HIST 203 Lecture 8: Lecture 8
Lecture 8 – May 15th
Final essay- must have strong intro, strong thesis.
Comments on Film Critique- History essays instead of terms like “people thought” more specific,
who are the people, why did they think this. Narrow it down! Whatever argument you make,
must support it with examples from documents you choose to analyze
Second in-class assignment: Wednesday. Read Assigned chapter for in class
assignment. **
Study Questions:
How was the idea of construction in WWII different than the conscription crisis in WWI?
What was Canada’s place in the world after the Second World War?
How is immigration policy different after WWII?
Who are the “baby boomers”?
Since WWI… Canada gained place on world stage
● Borden and (signed) Treaty Versailles
○ And membership in League of Nations (Canada has it’s own seat instead of
being under Britain)
● Mackenzie King breaking ties with Britain
● Balfour Declaration (1926)
○ Britain and it’s dominions are constitutionally equal to each other
● Statute of Westminster (1931)
○ Canada is constitutionally independent from Britain
William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874-1950)
● Public persona: rather dull, mild mannered
● No captivating image, did not have charisma of other leaders at the time
● Passive, ideas of conciliation, workaholic
● Devout Christian, a spiritualist
● Bizarre private life
● King met Hitler
● King was relieved when he met Hitler, he was hoping to avoid a war, he actually thought
Hitler loved his “fellow men and country” and appeared to be a “man of deep sincerity
and a genuine patriot”
● King wasn’t the only one to have this positive impression of Hitler
● Hitler admired for re-organizing Germany
● 1938- Time magazine named him man of the year
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
● King tells Hitler something, that if England were to declare war, Canada would be by it’s
side
● He wanted to avoid Canadian participation in armed struggles
● Also wanted to avoid domestic turmoil
● Didn’t want to sacrifice himself and Canadian people for war at the same time
● King- very intelligent, a good writer, not a charismatic speaker
● Had a good understanding of the social realities of the country at this time
● Message back home: If Canada goes to war, there won’t be conscription
● Canada supported Britain and France’s policy of appeasement
Canada’s reasons for appeasement
1) Many saw Hitler (and Mussolini) as bulwarks against the spread of communism
2) Fear that British policies might undermine Canadian autonomy and draw the country into
imperial conflicts
3) Isolationist sentiment ran deep in Canada
○ Canadians inward looking ,wanting to take a backseat in international conflicts
rising in the 1930s
4) Reflected the belief of many Canadians that the country had no impact upon global
events
○ Viewed that Canada’s position is kind of inevitable, they dont’t really have army
to support decisions
5) Had neglected it’s army since WWI
○ Navy had fewer than 12 fighting ships
○ 50 modern military aircraft
○ Country couldn’t defend itself let alone send troops to Europe
Jewish Refugees
● Immigration authorities 1938 restricted Jewish immigration to Canada
● King said that Canada had to act on realistic rather than humanitarian grounds
● June 1938- refused to hear proposal from Jewish communities for 5,000 refugees over 5
years with all costs borne by Canada’s Jewish population
● SS St Louis, Hamburg sailed to Canada, Canada/US wouldn't accept them
Canada Enters the War
● Sept 1st, 1939: Hitler invades Poland
● Sept 3rd, 1939: British declaration of war against Axis
● Sept 10th, 1939: Canada joins Britain and France in declaring war against Germany
○ Some see this quick holding of a vote to decision to join, a sign of Canada’s
responsible government, independence and good government
○ No doubt that Canada would go to war, just question was to what degree and in
what form
● Canadians- didn’t want to ship volunteers overseas right away
● First response- economic support for the allies
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
● First troops arrived in Britain- mid december 1939
● Britain and it’s dominion stood alone, until US joins the war in 1941
● Canada converts entire economy to war production
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
● This training prog. Would keep Canadians at home
● Bury politically divisive issue of conscription
Bridge btwn. Britain and US
● King- loyalties British but he was really loyal to Us as well
● Sees Canada as a bridge btwn. Britain and US
● Some see king as puppet to US, others see that King had no other choice in the
situation
● US and Canada= join defense program for North American continent
1940- mood of “total war”
● To assist Britain, Canada builds a larger army
● Pulls Canada out of depression
● GNP rises
● Wartime Economy:
○ 1) perpetuation of regional disparities
■ 1941- ½ billion $ to capital expansion, PEI + NB got nothing ,while Nova
Scotia gets under 2% of commitment
○ 2) Industrial relations
■ Labour legislation- protect rights to organize and collective bargaining
■ Need for labour improved labour movement’s efforts (collective
bargaining, workers rights)
○ 3) manpower mobilization
Clarence Decatur Howe “Seedy Howe”
● Closely identified with Canada’s wartime production
● 1939- minister of the dept. of munitions and supplies (DMS) and took over task of
mobilizing defense production
● He and his friends profited from wartime contracts (accusations), but he was praised for
his work during WWII
● Entrepreneur in government
● Wins confidence + devotion of industrial leaders and businessmen to better plan war
economy
● Expansion of existing industries, creation of new ones
● Total focus of country on production for war
● Mobilization of economic resources in a way that seemed beyond it’s grasp during
depression
● Unemployment under 2% (full employment)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Final essay- must have strong intro, strong thesis. Comments on film critique- history essays instead of terms like people thought more specific, who are the people, why did they think this. Whatever argument you make, must support it with examples from documents you choose to analyze. Since wwi canada gained place on world stage. And membership in league of nations (canada has it"s own seat instead of being under britain) Britain and it"s dominions are constitutionally equal to each other. No captivating image, did not have charisma of other leaders at the time. King was relieved when he met hitler, he was hoping to avoid a war, he actually thought. Hitler loved his fellow men and country and appeared to be a man of deep sincerity and a genuine patriot . King wasn"t the only one to have this positive impression of hitler. 1938- time magazine named him man of the year.
