Glossary   |   Detailed Search   |   About Democracy at War     
Democracy at War: The Collection of World War II Newspaper Articles  
Canadian Newspapers and the Second World War
Introduction to WW2 History Canada and the War Battles and Operations The Holocaust
  - Politics and Government
  - Parliament
  - William Lyon Mackenzie King
  - Conscription
  - The War Economy and Controls
  - Munitions
  - Shipping and Shipbuilding
  - Aircraft Production
  - C.D. Howe
  - Agriculture
  - Wage and Price Controls
  - Life on the Homefront
  - Women and the War on the Home Front
  - The Family Allowances
  - Salvage
  - Veterans and Veterans' Programmes
  - Hamilton, Ont.; a City at War
  - Montréal, Quebec; a City at War
  - Axis Prisoners in Canada
  - The Canadian Armed Forces
  - The Royal Canadian Navy
  - The Canadian Army
  - The Royal Canadian Air Force
  -Francophone Units
  - The Air Training Plan
  - Casualties
  - Canadian Prisoners of the Axis Powers
  - Demobilization
  - VE Day
  - The Halifax Riots
  -

Post-War Planning
 

  Search the Newspaper Archives     
 
Search for :
Find :

Appearing :
Detailed Search
Canada and the War

The Halifax VE Day Riots, 7-8 May 1945

The population of Halifax nearly doubled during the war as service personnel poured into the port city by the tens of thousands. Many of the military resented the overcrowding and strained facilities, and the way they believed themselves ignored by Halifax's permanent residents. Bad feelings, combined with the poor preparations of military and local authorities for VE Day, turned spontaneous celebrations into a rampage. Liquor stores and restaurants had been closed so that everyone could enjoy the holiday, leading thousands of sailors and soldiers, along with many civilians, to "liberate" liquor and beer on a big scale. This in turn fuelled large-scale vandalism and looting, both in Halifax and next-door Dartmouth. 564 businesses suffered damage and 207 shops were looted. Three rioters died. Some of the rioters received lengthy prison sentences from the local criminal courts, but most sentences were later reduced. A federal inquiry later blamed the navy for poor discipline of its personnel. The navy's top officer on the east coast was fired.

Related Newspaper Articles


English Articles



French Articles