Episode list

Sex and love: 20, age of departure, age of love. If the war became engraved in world history, it also dramatically affected many ordinary people's lives. Claude Legault discovers how a Canadian soldier fell in love with a woman from Normandy. He explores Montreal's Red Light district, North America's hub for indecent suggestions.

Our German prisoners: Claude Legault heads to Montérégie, to find out more about a camp where some 37,000 German prisoners of war were held after being captured by the British and transferred to Canada. He meets Micheline Lanctôt, whose parents developed close ties to one of the soldiers.

The home front: There were soldiers, weapons, major battles... But in the privacy of everyday life there were also plenty of ordinary Canadians who became tied up in the war, whether they wanted to or not. Eating, travelling, dressing: when a government imposes restrictions, each adapts as best they can.

Spies versus spies: For the allies, winning the war meant fighting in German-occupied territory. Missions for sabotage and intelligence-gathering were carried out in Europe by some of Canada's top spies. James Bond's creator even took his inspiration from one of them, Guy Biéler.

In our waters: Goods and military personnel sailed from the major Canadian ports. For Great Britain, standing alone against the Nazi threat, supplies were essential. But German submarines had managed to infiltrate the Saint Lawrence, torpedoing several ships. The Gaspé Peninsula became a fortress with remains still visible today. Claude Legault explores them.

We made bombs as well: The mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion: a vision of horror. If the bombs dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki were American, Claude Legault learns that Canada also produced weapons of mass destruction. Scientists manufactured enough doses of anthrax to wipe out the entire world population, thirty times over.

Women at war: 1939. In Canada a woman's place was in the home, looking after her husband and children. But during the war, with the men away at the front, women were working and contributing to the war effort. For the first time society saw women differently: their emancipation had begun.

Called to the front: 1 September 1939. Germany invades Poland, France and Great Britain declare war, Canada follows suit. The Second World War has begun and Canada's young men decide to enlist as volunteers. One such was Évariste Lagacé, Claude Legault's uncle.

Anti-Semitism, in Canada as well: If Nazi Germany clearly deserves the abhorrent gold medal for anti-Semitism, Canada's hands aren't totally clean. There was a growing anti-Jewish movement here as well. Claude Legault meets some of the descendants of those who suffered discrimination and insults.

Our version of history: The Canadian government needed to persuade its population to participate in the general effort. As Claude Legault learns, a major propaganda campaign was launched right from the start of the war. Newspapers, radio, films: the war had to be sold to public opinion and minds controlled by fear or patriotism.

Fascism Canadian-style: Fascist ideology had spread far and wide, even as far as Canada. Claude Legault discovers more about Adrien Arcand, founder of a political party based on European fascism. Uniforms, swastika arm-bands, hate speech: it was all there. Canada had its very own Fuhrer.

Foreigners in their own country: For a Canadian government at war, the enemy is also within. Claude Legault discovers that any civilian with Italian, German or Japanese roots had their rights flouted and privileges withdrawn. Despite being born in Canada, these citizens were forced out of their homes and interned in labour camps.

Resistance at any price: With war came the fear of conscription. Claude Legault discovers the strategies used to avoid the army: young men invented all sorts of incapacities or illnesses, and were queuing up to get married. For many there was no question of sending a brother, husband or son to die in Europe.