Canada’s Enduring D-Day Legacy

Commentary Canadians recently commemorated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy. And while it remains a momentous event in Canadian history, understanding what Canada did to earn its place on the battlefield is equally important. On June 6, 1944, the greatest military landing in history took place as the Allies launched a massive naval, air, and land attack against Nazi German’s Atlantic Fortress. Comprising one-fifth of the entire force hitting the Normandy beaches that day were 30,000 Canadian soldiers, sailors, and airmen. This was no token presence. The Canadians were there because their army, navy, and air force were vital to achieving victory. And this was a truly remarkable achievement, considering the state of Canada’s military just five years earlier....