If Day If Day ( , " If one day " ) was a simulated Nazi German invasion and occupation of the Canadian city of Winnipeg , Manitoba , and surrounding areas on 19 February 1942 , during the Second World War . It was organized by the Greater Winnipeg Victory Loan organization , which was led by prominent Winnipeg businessman J . D . Perrin . The event was the largest military exercise in Winnipeg to that point . 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 event was a fundraiser for the war effort : over C $ 3 million was collected in Winnipeg on that day . It was the subject of a 2006 documentary , and was included in Guy Maddin ' s film " My Winnipeg " . Background . If Day was an elaborate campaign to promote the purchase of Victory Bonds . These bonds , which were loans to the government to allow for increased war spending , were sold to individuals and corporations throughout Canada . If Day was the second Victory Loan campaign of the Second World War . The campaign began on 16 February 1942 , and continued until 9 March . Manitoba ' s fundraising target was $ 45 million ( $ 620 million in 2011 dollars ) , including $ 24 . 5 million from Winnipeg . The Greater Winnipeg Victory Loan committee , a regional branch of the National War Finance Committee , organized If Day under chairman John Draper Perrin . The organizers believed that bringing the war ( or , rather , a simulation thereof ) to people ' s homes would result in a change of attitude among those not directly affected by the war . The committee drew up a map of Manitoba , which was divided into 45 sections , each representing $ 1 million of their fundraising target . As money came in from those selling Victory Bonds , the sections were " reclaimed " from the Nazi invaders . The map was posted at the corner of Portage and Main , the city ' s central intersection . The campaign was publicized in local newspapers for a few days before the event , although the " invasion " took many citizens by surprise . 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 . Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft painted to look like German fighter planes flew over the city on 18 February 1942 . 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 . Events . The simulation included 3 , 500 Canadian Army members , representing all of Winnipeg ' s units , making it the largest military exercise in Winnipeg to that point . The defending forces were commanded by Colonel s E . A . Pridham and D . S . McKay . Troops were drawn from the 18th ( Manitoba ) Armoured Car Regiment , No . 10 District Engineers and Signals , the Royal Winnipeg Rifles , the Winnipeg Grenadiers , the Winnipeg Light Infantry , the Queen ' s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada , Veteran ' s Guard of Canada ( including over 300 veterans of the First World War ) , and a number of reserve and civilian groups . 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 . They were commanded by Erich von Neurenberg . Approximately $ 3 , 000 was spent on the event . ' Nazi ' patrols in the city began before 5 : 30 am on 19 February . A radio announcer was detained and his microphone commandeered for radio broadcasts , beginning at 5 : 45 am . ' Nazi ' troops assembled on the west side of the city half an hour after the first patrols . Canadian troops were massed at Fort Osborne barracks and the Minto and Macgregor armouries at 6 : 30 am , and at 7 am air - raid sirens were sounded and a blackout ordered in preparation for the invasion . The aerial blitzkrieg began before 7 am with mock bombings . Beginning at 7 : 03 am , troops started their simulated attack on the city , which was defended by a small group of active and reserve troops assisted by local community groups . The defenders formed a perimeter around the industrial and downtown areas of the city , approximately from City Hall , retreating to a perimeter at 7 : 45 . The firefight included large - scale troop movements and the simulated destruction of major bridges . Nine troop formations held three positions each during the tightly scripted invasion sequence ; they were directed via telephone ( one line per formation ) and flash - lamp signals from the headquarters established at the Chamber of Commerce building . The defensive pattern employed was similar to that used during the First World War in Paris to conduct soldiers to the front . Light tanks were stationed at road and rail junctions as fighting intensified . Thirty anti - aircraft vehicles fired blanks at fighter planes overhead , assisted by anti - aircraft gunners on buildings downtown . The first mock casualty was reported at 8 am . Dressing stations were set up at strategic points to treat the mock casualties ; they also treated the two real casualties of the event – a soldier who sprained his ankle , and a woman who cut her thumb preparing toast during the early - morning blackout . At 9 : 30 am , the defenders surrendered to the ' Nazis ' and withdrew to the downtown muster point , and the city was occupied . The fake Nazis began a widespread harassment campaign , sending armed troops throughout the city . A tank was driven down Portage Avenue , one of the main streets of the downtown area . 