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Adding local short description: "Simulated Nazi invasion of Winnipeg, Manitoba during the Second World War" (Shortdesc helper) |
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[[File:GiveUsTheTools.jpg|thumb|upright|[[A. J. Casson]]'s Canadian Victory Bonds poster ''Give Us The Tools'' 1941]]
If Day was an elaborate campaign to promote the purchase of [[war bond|Victory Bonds]]. These bonds, which were loans to the government to allow for increased war spending, were sold to individuals and corporations throughout Canada. If Day was the second Victory Loan campaign of the Second World War. The campaign began on 16 February 1942, and continued until 9 March. [[Manitoba]]'s fundraising target was $45 million ($620
The committee drew up a map of Manitoba, which was divided into 45 sections, each representing $1 million of their fundraising target. As money came in from those selling Victory Bonds, the sections were "reclaimed" from the Nazi invaders.<ref name=dawn/> The map was posted at the corner of Portage and Main, the city's central intersection.<ref name=werier/> The campaign was publicized in local newspapers for a few days before the event, although the "invasion" took many citizens by surprise.<ref name=dawn/><ref name=ctv/><ref name=per113>{{cite book|author=Perrun, Jody|title=The Patriotic Consensus: Unity, Morale, and the Second World War in Winnipeg|publisher=University of Manitoba Press|year=2014|isbn=978-0-8875-5749-1|page=113}}</ref> To prevent a rush to emergency shelters, residents of neighbouring northern [[Minnesota]] were also warned because radio broadcasts dramatizing the event could be received in that area.<ref name=dawn/>{{refn|Organizers hoped to avoid a similar situation to the [[The War of the Worlds (radio drama)|1938 radio drama ''The War of the Worlds'']], when a fictional broadcast of an alien invasion was interpreted as real by frightened citizens.<ref name=burch/>|group=note}} [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] aircraft painted to look like German fighter planes flew over the city on 18 February 1942.<ref name=if>{{cite news|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|title=If|page=1|author=Groom, Kick|date=5 January 1985}}</ref> [[Selkirk, Manitoba|Selkirk]], a small town northeast of Winnipeg, held its own fundraising simulation, a one-hour blackout and mock bombing, on 18 February 1942 in preparation for the main If Day event.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|date=18 February 1942|title=War's nightmare staged in vivid Selkirk raid to boost Victory Loan|page=1}}</ref>
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The simulation included 3,500 Canadian Army members, representing all of Winnipeg's units, making it the largest military exercise in Winnipeg to that point.<ref name=burch/><ref name=came>{{cite news|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|title=If ...the Nazis came to Winnipeg|date=19 February 1942|page=1}}</ref> The defending forces were commanded by [[Colonel]]s E. A. Pridham and D. S. McKay.<ref name=newman/><ref name=grim/> Troops were drawn from the [[18th (Manitoba) Armoured Car Regiment]], No. 10 District Engineers and Signals, [[Royal Winnipeg Rifles|the Royal Winnipeg Rifles]], [[the Winnipeg Grenadiers]], the [[Royal Winnipeg Rifles|Winnipeg Light Infantry]], [[the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada]], [[History of the Canadian Army#Veteran's Guard of Canada|Veteran's Guard of Canada]] (including over 300 veterans of the First World War), and a number of reserve and civilian groups.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|date=16 February 1942|page=1}}</ref> The 'Nazi' troops were volunteers from the Young Men's Board of Trade, using uniforms rented from [[Hollywood]] and with painted [[Dueling scar|sabre scars]] on their faces.<ref name=if/><ref name=floresco>{{cite video |people= Aaron Floresco (director/writer)|date= 2006|title= If Day: The Nazi Invasion of Winnipeg|medium=DVD|publisher=Past Perfect Productions}}</ref><ref name=morn>{{cite news|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|date=19 February 1942|pages=1, 16|author=Sanburn, Dick|title=On a black morn Winnipeg fell under Nazi heel}}</ref> They were commanded by Erich von Neurenberg.<ref name=if/><ref group="note">It is unclear whether this was a real name or a pseudonym.</ref> Approximately $3,000 was spent on the event.<ref name=ctv/>
'Nazi' patrols in the city began before 5:30 am on 19 February. A radio announcer was detained and his microphone commandeered for radio broadcasts, beginning at 5:45 am. 'Nazi' troops assembled on the west side of the city half an hour after the first patrols.<ref name=burch>{{cite journal|journal=[[Maclean's]] |author=Burch, Ted|date=10 September 1960|title=The day the Nazis took over Winnipeg|pages=46–47}}</ref> Canadian troops were massed at Fort Osborne barracks and the Minto and Macgregor armouries at 6:30 am, and at 7:00 am [[civil defense siren|air-raid sirens]] were sounded and a [[blackout (wartime)|blackout]] ordered in preparation for the invasion.<ref name=dawn>{{cite news|title=Sirens will wail and guns roar as IF DAY dawns|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|date=18 February 1942|page=1}}</ref><ref name=grim/><ref>{{cite news|title=Blackout 7 am Thursday Begins 'If Day' Events|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|date=18 February 1942|page=13}}</ref> The aerial [[blitzkrieg]] began before 7
The firefight included large-scale troop movements and the simulated destruction of major bridges – coal dust and dynamite were used to create explosions.<ref name=floresco/><ref name=morn/><ref name=cassidy/> Nine troop formations held three positions each during the tightly scripted invasion sequence; they were directed via telephone (one line per formation) and [[flash-lamp]] signals from the headquarters established at the Chamber of Commerce building. The defensive pattern employed was similar to that used during the [[First World War]] in [[Paris]] to conduct soldiers to the [[front (military)|front]].<ref name=tactics/> Light tanks were stationed at road and rail junctions as fighting intensified.<ref name=burch/> Thirty anti-aircraft vehicles fired [[blank (cartridge)|blanks]] at fighter planes overhead, assisted by anti-aircraft gunners on buildings downtown. The first mock casualty was reported at 8:00 am. Dressing stations were set up at strategic points to treat the mock casualties; they also treated the two real casualties of the event – a soldier who sprained his ankle, and a woman who cut her thumb preparing toast during the early-morning blackout.<ref name=grim/>
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