On August 19, 1942, over 5,000 Canadian soldiers stormed the beaches of Dieppe, France, only to meet the immovable force of the German military. Serving as a test run for the planned Normandy landing later known as D-Day, Dieppe was intended to expose any weaknesses in the allegedly impenetrable German coastal defenses and establish a foothold in occupied France. By the time the dust settled over the rocky beaches of Dieppe, over a thousand Canadian soldiers had been killed, and two thousand were taken as prisoners of war, including my great-grandfather. The failed Dieppe landing remains one of Canada’s most significant single-day military losses and was the country’s largest deployment up until that point in the war.
I believe, however, that this battle is one that should be discussed more, as it played a crucial role in turning the tide of the war and once again proved Canadian soldiers’ determination to the cause. The Dieppe landing highlighted the glaring issues with a fully amphibious assault: German pillboxes fortified along the coast with anti-personnel machine guns and anti-armour cannons were too much for foot soldiers and tanks to overcome. This failure paved the way for new battle strategies, such as paratroopers dropping behind enemy lines before the main assault of D-Day to weaken and disable enemy defences.
Not only was Dieppe a military failure, but it was also a political disaster. Back home, friends and families were outraged by the seemingly poor planning of the raid, perceiving their loved ones as pawns used by Allied forces to test German defences, a perception that in many ways, was accurate. Historians have since argued that Canada’s heavy toll was a necessary sacrifice for the Allied forces to plan effectively for the larger battles to come, while others see Dieppe as a case of poor planning. This debate is something I missed in high school but believe would benefit young Canadians everywhere, as it encourages critical thinking on a topic many are uneducated about.
With my exhibit, I hope to spark this much needed discussion, fostering an appreciation of our shared history and bringing Canadians together around a chapter we can view with both caution and pride.