History Commons^™

Review Of "The River Battles: Canada’S Final Campaign In World War Ii Italy" By Mark Zuehlke, Tobias Clark

Canadian Military History

Review of The River Battles: Canada’s Final Campaign in World War II Italy by Mark Zuehlke

Review Of "Pulp Vietnam: War And Gender In Cold War Men’S Adventure Magazines" By Gregory A. Daddis, Matthew Barrett

Canadian Military History

Review of Pulp Vietnam: War and Gender in Cold War Men’s Adventure Magazines by Gregory A. Daddis

Review Of "Congress’S Own: A Canadian Regiment, The Continental Army, And American Union" By Holly A. Mayer, Matthew Barrett

Canadian Military History

Review of Congress’s Own: A Canadian Regiment, the Continental Army, and American Union by Holly A. Mayer

Hellyer’S Flag: The Origins Of The Canadian Armed Forces Ensign In Documents, 1964-68, Brian Bertosa

Canadian Military History

As an unambiguous expression of both Canadian national identity and a unified military, the Canadian Armed Forces Ensign symbolises the victory of the Pearson government in two of its most contentious initiatives. The antecedents and development of the Ensign, however, have not previously been studied. Examined here will be the need for a service ensign after the introduction of the National Flag of Canada in 1965, lukewarm support for an ensign in the upper echelons of the military, hostility in the Cabinet and dogged determination on the part of the Minister of National Defence, Paul Hellyer, to have a design …

Tria Juncta In Uno: Early Draft Versions Of Canadian Armed Forces Senior Officer Flags And Pennants, Brian Bertosa

Canadian Military History

Distinguishing flags and pennants for senior officers are a feature of many of the world’s militaries and the armed forces of Canada are no exception. With unification in 1968 came the need to harmonise the disparate patterns employed by the former Navy, Army and Air Force. The priority of the new designs was to assert unification and national identity. The approval process was lengthy, with setbacks, and not all of the proposed designs saw the light of day. Nevertheless, with only minor changes, the original draft versions have proven remarkably successful over the succeeding decades.

An Enemy No Longer: The Canadian Military Presence In Japan During The Korean War, 1950-1955, Michael B. Pass

Canadian Military History

In general, most Canadian historians have not paid much attention to their country’s relationship with Japan immediately after the Second World War. Having declined to participate in the American-run occupation of the country from 1945 to 1952, the argument goes, Ottawa was allegedly uninterested in rediscovering Japan. As a result, the consequences of Canada’s military deployment to Japan as part of the Korean War are usually ignored or simplified to the rowdy and salacious exploits of soldiers visiting the country on R&R. In this article, I argue that the war not only had a lasting impact on Japanese-Canadian relations by …

“It Is Always Tomorrow In Korea”: The Letters And Photographic Record Of Major Brian Meredith, 1950-1951, Andrew Burtch, Sarah L. Hart

Canadian Military History

This article sheds light on the important textual and photographic archives of Major Roderick Brian Meredith who was present for key events in the early phases of the Korean War. As an eyewitness during this pivotal period, his letters, broadcasts, and photographic diary offer contemporary interpretations of the war, the mission of the United Nations in Korea, and above all the plight of Korean citizens caught in the crossfire of the first hot war of the Cold War. The authors then describe what sets the Meredith collection apart from other photograph albums held at the Museum, and the recent efforts …

A Documentary History Of The Badge Of The Canadian Army, Brittany Dunn

Canadian Military History

The general badge of the Canadian Army has undergone a number of changes over the years in response to changes in the status of the land forces of Canada. The most significant of these changes was the disestablishment of the Army as an independent service with unification in 1968. An impressive amount of documentation records the decisions taken with respect to the badge of Mobile Command, a design unlike its predecessor, which had been based on that of the British Army. The demise of Mobile Command saw a return to patterns based on the original design with crossed swords.

Operational Research And Counter-Battery Fires In The Canadian Corps, 1917-18, Brendan Hogan

Canadian Military History

This article examines the operational research conducted by the counter-battery staff office (CBO) in the headquarters of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. It challenges the argument presented by most historians of operational research, who contend that the discipline originated with the 1935 Tizard Committee and came to fruition during the Second World War and expands upon the initial inquiry performed by scholars J.S. Finan and W.J. Hurley in a 1997 journal article. While the staff of the CBO never used the term “operational research” to describe their scientific studies, they were undoubtedly its practitioners through their innovating, …

Arrows, Bears And Secrets: The Role Of Intelligence In Decisions On The Cf-105 Program, Alan Barnes

