In 1942 Adolph Hitler was in the midst of his terrifying takeover of Europe as nations around the world watched in horror. The idea that Nazi troops could storm the coasts and skies of North America seemed implausible at the time, but nonetheless a possibility, and it was this faint fear that inspired the Canadian government to stage a bizarre mock Nazi takeover of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba smack dab in the middle of the country. On February 19, 1942 “Nazi” soldiers invaded the city, looting homes, shutting down churches, burning books, and accosting news carriers. Civic leaders were rounded up and marched off as prisoners of war, and they even took Lower Fort Gary, the fort north of Winnipeg which is now a National Historic Site, and by the end of the day nearly every flag was replaced with the Nazi swastika. It was one of the most surreal days in Canadian military history, and ended up raising millions of dollars in war bonds which eventually helped save Europe from Hitler’s terrifying grip.
