China in WWIIChina's "Battle of Hong Kong" was the first involvement they had in either of the World Wars. It was fought by them, along with several other Allied forces, against the Japanese. The Japanese attack was expected, but the Chinese were ill-prepared for the the amount of force Japan would bring. Although they fought hard, and refused surrender multiple times, it was a bloodbath for Allied soldiers. The Japanese fought with a ferocity that was unexpected by the Chinese. Canadians in this battle also fought bravely, and they most certainly gained a reputation for themselves, but the cost for that reputation was losing a great number of men.
burma in wwii
The Burma Campaign is one of the least known campaigns in World War
Two, but still very important. Starting in December 1941, it
ended in spring 1945 with the Canadians joining the fight in January
1942 and helping all the way through to the end. Although, the first
attack was a failure, the second attack helped boost morale and solidify
the infantry’s faith in Britain. The majority of the army in Burma was
not Canadian, but the Canadians still played an irreplaceable role in
the campaign. Approximately 8,000 Canadians fought with the British in
Burma. During this time India was a colony of Britain and played a huge
role in the War as well. Major General Orde Wingate and his notorious Chindits
also played an influential role in the campaign. They gave the group the
push they needed but, because of Burma’s treacherous terrain the group
had a difficult time moving equipment.
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Africa in wwiiWWII's North African Campaign was a long and drawn out war that ultimately led to the first definitive victory for the Allies. The campaign lasted from June 10, 1940, all the way to May of 1943. It was in the North African Campaign that the "Desert Fox" - Erwin Rommel - fought against the Allied forces.
At the beginning of the campaign, the Allies fought the Italians. Eventually the Italians were destroyed, so Hitler reinforced the Axis position with men who would later be called the "Afrika Korps." Following this there was a lot of back and forth fighting, culminating in Operation Torch. This operation involved many coordinated landings to capture key locations in Africa. It was this Operation which eventually led to the conclusion of the North African Campaign. |