That same day
War breathed life into Winnipeg, Canada. It was World War II that pulled the city out of a prolonged depression, loading the factories with military orders. People got money that had to be attracted somehow for military loans. The proletariat of Canada was reluctant to part with dollars from labour, so they proposed an action: an imitation of the capture of a city by Nazi Germany.
We chose Winnipeg. The choice is actually strange: from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic, it is 2,000 km from here, that is, by no means the landing forces of Nazi Germany could not capture this city. There is only one close border – with the United States.
A few days later the newspapers printed that there would be an imitation of an enemy invasion. There was also a short message on the radio. But the warning was ignored.
On February 19, 1942, sirens wailed in Winnipeg, at 6:30 a.m., bombers with a swastika appeared in the sky, dropped bombs. After that, 3.5 thousand soldiers in German uniforms entered the city. The occupiers dropped Canadian flags and hoisted their own – red-brown with a swastika. In the Legislative Building, a group of German soldiers, led by an officer wearing a monocle, detained the leader of Winnipeg, the prosecutor and the Norwegian ambassador who were there. About 20 officials, priests and journalists were sent to a concentration camp, set up on the territory of a local golf club. Councilman Den McKneel ran and hid. But soon a vigilant housewife called the commander’s office and told him where he was hiding.
The new authorities announced that henceforth the town would be called Himmlerstadt and that the main street would be renamed Himmlerstrasse. Gauleiter’s decrees were hung in the streets, the search began. Several stores were looted. In the best restaurant, the Nazis threw a feast. A fire was lit in front of the municipal library, in which books written by Jews were stolen.
This morning’s issue of the main local newspaper, The Winnipeg Tribune, reprinted under the new name Das Winnipeger Lugenblatt (“Winnipeg Liars Newspaper”), published a Gauleiter executive order announcing a curfew, a ban on mass gatherings, the necessity for each owner to house five German soldiers, the dissolution of all military and public organizations. The rest of the newspaper articles were a parody of German propaganda, written in bad English.
The “Nazis” who have taken over Winnipeg are burning books outside the library, which, it has been claimed, were “written by Jews”. Photo: rcmpveteransvancouver.com
At first, everything went as planned. The operation was codenamed If Day, which can be translated as “If once”. The bombers did not bomb, but simulated attacks, and pyrotechnics created ground bomb explosions. There were no Germans among the attackers, the entire “invasion force” consisted of Canadian soldiers in disguise.
But soon things did not go as planned. Winnipeggers took the “invasion” at face value. And they began to deliver the Jews. No, not the whole town, of course, rushed to the commandant’s office. Someone brought a list of neighbors, others began to knock the invaders on “unreliable”. Someone hastened to enroll in the police, some were interested in how to join the SS?
An office for exchanging Canadian dollars for “Reichsmarks” was opened in the city – chroniclers claim that a huge queue immediately lined up for it. And few people noticed that on the back of the new currency was placed an advertisement for the same war loan.
Happy ending
After the action ended, the organizers announced that they had only burned the books to be written off. The owners of the restaurant were compensated for the damages.
A shocking action was organized to raise funds for military needs. Photo: Social networks
If Day is believed to have been organized by wealthy Winnipeg native John Perrin. The politicians are silent about their role, although it is hard to believe that anyone could dare to do such a thing without securing administrative and political support. It’s one thing to pay the cost of renting German uniforms (rented from movie studios in the United States) and another to use soldiers, planes and armored vehicles from the German army. Canadian army.
But no one received a hat for this strange imitation. It was announced that the show was to raise money for the war, and it all worked out. People opened their wallets, millions of dollars poured into the office of the Greater Winnipeg Victory Loan (“Great Winnipeg War Loan”). Moreover, the operation was also declared “the largest military exercise”. If the day ended with a banquet.
Let’s free the fantasy, fast forward from 1942 to the present day. Today, Canada is an outpost of Russophobia. It is understandable: a large Ukrainian diaspora, politicians need their votes. But what if a wealthy showman gets the idea to rehearse the military show? So to speak, If day-2: foreign troops invade Canada. In accordance with Hollywood canons, they are, of course, Russians. And after? The story likes to make faces. Will the people, having taken the pulse, reach out to hand over the Ukrainians to the invaders? Imagine, 15% of the people of Winnipeg, or 660,000, come from Ukraine.
If tomorrow is war
They may object to me: why are you being ironic? Do you see the difference between reading morals, lounging in front of a computer with a cup of coffee, and standing up to someone with a machine gun in their hands?
I see. To understand. And yes, I know that war is not a movie. Therefore, in any society there are not so many real fighters. But there must be heroes, right?
According to you, how many “fascists” were killed by simple patriotic citizens on February 19, 1942 during this crazy show? There are a lot of guns in the homes of Canadians, especially farmers and residents of the outskirts. I remind you that the If Day operation affected not only the city, but also the suburbs.
Person. During the day of “battles” two injuries were recorded: the “fascist” who ran into the attack turned his ankle. And a housewife, hearing the howl of a siren, cut her finger for fear (she was preparing breakfast in the kitchen).
Not a single shot was fired in the direction of the “occupiers”. As not a single fact of civil resistance or disobedience was recorded.
War Loan Bond. If Day has raised $2 billion in Canada. Photo: Social networks
The “occupiers” unleashed with might and main – they took food from visitors to cheap street cafes, and car owners were ordered to immediately return them “for the needs of the army” . And the Winnipegs surrendered with resignation. They did everything that was asked of them.
I think that surprised the authorities a bit.
What if the theatrical “occupation” lasted a week? Or a month? After all, exactly 11 hours passed between the blare of the sirens of the air raids (I remind you: 6:30 a.m.) and the self-revelation of the organizers of the action with the solemn release of the prisoners (at 5:30 p.m.). Winnipeggers have had so much time to make lists, clear home addresses and run to the CO’s office (and there’s a line there) and deliver to their neighbors. Alright, that’s tough. But they had had enough, they did it.
Besides
How Germany and Japan fought against the United States and Canada
Japanese submarines occasionally appeared off the United States, engaging in artillery duels with shore batteries. From Japan, 9,000 bomb-laden balloons were launched across the United States. 300 of them flew, killing 6 people.
In 1941, Hitler ordered the creation of the Me 264 ultra-long-range bomber, along with the A-1 intercontinental missile designed by Wernher von Braun, to attack the United States. But they didn’t have time to put them into production.
Neither Hitler nor his allies ever attacked Canada.
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