Accessible version

Search the Archives site


>>Advanced Search

People
Conflict & War
Arts & Entertainment
Politics & Economy
Prime Ministers' Gallery
Life & Society
Disasters & Tragedies
Extreme Weather
Science & Technology
Sports

Topic Index
Clip Index
All Clips from
Index of Great Interviews
Days to Remember
For Teachers
Personal Bookmarks
Subscribe to our Newsletter
RSS Feed
CBC Archives Virtual Tour
About this Site
Help
Contact us
Archives télé et radio de Radio-Canada

Home > Conflict and War > The Contentious Legacy of Dieppe


The Contentious Legacy of Dieppe

It has been called the most controversial battle Canadians have ever fought. On Aug. 19, 1942, after nearly three years of waiting in England for a chance to fight, Canadian troops were sent to raid the French coast at Dieppe. But the Germans were ready for them, and the attack became a massacre. Of nearly 5,000 Canadians sent to Dieppe, only 2,000 returned. More than 60 years later, the operation remains divisive: was Dieppe an essential trial run for D-Day, or a shocking waste of lives?

 
'Grand show, you Canadians!'

 
A hard, bitter fight

 
Soldiers decorated for Dieppe service

 'Grand show, you Canadians!'

The first report of the Dieppe raid burbles with enthusiasm: Canadian troops are finally fighting in Europe. (Radio; runs 11:53)

 A hard, bitter fight

CBC Radio's Robert Bowman delivers a sobering day-after report of carnage at Dieppe. (Radio; runs 14:35)

 Soldiers decorated for Dieppe service

Among the awards for bravery at Dieppe: Canada's first Victoria Cross of the war. (Radio; runs 14:54)

 
Life as a prisoner of war

 
A delayed victory at Dieppe

 
Who was responsible for Dieppe?

 Life as a prisoner of war

A recently released Canadian officer, who was captured at Dieppe, describes living conditions in German PoW camps. (Radio; runs 13:58)

 A delayed victory at Dieppe

Two years after the disastrous 1942 raid, Canadian troops recapture Dieppe without incident. (Radio; runs 4:31)

 Who was responsible for Dieppe?

Two decades later, Allied leaders dodge responsibility for the raid's shortcomings. (TV; runs 12:43)

 
German veterans remember defending Dieppe

 
'They threw everything at us'

 
Return to Dieppe

 German veterans remember defending Dieppe

Soldiers who once gunned down Canadian troops recall Dieppe as "a hard defensive battle" that foreshadowed worse things to come. (Radio; runs 15:47)

 'They threw everything at us'

Canadian veterans recall being decimated on the beaches of Dieppe. (Radio; runs 20:51)

 Return to Dieppe

Atop Dieppe's now peaceful cliffs, three Canadian veterans share tearful memories with CBC's Brian Stewart. (TV; runs 19:40)

 
Wives of Dieppe prisoners of war

 
'Dieppe,' the miniseries

 
Dieppe veterans finally honoured

 Wives of Dieppe prisoners of war

Three Canadian women recall the heartbreak of absent husbands, and their difficult return life after captivity. (Radio; runs 16:43)

 'Dieppe,' the miniseries

Peter Mansbridge leads a discussion of the fact and fiction behind a controversial new dramatization of the Dieppe raid. (TV; runs 14:16)

 Dieppe veterans finally honoured

Canada gives special recognition to the veterans of Dieppe – 52 years late. (TV; runs 2:06)

LINKS

Related Topics from CBC's Archives
External sites

The CBC assumes no responsibility for the content of external links.

14 Additional Clips about The Contentious Legacy of Dieppe

Printer-friendly topic page

Send this page to a friend

Add this topic to your personal bookmarks

Cite this page

Copyright © CBC 2006
All Rights Reserved

Privacy