Thursday, December 8, 2022

Far From Home And Closer

 As was the case in the United States during the Second World War, the Canadian government took harsh steps where the Japanese immigrant community in the country was concerned, moving them to internment camps inland and otherwise making life difficult. Decades later, the federal government formally apologized for those policies.


The reproduction seen above is an example of a Japanese balloon bomb, sent eastward across the Pacific during the war, landing in North America. 


With so much of its emphasis in Europe during the war, when the Pacific side of things erupted, the Canadian military presence on the west coast had to be ramped up significantly.


This dramatic painting is titled Patrol, Kiska, by Edward John Hughes in 1945. Canadian and American troops went to liberate the Alaskan island of Kiska, which had been taken by the Japanese in 1942 as a jumping off point for attacks on the mainland- but which turned out to be an ill-thought venture. The Japanese had withdrawn before the mission arrived.


Another dramatic painting, this set in the Atlantic theatre of operations. This is The Boarding Of The U-744 by Lieutenant Thomas Charles Wood in 1945, depicting Canadian sailors heading to board a disabled German sub.


The war would touch the home front in so many ways. This set of propaganda posters of the time is an example.


With so many men off to war, women entered the workforce in a big way, contributing to the war effort. The painting at top is Massey Ferguson During World War II by AJ Casson of the Group of Seven.


Children of course were affected by all of it. This display case features several items of the time.


And women served as well in the military in a variety of positions.

52 comments:

  1. I especially like the posters from that time.

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  2. can't believe we have started another week. so wild how time flies. getting all my Christmas preparation in order, hoping i am not forgetting anything ...guess we will see??! lol. u take care this week. be well. ( ;

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  3. Ambas partes formaban bandos rivales en la guerra mundial y al enemigo, hay que tenerlo bien controlado.

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  4. ...it's sad to see that Canadians did the same things that we did.

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  5. Hello,
    I did not know there was a balloon bomb, the paintings are dramatic! Take care, enjoy your day!

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  6. The internment of Japanese Canadians is a sad chapter in Canada's history.

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  7. War is bleak, and the treatment of certain immigrant populations made it even worse.

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  8. The war in the Pacific must have been terrible...and those poor immigrants who were forced into camps. Times of mistrust. Asians have always had a hard time assimilating.

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  9. That painting makes that boarding look like a very scary prospect.

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  10. had an uncle on the Queen Charlottes gazing westward over the Pacific to watch for Japanese invaders.

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  11. Wonderful exhibit photos and so sad what humans do to other humans ~ sigh ~

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your day,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  12. I have friends who were interned because their ancestors came from Japan. The family lost everything.

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  13. The Atlantic painting bring home how frightening those times were.

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  14. The boarding painting is beautiful. You can almost feel that rough sea.

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  15. As a child of the 1950s, WWII was presumably deemed too close to be 'history' so I never did learn about it in school. I know what my parents and grandparents told me, plus bits from books and films, so it's good to find exhibitions that fill in some missing pieces.

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  16. I like the dramatic paintings you've shared here.

    All the best Jan

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  17. I remember reading a recent article about the "balloon bombs" sent across the Pacific.

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  18. Our internment camps were a big blot on our history.

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  19. Curioso cartel de la época, resulta muy interesante de ver.

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  20. The little girl in that second photo was so sad to see.

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