Social Studies 10 Lessons

By: Gen L

Lesson 2: The Home Front

Canada's Response

• Britain & France declared war on 3 Sept, 1939
• PM King called a special session of parliament to debate the issue, he vowed there would be no conscription.
  • Only J.S. Woolsworth (CCF) was opposed.
• On 10 Sept, 1939, Canada declared war
  • Enlistment was limited to the unemployed

BCATP

• Canada was not prepared for war (old and unfit equipment)
• King was reluctant to send large numbers of troops
• He knew conscription would divide Canada.
• Dec, 1939, Canada announced the BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Program)
• Made sense, Canada was mostly open space and out of enemy reach.
• Majority of commonwealth pilots trained in the program.

Total War

• Br. PM Churchill describe Br. War effort as "Total War" (economy driven by war effort)
• King preferred Canada to be an "Arsenal for Democracy" (Supplies & materials)
• 1940, King's Liberals won their largest majority
• April, Dept. of Munitions & Supplies was established under Minister CD Howe.
• Howe went to Br. to get orders for war materials.

Road to Total War

• As Canada moved towards Total War, manufacturers got orders for trucks, guns, aircraft, radios & radar sets
• If industries couldn't handle the orders, Howe created Crown Corporations.
• Exports helped pay for the war.
• Britain ran out of USD to buy weapons.

Collaboration in Total War

• Canada needed help (debt went from 3 to 11 billion).
• Canada and US coordinated efforts
• Each would produce supplies it was best at, linking economies during the war.

Problems on the Home Front

• Canada's early materials were inferior as we lacked skilled workers
• Need for workers conflicted with Need for soldiers
• Howe was competing with Minister of Defence J.L. Ralston for people
• 1941, National Selective Service (NSS) created
  • Single women aged 20-24 were ordered to register
    • Women Joined the workforce
  • Able Men 17-44 couldn't work in most jobs.
• By 1943, quality of goods improved.

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