Hell & High Water - Canada and the Italian Campaign WWII

[jordan390a]

Canada played a crucial role in the outsome of both WWI and WWII.

Why do you think Hitler found it so important to commandeer the Vimy Memorial..?

Hitler was traumatised in WWI by Canadian "Shock Troops", and never underestimated them again.

[MadNing420]

d-day doggers where the unsung heros of wwII canadian pride some of the most hard fought battles dwn in the ol dirty muddy italian boot

[OBSysteme]

Canadians are not the only under-reported participants of that campain... In fact, Two groups that performed critical breakthroughs were the Polish divisions and the French divisions.

[pallii]

@OBSysteme my city, Ancona, was freed by the polish army.

the whole italian campaign is probably underrated by the medias, and so its partecipants, who sacrfied a lot of lives for the liberation italy.

[MaRcoPoLo12232]

the Italian Campaign was the forgotten war...

[kapquarfa]

Hitler said himself that Canadian soldiers fought with quality, not quantity

[shadowmare97]

As a canadian I'm actually happy we don't get too much media coverage about WWI and WWII...

We all know what we did, and we're damn proud of it. And for most folks, thats good enough.

Although I must say... after travelling the world for a few years... I believe that Canadian "Rememberance days" are far more emotional then any others... although that might just be me :)

[pspboy7]

Is it really important that we get credit, or is the fact that our forefathers served even more important? Getting credit is only good if you are completely humble about it, and we are human so that's impossible hehe. Canadians are proud of their history, we just don't like to brag about it to other people, it's un-Canadian. :)

[guitar241990]

Canada was one of the first countries to declare war on Germany. They did in 1939. The United States didn't declare war until 1941. They fought in the Pacific and entered Europe in 1944...a solid year before it ended. Most people don't realize Canada was in Europe from the start. They don't get enough credit at all.

[MultiMarcus99]

@guitar241990 Hilter decelcered war on usa a wea kafter pearl barbo

[luey017]

the picture at 0:47 of the sniper is of jack bailey of statford ont he was one of my papas buddies during the war

[terraleau]

è stato questo il dundurn battaglia feild

[ventus16]

The picture at the 15 second point is of an trooper throwing a hand grenade. It is my father, Max Zabrodski, age 21 in 1943. The picture was taken by a war photographer and published in a magazine soon after. I remember my mother showing me the clipping 45 years ago. As an 8 year old, you do not forget a picture of your dad throwing a grenade. He died, having lived a full life at age 86 in 2008. He had nightmares about WW II until the very end. The picture relates to "ousting" a sniper.

[Number7smokesForEver]

@ventus16

Very interesting. I have seen the pic in a few books before. In case you didn't know and were interested the picture was taken during the battle for Campochiaro, Italy on October 23, 1943. One thing most people wouldn't pick up is that it illustrates the shortage of even the simplest items even this early on. Your father has apparently lost his original battleblouse and has replaced it with a discarded German tropical shirt though he has taken the time to sew on 'CANADA' titles.

[burketigers1717]

My grandfather was a tank driver and had alot of luck because once a shell landed at his feet but did not explode also several times shells went over his head missing by inches.

[Vestolord]

yeah man my great uncle fight in the war too!!

[burtchp]

the thing is canadians dont get the credit they derserve for fighting in ww2.

[darthokty]

in one of this photo in the video , there is my city , in italy , San Vito!

[mbonnar]

Is the book mainly filled out with photographs and drawings?

[tvboy61]

It is a mix of text and photos. The text is an overview of the Canadian role in the Italian Campaign with lots of interviews with veterans about their experiences during the war.

[heliodor001]

I am always amazed and disheartened that the Canadians are never recognized in the media etc; for their participation in the Italian campain. I don't think that the aiiles would have won so easily without them.

[Vestolord]

yeah man its like the canadien dint do anything in the war but they did lots of fighting in italy and in france and germany

[burketigers1717]

I feel bad for this deed that was unoticed and im pretty sure my grandfather would as well

[OBSysteme]

@heliodor001 In fact, the Canadians performed brilliantly in Italy.. but things have to be put in perspective.. there were only two Canadian division in Italy,,, compared to the number of American and British troops, it is quite negligible. Also, there were New Zealand division, Indian divisions, even a Polish Division of freed ex german captives. There were I think four French division from North Africa. So even more french troops than canadians participeted there, which is very underreported.

[Number7smokesForEver]

Canadian Divisions ALWAYS punched way above their weight being some of the most if not the most widely used divisions but you are right. In particular we should NEVER EVER forget the Polish contribution to the Allied cause in the Second World War - the first to fight and some of the most dedicated. Those men fought to liberate other lands when their own was under brutal occupation and the possibility and later reality of failing under that of another tyrannical regime.

[PaulM3131]

Cool video!

[Debian432423]

he did? his user is tvboy61?

[desaster56]

ya he did

[desaster56]

my father made this