- Landmark study of the Canadians' first major operation in Normandy - New revelations on the death of German panzer ace Michael Wittmann - Handsomely illustrated with maps, photos, and diagrams On August 8, 1944, the Canadian Army launched Operation Totalize, a massive armored and mechanized infantry attack that aimed to break through enemy defenses south of Caen and trap the German Army in Normandy by linking up with Patton's Third Army.