conscription

Even after the plebecite, however, King did not immediatedly introduce national conscription. In fact he dismissed his pro-conscription defense minister, Colonel J. L. Ralston. As a result, the Canadian Army which stormed ashore at Juno Beach on D-Day (June 6, 1944) was a voluntary force. King did not introduce conscription until late in the War (late 1944). King remained popular even in Québec in part because he was clearly reluctant on the concscription issue. Few Canadian conscripts served overseas.

General de Gualle (1967)

The symbol of a Free France during World war II became general Charles de Gaulle. Candaian soldiers played an important role in both D-Day and the liberation of France. De Gualle later became President of France. He made an official visit to Canada (1967). On the balcony of the Montréal City Hall, he was impressed by the crowd shouting "VIVE LE QUEBEC LIBRE". So he responded with what seemed to be heresy in Canada He shouted "VIVE LE QUEBEC LIBRE" He endorsed the proclamation of an independant state in North America. From that time, Independance is a recurrent theme in any election in Québec. We wonder if De Gaulle knew that the Canadian soldiers who werr responsible for liberating his country were English speaking Canadians.

Created: 1:49 AM 12/5/2004
Last updated: 2:07 AM 2/3/2006