Canada achieved many achievements during and after the Second World War, but the most important achievement was obtaining the 'independence. Canada was moving further and further away from Great Britain. Additionally, there was a greater sense of pride and nationalism among the citizens and soldiers of Canada. Canada's sense of identity has completely changed and Canada has significantly increased its autonomy. This can be demonstrated by Canada's success in the Battle of the Atlantic, the invasion of Italy, and D-Day. As a result, Canada was extremely successful in gaining self-rule during World War II. First, Canada's most important step toward self-sufficiency occurred during the Battle of the Atlantic at the start of the Second World War. Primarily, Canada took on the difficult task of providing convoy escorts to Britain and managed to do so independently. For example, as Marc Milner explained clearly and concisely: “The Allies won the war in the Atlantic and did so convincingly. The Canadians have proven themselves superior on all fronts, from simple industrial production to intelligence, equipment, operational research and command and control” (Sarty 18). Also accurately described by Jean Pierre Blackburn, Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2010, the Battle of the Atlantic was one of the most painful and important struggles of the Second World War. Many Canadian sailors and civilians crossed the dangerous North Atlantic, under constant threat from submarines and carrying dangerous goods. It was about fighting to maintain the vital supply of supplies from the east coast of Canada to Britain and the European Front so that the fight for freedom and democracy could continue. In the end we were victorious, but at a terrible price with...... middle of paper ......k. “Second World War: The Italian Campaign.” Canada at war. November 25, 2006 ed.http://wwii.ca/content-24/world-war-ii/the-italian-campaign/"Military history of Canada during the Second World War." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. December 17, 2011 ed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Canada_during_the_Second_World_War#Battle_of_the_Atlantic Newman, Garfield. Canada, a nation in full development. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2000. Santor, Donald M. “The Battle of the Atlantic.” Canadians at War, 1914-1918. Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice-Hall of Canada, 1978. Sarty, Roger. "The Battle of the Atlantic." The Battle of the Atlantic: The Royal Canadian Navy's Greatest Campaign, 1939-1945. Ottawa: CEF Books, 2001. Veterans Affairs Canada. "Carpiquet Et Caen" Veterans Affairs Canada - Veterans Affairs Canada. October 1, 2011 ed.http://www.veterans.gc.ca/fra/history/secondwar/normandy/carpiquet