By Eva Liu
Today marks 80 years since Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day), the moment the guns of the Second World War finally fell silent. For many Canadians, it was a day of jubilation; the final chapter of a six-year storm that had claimed over 44,000 Canadian lives. VJ Day is the commemoration of Japan’s unconditional surrender in 1945 which came after two US atomic bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, along with the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan which sealed the fate of Japan's doomed empire. August 16, 1945 was the day the world finally exhaled after years of fear, loss, and sacrifice.
Although Canada’s wartime legacy is often remembered through the battles which were fought in Europe, many Canadians also fought with honour in the Pacific theatre; a battlefield fought on the waves, below the sea, in dense jungles, and among remote islands. They were soldiers, sailors, and airmen; ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances, carrying out their duty half a world away.
Prior to the United States being attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbour, Canada began its most significant involvement in the Pacific theatre. In October 1941, nearly 2,000 Canadian troops including the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada, were sent to reinforce the British garrison in Hong Kong. Many of them were young, with limited combat training. Their deployment was the brainchild of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who wanted to boost civilian morale in Hong Kong given the looming threat of Japanese aggression. When Japan did launch its full-scale, surprise attack on December 8 one day after Pearl Harbour, the Canadian soldiers were not only heavily outnumbered but also cut off from reinforcements. Canadians fought at Wong Nai Chong Gap, Stanley Village, and on Mount Butler, often against tanks and heavy artillery without equivalent firepower. The defenders held their ground for 17 days before the battle ended in unconditional surrender on Christmas Day, famously named Black Christmas. Nearly 300 Canadians were killed, and those who survived faced years in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps under harsh conditions of starvation, disease, and forced labour. The story of Hong Kong remains one of Canada’s greatest tests of endurance and courage.
The war in the Pacific was not fought solely overseas. On June 20, 1942, the Japanese submarine I-26 surfaced off the west coast of Vancouver Island and fired several shells at the Estevan Point Lighthouse. Although no one was injured and the damage was minimal, this marked the first time the Canadian mainland came under direct enemy fire. The attack led to the strengthening of Canada’s West Coast defences; Anti-submarine patrols increased, radar stations were expanded, and blackout measures were enforced along the shoreline. Even though the shells caused little damage, their message was unmistakable: the war could touch even the quietest corners of home.
In the remote, foggy Aleutian Islands, far from the main operational theatre of the Pacific War, Canadian forces played a critical role. When Japanese troops seized the island of Attu and Kiska (collectively known as the Aleutians) in 1942, the threat to North American shores became real. The Royal Canadian Navy patrolled frigid waters and escorted convoys and other vessels. The Royal Canadian Air Force flew missions over treacherous stretches of empty waterways. In the joint US-Canadian landing on Kiska in August, Canadian forces helped ensure the operation’s success. Even though Japanese forces had already secretly evacuated, the mission was still dangerous. The islands were filled with thick fog, cliffs, and booby traps. These led to many accidents and casualties, showing the unpredictable and highly personal nature of Pacific theatre warfare.
Eighty years later, Canada’s role in the Pacific theatre is often overshadowed by the battles fought in Europe. Yet the courage of those who fought at Hong Kong, patrolled the Aleutians, guarded the home front, and endured captivity is an essential chapter of our wartime history. VJ Day is not only a time to celebrate peace but also to honour the sacrifices that helped secure it; sacrifices made in jungles and islands half a world away.