Canadian Military History

Newly available information has made it possible for the first time to examine the role of intelligence in decisions on the CF-105 Arrow. These records show that Canadian intelligence assessments of the Soviet bomber threat differed from US estimates. In the late 1950s Canadian analysts stressed the imminent shift from bombers to ballistic missiles as the main danger to North America. The Diefenbaker government’s decision to cancel the Arrow program in 1959 was significantly influenced by this view of the changing strategic threat. In examining the role of intelligence, the article addresses a number of earlier myths, and provides a …

Soldiering On After The Armistice: Health, Work And Family In The Lives Of Some Canadian Army Medical Corps Nurse Veterans, Sarah Glassford

Canadian Military History

This article analyses the federal government pension files of forty Canadian women who nursed for the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC), exploring aspects of their health, work and family lives in the decades immediately following the First World War. The sample exclusively features nurses with ties to the region of Southwestern Ontario but in demographic terms is also largely representative of the entire body of CAMC nurses. Collectively, the files depict nurse veterans who mobilized their medical knowledge and professional networks when faced with challenging health situations, pursued diverse postwar employment strategies, and in some cases played crucial roles in …

Review Of "Prisoners Of War And Local Women In Europe And The United States, 1914–1956. Consorting With The Enemy" Edited By Matthias Reiss And Brian K. Feltman, Jean-Michel Turcotte

Canadian Military History

Review of Prisoners of War and Local Women in Europe and the United States, 1914–1956. Consorting with the Enemy edited by Matthias Reiss and Brian K. Feltman

Review Of "Among The Walking Wounded: Soldiers, Survival And Ptsd" By Colonel John Conrad, Robert Smol

Canadian Military History

Review of Among the Walking Wounded: Soldiers, Survival and PTSD by Colonel John Conrad

Review Of "War Memories: Commemoration, Recollections And Writings On War" Edited By Stephanie A.H. Bélanger And Renée Dickason, Bradley Shoebottom

Canadian Military History

Review of War Memories: Commemoration, Recollections and Writings on War edited by Stephanie A.H. Bélanger and Renée Dickason

Review Of "Dublin’S Great Wars: The First World War, The Easter Rising, And The Irish Revolution" By Richard S. Grayson, Jeremy P. Maxwell

Canadian Military History

Review of Dublin’s Great Wars: The First World War, the Easter Rising, and the Irish Revolution by Richard S. Grayson

Review Of "Strategy And Command: The Anglo-French Coalition On The Western Front, 1915" By Roy A. Prete, Mark Klobas

Canadian Military History

Review of Strategy and Command: The Anglo-French Coalition on the Western Front, 1915 by Roy A. Prete

Review Of "War Junk: Munitions Disposal And Postwar Reconstruction In Canada" By Alex Souchen, Andrew Iarocci

Canadian Military History

Review of War Junk: Munitions Disposal and Postwar Reconstruction in Canada by Alex Souchen

Review Of "The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon’S Battle To Mend The Disfigured Soldiers Of World War I" By Lindsey Fitzharris, Teresa Iacobelli

Canadian Military History

Review of The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon’s Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I by Lindsey Fitzharris

Review Of "The Forgotten Front: The Eastern Theater Of World War I, 1914-1915" Edited By Gerhard P. Gross, Benjamin Hughes

Canadian Military History

Review of The Forgotten Front: The Eastern Theater of World War I, 1914-1915 edited by Gerhard P. Gross

Review Of "Canada’S Mechanized Infantry: The Evolution Of A Combat Arm, 1920-2012" By Peter Kasurak, Robert C. Engen

Canadian Military History

Review of Canada’s Mechanized Infantry: The Evolution of a Combat Arm, 1920-2012 by Peter Kasurak

Review Of "Canada In Nato, 1949-2019" By Joseph T. Jockel And Joel J. Sokolsky, Tim Cook

Canadian Military History

Review of Canada in NATO, 1949-2019 by Joseph T. Jockel and Joel J. Sokolsky

Canada’S Most Decisive Victory: An Analysis Of Canada’S Role In The Hundred Days Offensive, 8 August - 11 November 1918, Ryan Goldsworthy, J.L. Granatstein

Canadian Military History

Of Canada’s long military history, Vimy is the one battle that most Canadians will know. Some will be familiar with Passchendaele, D-Day or the disasters at Hong Kong and Dieppe. Canadians should know the Hundred Days because the battles that constitute that offensive were almost certainly the most important victories ever won by Canadian soldiers. This article analyses the various reasons for the stunning Canadian successes of that war-winning offensive: chiefly the Canadian experience and doctrine; the state of the enemy and the Allies; artillery and counter-battery fire (the most important tactical arm); and logistics and administration. Ultimately, as the …

Bearing Witness To Sacrifice: Death, Grief And Memorialisation In The Collections Of The Canadian War Museum, Teresa Iacobelli

Canadian Military History

This article presents a selection of artworks, archival material and artifacts from the Canadian War Museum (CWM) that illuminate how Canadians—soldiers and civilians— have experienced and endured war. By focusing on the themes of death, grief and memorialisation, these items convey how Canadians have borne the sacrifice of war, and the way in which those losses have been memorialised in ways both public and private.

