Canadians

Indeed Fierce fighting for "just" a city. I still believe that the objective of reaching Caen on the first day was way to high. Many discussions being led around that ( I do believe somewhere over here also in the what-if section)

but still can someone give us al link with more info around the first post? Otherwise I agree wit the fact that it was the legacy of WW1 that made the germans "afraid" of the canadians.

 

I still don't think they were 'afraid' of the Canadians any more then they were afraid of the Americans or the British. I'd still love to see some reference to this widespread fear, and not just the words of one man. Its one thing to be fearful of a unit (like the SS, who were Elite Fanatical Troops) but fearing an entire 'nationality' seems ludicrous, especially coming from the Germans who saw themselves as the superior race.

 

Yeah I don't think they were afraid of the Canadians anymore than the americans or the british. I don't think the Germans were afraid of anyone

 

Maybe from the Russians in the end off the war.

Again I didn't found anything which said that Germans were afraid of any race. Hitlers propaganda off being the superiour race helped, I quess.

 

One post from smot poker and it gets a little testy.

On a thread titled "Canadians" I would dearly love to have real information such as books and websites that one could read to increase knowledge for those who could and should read more on one of the significant contributors to the Allied cause.

Can I substantiate or refute the question originally asked? I didn't find anything either way in the couple of hours I googled. In the books I've read I've not read that the Germans were either scared or negated the Canadian soldiers. I do know that the Canadians with a pre-war permanent force of under 1,000 built an army of predominantly amateur volunteers and industry to support it and its allies, that did defeat professional and experienced German divisions in engagements in Italy and NW Europe, usually without the international news coverage that was given to more flamboyant commanders and larger or more-experienced armies.

As to gaining or having the "respect" of their enemies, it is sometimes referenced in Canadian written histories - but since I don't have access to original German documentation or interviews with German Veterans, I can only assume that the writers in some cases did have that verification. On the other hand, it is an oft quoted belief by many Canadians that the Germans did respect the Canadian soldiers or that German officers told their troops imaginary tales about the Canadians which implied that they would not merely take the Germans as prisoners (ie scalping, etc) which is why the Canadians usually had to fight so hard for every piece of ground they took. It is easy to create stories about an enemy of whom little is known - and it seems that our low profile over time still sees Canada and the character of Canadians as being relatively unknown, even to those who one would think would know better.

 

Eloquent as ever Michelle with very good points. When I wrote "respect" I meant that the Canadians were not underestimated in their fighting capabilities. When the Germans encountered Canadian forces, serious attention attention was given when coming up with operations against them. I guess I did not get my point across in the original posting. I had at one time read my grandfather's diary entries during the time of operations from Caen up to Falaise. Plus my researching documents from both sides covering that time period is what I am basing my points of view. So not just in my grandfather's diaries but also from testimonies from Canadian officers and postings from one member of the forum conveying her father's experiences have shown that the shooting of POW's did take place on both sides. All this does in an indirect way relate to the Smot Poker's original post.

 

Canada at War

A very informative site that gives very detailed perspectives from the Canuck point of view. It also has many many many pictures on all of the chapters in covers, very well worth the look.

 

Amongst many sites with information there are quite a few sites that are informative on the Canadian experience in World War II on this thread

http://www.ww2f.com/information-req...wwii-related-research-i-e-family-history.html

 

Canada was in the war?

hehehe, sorry I'm in a weird mood................luv those crazy Canucks!!

 

I've yet to see any proof that the Canadians were 'feared' or thought of as the 'Elite Soldiers of the Allied Forces'. Which is what the main question of this thread...

 

well i don't know about elite forces, but the Germans in my Fathers town in northern Holland were afraid of the Canadians!