Canada is one of many overlooked Allied countries that helped turn the tide of World War II from the autumn of 1942 onwards. Although the Canadian-led Dieppe Raid of that year ultimately failed, the Allies reaped important lessons that later helped to ensure the success of the Normandy D-Day landings. FRANCE 24 looks back at the Dieppe Raid, 80 years later.
On August 19, 1942, the Dieppe Raid or Operation Jubilee, as it was codenamed, was launched as Stalin believed that the Western allies were not carrying their fair share of the burden of the war and so demanded that a second front be opened to draw German forces away from Russia. The US, which had just recently joined the war following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, also thought it best to launch and expedite a direct attack on mainland Europe. The British high command, particularly Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was acutely aware of these political pressures. The Dieppe Raid occurred under the auspices of the Combined Operations Headquarters (COHQ), which was responsible for conducting British raiding operations. The COHQ’s objective was to try to capture a port during this raid, hold it for a short period of time and then withdraw quickly.
