Canada at War: A Guide to Library and Archives Canada's Websites Recalling the Canadian War Experience

Introduction

Welcome to Canada at War: A Guide to Library and Archives Canada's Websites Recalling the Canadian War Experience. This site will lead you to the many resources available on our website, exploring Canada's contribution to military and peacekeeping operations at home and around the world. Each of the links contained in this website will lead you to a virtual exhibition or a database of primary documents. Please visit "What We Have On Our Website" for a complete listing of all of LAC's databases and virtual exhibitions.

Canada at War: A Guide to Library and Archives Canada Websites Recalling the Canadian War Experience commemorates Canadian sacrifice in all wars and military actions, but particularly those lost in the First World War. Veterans Week 2009 marks the 91st anniversary of the armistice ending the First World War. For information relating to Canada in the First World War, please visit Library and Archives Canada's resource: Canada and the First World War.

As well, this year marks the 65th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. On June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, Allied troops stormed German defences on the beaches of Normandy (France) to open the way to Germany from the West. The task was formidable. The Germans had turned the coastline into a continuous fortress of guns, pillboxes, razor wire, mines and beach obstacles. Canadians were among the first into action and, against terrible odds, fought their way into Normandy from the Juno Beach landing area. The fighting continued throughout the summer of 1944. The living conditions were terrible and the enemy was ruthless. Even so, the troops pushed forward through northern France and then into Belgium and Holland, liberating people who had suffered four hard years of Nazi occupation.

For more information on the role of Canadian Forces during the Second World War, please visit our virtual exhibition Faces of War at:
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/faces-of-war/index-e.html.

Success on D-Day and in the battles that followed came at a price: there are more than 5,400 Canadian graves in Normandy. But their sacrifice was not in vain. The victories won there paved the way to victory on May 8, 1945. For more information, visit www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=feature/d-day/history

For specific information regarding Veterans' Week 2009 visit:
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=
feature/week2009