Cet article présente une sélection d’oeuvres d’art, de documents d’archives et d’artefacts du Musée canadien de la guerre (MCG) qui illustrent la façon dont les Canadiens – soldates et civils – ont vécu et enduré …

“Such An Immoral Creature”: Widowed Women And The Board Of Pension Commissioners, Lyndsay Rosenthal

Canadian Military History

Widows’ pensions were a vital source of income following the loss of a spouse during and after the war. While soldiers enlisted with the promise that their families would be taken care of, accessing state assistance could be exceedingly difficult. In addition to proving their husband’s death was connected to their wartime service, widows also had to meet contemporary ideals about gender, sexuality and motherhood. These pensions provided more financial support than any other social welfare system available at the time. However, pension regulations governed widows’ daily lives and influenced major life events such as marriage and childrearing.

Indigenous Veterans Of The First World War And Their Families In The Prairie West, William John Pratt

Canadian Military History

This study of forty-five military pension files of Indigenous First World War veterans of the Treaty 4, 6 and 7 regions shows that the racist perspectives and structures of settler colonialism on the Prairies could prevent just administration of benefits. Pension files of Indigenous veterans expose the tragedy of their lives during and after the First World War. Many soldiers had lingering pains and ailments as a result of the war, as well as continuing problems shaking the gaze of settler colonialism, which seemed unable to view them as both Indigenous and veterans. Despite the numerous legal and cultural obstacles …

Je Ne Me Souviens Pas: Pensioned Veterans From French Canada’S 22nd Battalion, Serge Marc Durflinger

Canadian Military History

An examination of the pension files of men having served in the 22nd Battalion (canadien-français), the Canadian Corps’ only French-speaking line battalion, situates veterans into a specific ethno-linguistic and, more generally, socio-economic context. This article seeks to illuminate some of the many personal crises that could, and commonly did, afflict veterans, their families and their survivors. It demonstrates that beyond the devastation of serious physical or psychological wounding, many of Canada’s returned men, perhaps far more than we imagined, suffered persistent ill health, financial distress and family estrangement. Almost without exception, the sixty 22nd Battalion case files examined …

“Anxious To Be Restored”: Managing War Neuroses In Interwar Canada, Heather Ellis

Canadian Military History

Using newly available records from the Veterans Affairs Pension Files, doctors’ notes and Veterans’ Hospital records, this article explores how war neurosis was simultaneously a personal and public event. Veterans were required to describe symptoms that breached masculine ideals to demonstrate that their disability impacted their daily lives. Ex-servicemen were caught in a delicate balance between following the soldier ideal and describing their symptoms accurately. War neurosis not only impacted veterans in the private examining room of the pension administrator it also affected their ability to find and maintain employment and the lives of their family members. The more public …

A Generation Curtailed: The Lifespans Of Canada’S Pensioned Veterans Of The Great War, Jonathan Scotland

Canadian Military History

Despite long-time interest in links between the Great War and concepts of a Lost Generation, there have been few efforts to study veteran lifespans. The death dates of Canadian pensioned veterans recorded in the Department of Veterans Affairs pensions files, combined with those recorded in department’s death cards, offers an opportunity to quantify not just veteran life expectancy, but actual lifespans. The ensuing analysis of pensioned veteran lifespans suggests that research conducted in the mid 1930s by F. S. Burke for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which concluded that pensioned veteran life expectancy would exceed that of the average Canadian …

“When Wartime Friends Meet”: Great War Veteran Culture And The (Ab)Use Of Alcohol, Jonathan F. Vance

Canadian Military History

After the First World War, Canadian veterans created a culture that celebrated the camaraderie, sense of purpose, and light-hearted moments of their experience as soldiers. Much like the trench culture of the war years, it poked fun at misfortune, satirized the enemy, and presumed that a stiff drink could make any situation better. Veteran culture provided ex-soldiers in the 1920s and 1930s with the mutual support they needed to get through difficult times, but it was a milieu in which the excessive consumption of alcohol was accepted and even encouraged. This had little impact on the settled, well-adjusted veteran but …

“By Reason Of Age And Necessity”: Pension Claims Of Veterans Of The War In South Africa, Amy Shaw

Canadian Military History

Under the War Veterans Allowance Act (1930) some veterans of the War in South Africa (1899-1902) became eligible for support from the Canadian government. The terms of eligibility and the discourse around granting these pension allowances echo debates during the war itself, with a focus on the men’s physicality and an ambiguity about the country’s relations with the British Empire. The act required both military service and impecunity of the veterans it proposed to assist. The veterans’ interactions with the government, asserting both need and earned reward, position the Act as a significant point of transition in the country’s discourse …