Dieppe

It was supposed to be a piece of cake. A force of approximately 6,000 men was to land on the French coast in complete surprise, kill as many Germans as possible, take prisoners, and withdraw. Instead, it was one of the biggest military disasters in Canadian history. Anything that could go wrong did. The strategy was too complex and depended on too many factors, including surprise, split-second timing, adequate air and sea support, and a weak enemy. None of these conditions was met. What was the real story behind the raid on Dieppe? For forty years, General Denis Whitaker has asked that…