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 . One council member , Dan McClean , escaped but was recaptured after an intensive search . Chief of Police George Smith avoided capture because he was dining out when soldiers arrived at his office . The Union Flag at Lower Fort Garry was replaced with the swastika . The city was renamed " Himmlerstadt " , and Main Street was termed " Hitlerstrasse " . Erich von Neurenberg was installed as " gauleiter " ( provincial leader ) ; he was assisted by George Waight , who acted as the local Gestapo chief . Their stated purpose was to assist Hitler in his plans to take advantage of Canada ' s relatively low population density by colonizing the country . Von Neurenberg issued the following decree , which was posted throughout the city : No one will act , speak or think contrary to our decrees . Notices were posted on churches forbidding worship services , and priests who objected were arrested . Buses were stopped and their passengers searched by armed troops . The " Winnipeg Tribune " was renamed " Das Winnipeger Lügenblatt " ( " The Winnipeg Lies - sheet " ) , a ' Nazi ' publication featuring heavily - censored columns and a front page written almost entirely in German . 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 " , while another included an " official joke " , approved by the German authorities , at which all readers were ordered to laugh or be imprisoned . Henry Weppler , a newspaper seller for the " Winnipeg Free Press " , was attacked and his papers ripped up . The " Winnipeg Free Press " featured a front - page story about the " invasion " , describing in great detail the devastation caused by the Nazis in Winnipeg . Books were burned in front of the main Carnegie branch of the Winnipeg Public Library ( the books had been pre - selected for incineration as damaged or outdated ) . Soldiers entered the cafeteria at Great West Life and stole lunches from workers . They seized buffalo coat s from the police station and wore them throughout the day , as the temperature was below . 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 . Some stores and homes were looted by the fake troops . Canadian currency was replaced with fake German Reichsmarks , the only propaganda notes that Canada created during the war . The day ended at 5 : 30 pm with a ceremonial release of prisoners , a parade , and speeches from the released dignitaries . Members of the organizing committee and local businesspeople marched down Portage Avenue with banners reading " It MUST Not Happen Here ! " and " Buy Victory Bonds " . Following the parade , a banquet was held at the Hudson ' s Bay Company building . 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 " . Surrounding towns were also affected by the invasion : for example , in Neepawa ' Nazi ' soldiers confronted citizens in the streets . Virden was renamed " Virdenberg " . A mock attack was planned for strategic targets in Brandon . The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a program called " Swastika over Canada " on the radio throughout the province , along with military music and extracts of Hitler ' s speeches . Effects . The If Day event not only resulted in Victory Bond sales well over Greater Winnipeg ' s goal , but brought Winnipeg ' s innovative efforts to the attention of people throughout North America . " Life Magazine " ran a pictorial spread of the If Day activities in Winnipeg and in smaller centres across Manitoba , photographed by William Shrout . Reporters from several American publications , including " Newsweek " , " The New York Times " and " The Christian Science Monitor " , were also present for the event ; cameraman Lucien Roy shot newsreel footage . Newspapers as far away as New Zealand included stories about the event . An estimated 40 million people worldwide saw coverage of If Day . The money raised for the Victory Loan campaign on If Day was $ 3 . 2 million , which was the city ' s largest single - day total . Winnipeg passed its $ 24 million Victory Loan quota on 24 February , largely because of the effects of If Day . The provincial total for the entire campaign was $ 60 million , well above its target quota of $ 45 million . The campaign raised approximately $ 2 billion nationwide for the war effort , and If Day was considered one of the most successful fundraising events of the nationwide drive . Officials had expected a significant increase in army recruits as a result of the event , but it failed to end the long - term decline in recruitment numbers : 23 people enlisted at the Winnipeg recruitment office on If Day , compared to an average of 36 per day for the first half of February . If Day was successful enough to spark imitations in other communities . The US government contacted the organizing committee for details of the event . A smaller - scale invasion was staged in Vancouver , using promotional materials from the Winnipeg campaign . In 2006 , a television documentary of the events was made by Aaron Floresco . The work incorporates newsreel footage from the event , as well as interviews with historians and participants . Filmmaker Guy Maddin included a brief newsreel clip of If Day in his film " My Winnipeg " .