CBC Digital Archives

Lesson Plan: For Teachers: What Was the Dieppe Raid?

History, Social Studies
1 lesson
To identify key Canadian military contributions to the Second World War; to gather information and impressions of the role of the Dieppe raid in Canadian military history
In this introductory activity, students gather information about and discuss Canada’s military contributions to the Second World War, and the Dieppe raid in particular.

Lesson Plan

Before Exploring

Ask students to make a list of some of the main events of the Second World War. Record their responses and ask students which of these events involved the participation of Canadian troops and which did not. Ask students where most Canadians fought, and if they can give reasons why this was the case.

Have students share what, if anything, they know about the Dieppe raid of August 1942 and record their answers on the board.

Outline the Opportunity

Have students browse the topic The Contentious Legacy of Dieppe, parts one and two, on the CBC Digital Archives website for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As they examine the site, students record any information they find interesting and/or important, and list some of the major political and military figures involved in ordering, preparing, and executing this military operation.

Revisit and Reflect

Have students share the information and impressions they gathered. Ask them why they think the Dieppe operation has such a "contentious legacy" to this day. Write the following quotation on the board, and ask students to respond:

Of nearly 5,000 Canadians sent to Dieppe, only 2,000 returned. More than 60 years later, the operation remains divisive: was Dieppe an essential trial run for D-Day or a shocking waste of lives?


Students can prepare a timeline of the main events of the Dieppe raid, including the planning for the operation, the military objectives of the raid, its execution, and its consequences. Alternatively, have students prepare and present a one-page opinion statement arguing that the Dieppe raid was or was not justified.


Related Content

1942: Carnage on the beaches of Dieppe

The first news from the raid on Dieppe is a sober account of heartbreak and heroism.