World War II is Canada’s only morally justifiable war. But that doesn’t mean media coverage of its European conclusion should ignore the unsavory elements of Canada’s role in the conflict.
The entire front of Thursday’s Globe and Mail celebrated “Victory and Valour: Canada and the world mark 80 years since the war in Europe came to an end.” CBC, Toronto Star and other outlets have also recently published simplistically laudatory pieces about Canada’s role in the horrible conflict.
Unlike Canada’s seven other major wars, WWII was ultimately justifiable. But Nazi expansionism’s threat to British interests, not opposition to fascism or antisemitism, led Ottawa to battle.
In the lead-up to WWII, Mussolini’s Italy invaded Abyssinia (Ethiopia), the only independent African country. Ottawa’s overall position opposed collective League of Nations action against Italy and ultimately recognized Italian sovereignty over Ethiopia.
Another significant backdrop to WWII was the struggle between fascism and liberal democracy in Spain. In that country’s 1936 elections a left-wing coalition government won office. The Catholic church, landed gentry and big business immediately looked to overthrow the government with the help of General Francisco Franco, commander of Spain’s overseas military. In this armed struggle, Franco was assisted by Hitler’s Germany, fascist Portugal and Mussolini’s Italy. In April 1937 Ottawa passed the Foreign Enlistment Act in a bid to block Canadians from fighting on behalf of the Spanish Republican government. (more...)
The good, bad and ugly truth about Canada’s role in WWII
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