If Day
[2] If Day included a staged firefight between Canadian troops and volunteers dressed as German soldiers, the internment of prominent politicians, the imposition of Nazi rule, and a parade.
The national campaign planned to light "Beacon Fires of Freedom" in communities across the country, but Winnipeg's February weather was not conducive to this idea, leading to the Greater Winnipeg Victory Loan committee, a regional branch of the National War Finance Committee, under chairman John Draper Perrin, to opt for a different approach.
[6][8][9] 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.
[6][note 1] Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft painted to look like German fighter planes flew over the city on 18 February 1942.
[10] 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.
[14] The 'Nazi' troops were volunteers from the Young Men's Board of Trade, using uniforms rented from Hollywood and with painted sabre scars on their faces.
[1] Canadian troops were massed at Fort Osborne barracks and the Minto and McGregor armouries at 6:30 am, and at 7:00 am air-raid sirens were sounded and a blackout ordered in preparation for the invasion.
[10][13] The firefight included large-scale troop movements and the simulated destruction of major bridges – coal dust and dynamite were used to create explosions.
[15] Some people were taken to an internment camp at Lower Fort Garry; those interned included prominent local politicians like Premier John Bracken (arrested with several members of his cabinet at a caucus meeting), Mayor John Queen, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Roland Fairbairn McWilliams, and visiting Norwegian ambassador to the United States Wilhelm de Morgenstierne [no].
[10][21] Erich von Neuremburg was installed as gauleiter (provincial leader); he was assisted by George Waight, who acted as the local Gestapo chief.
[10][22] Their stated purpose was to assist Hitler in his plans to take advantage of Canada's relatively low population density by colonizing the country.
[15][23] One satirical story noted that "this is a great day for Manitoba ...The Nazis, like Der Fuehrer, are patient, kind and tolerant, but THEIR PATIENCE IS RAPIDLY EXHAUSTED BECOMING",[24] while another included an "official joke", approved by the German authorities, at which all readers were ordered to laugh or be imprisoned.
At one local elementary school, the principal was arrested and replaced with a 'Nazi' educator dedicated to teaching the "Nazi Truth"; special lessons were prepared for high-school students throughout the city.
Canadian currency was replaced with fake German Reichsmarks, the only propaganda notes that Canada created during the war.
[10] Ambassador de Morgenstierne spoke about his experiences with If Day and in Norway, suggesting that the "make-believe Nazi occupation of [Winnipeg] was an authentic glimpse of German behavior in German-ridden Europe".
[10][2] If Day pushed Victory Bond sales well over Greater Winnipeg's goal, and brought the tactic to the attention of people throughout North America.
Life Magazine ran a pictorial spread of the If Day activities in Winnipeg and smaller centres across Manitoba, photographed by William Shrout.
[29] Reporters from several American publications, including Newsweek, The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor, were also present;[10] cameraman Lucien Roy shot newsreel footage for BBC News.
