Souvenir Medal Monnaie de Paris 2022 - Raid de Dieppe (14)

The Dieppe Raid, or Operation Jubilee, took place on 19 August 1942 and was an Allied attempt to land on the Normandy coast, led primarily by Canadians, with support from British and American forces. The aim was to test German defences, gather intelligence and demonstrate the Allies' ability to open a second front in Europe. However, the raid was a bitter failure due to strong German resistance, lack of surprise and the absence of sufficient preparatory bombardment. Of the 6,000 soldiers involved, over 60% were killed, wounded or captured, including 3,367 Canadians. This tragedy nevertheless served as a strategic lesson for the Normandy landings in 1944, allowing the Allies to avoid the same mistakes and better prepare for the successful invasion of occupied Europe.