Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two

Half way through Canada at War I realized it was filling in an odd gap in my education. I had read about the Dutch experience of World War II in great kids' books like Anne de Vries'  Journey Through the Night  and Piet Prins'  Scout: The Secret of the Swamp , and a love of classic war films like  Casablanca  and  Twelve O'Clock High  had given me a good sampling of the American perspective. But I don't know if I've ever seen the war through Canadian eyes.Canada at War is a "graphic history" - otherwise known as a comic - but it would be a mistake to dismiss this as fluffy kids' stuff. It is weighty and well-researched and would be best understood as an illustrated history textbook. It includes chapters on:- Canada before the war- Canada's early defeats defending Hong Kong from the Japanese and attacking German-held Dieppe, France- The creation and impact of Canada's Air Force- The Canadian Navy's seemingly impossible task of protecting the Atlantic supply chain from U-boat attacks- The costly lessons our Army learned in Sicily and Italy- The joint invasion of Europe- The Canadian role in the liberation of the Netherlands and the final defeat of GermanyAuthor Paul Keery, and illustrator Michael Wyatt do a masterful job of explaining, in just 176 pages, how Canada went from having next to no military to, in the space of just five years, becoming the third most powerful fighting force in the world. And they give readers a good understanding of just how much we owe the 1 million men who served.Cumulatively the pictures are worth many thousands of words. Descriptions can't quite convey the information available in a picture of a sailor waste deep in water on a leaky Corvette assigned to protect otherwise defenseless supply ships on their way to Britain. There is also a lot packed into a single frame, where we see a bomber pilot relaxing at his home base, happy to have survived another bombing run, but knowing that he has only a 1 in 4 chance of living through to the end of his tour.The style of the visuals is also striking: it's a mix of quite realistic computer animation and solid simple lines. Illustrator Michael Wyatt shows us action and lots of it including planes being blown apart and submarines being sunk. Wyatt uses great restraint, showing the results of war - the blood, death and destruction - without dwelling on the gory detail. This bloody detail is most often muted, either by being obscured (often times by making use of silhouette images) or by being skipped right over. For example, in one exchange we see a soldier with blood on his face, but only learn how it happened from the caption. But as should be expected in a "graphic history" or World War II, there are a few "graphic" frames. However, Canada at War is intended for a young adult readership, so these pictures are unlikely to shock them. I've included a few of these frames in my review at ReallyGoodReads.com, so that parents can evaluate them for themselves.An impacting book, that will give this generation a far better understanding of what their grandparents and great grandparents endured to give them the Canada they see today.

This is a good overview of the Canadian contribution to the Second World War. The book does a good job with both the fight against the Germans and the Japanese. As it is arranged thematically, it does need to be backed with a larger work on the Second World War to get the most out of it. This reader was not all that keen on the CGI illustrations but the art is clear enough that the graphic aspect of this graphic history works.

It was with a real sense of wonder and appreciation that I read this account.Having read with horror the losses in the Great War and visited Vimy Ridge I was interested to learn about the role and psyche of Canadian forces engaging in another European War.Although this fine account focuses on the Canadian commitments and engagements in the 2nd WorldWar it does not make easy reading. Many lives were lost and you have to wonder in what capacity the troops were used. In parts like with the Italian campaign you wonder about joint operations and whether one nations fighting units were sacrificed ahead of another’s.This is a tremendously moving account and it quite rightly identifies acts of heroism and where medals were won by acts of courage.In Britain we see the Yanks joining the battle late and seeking the glory.It is impressive that the Canadian government and it’s people supported Britain from day one. It is also heartening and Canadians should be very proud of how its tightening units gave so much in the conflict.Indeed the Battle of the Atlantic and through air crews from the Battle of Britain onwards made a real and strategic difference.The bravery of Canadian troops particularly in their liberation of the Netherlands means many Dutch people will never forget the role they played in defeating the Germans.It is that sense of mature Nationhood that shouts in this account that shows why Canadian people can be proud and the legacy they brought to the peace.Canadian youngsters would benefit greatly from hearing this story. But as stated the story should be better known in the U.K. where we sometimes forget the Allies defeated Nazi German none were more loyal and determined than the men and women of Canada.

If you listen to the Americans you would never think any other country took up the fight against the nazis. I was unaware of the sacrifice and commitment made by those determined, conscientious, brave Canadians, who from day one stood shoulder to shoulder with the allies against the attempted takeover of the world by the nazis. It made for rewarding reading and I think it is such a shame that world war 2 was hijacked by the Americans and that Canada's sacrifices went unnoticed.This book should be compulsory reading in all schools in all countries when learning about world war 2. However I disliked the comic layout of the book as I have never found comics easy to read.

This is a beautifully illustrated account of Canada's extensive involvement in WWII from the pre-War build-up to the post-War impacts and legacy. The text is a little flat and wordy in places but there is so much to get in it is hard to see how this could have been avoided without losing some of the impact of the Canada's role. This is clearly well researched and very informative. A great place to start building your Canadian war knowledge.

An amazing record of the Canadians sacrifice and contribution to the allied cause in the Second World War against the Germans and Japanese . Well researched and very comprehensive, we should never forget the debt we owe Canada and the other Commonwealth countries who gave their all to fight alongside us against evil domination.

The military history of Canada during World War II begins with the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. While the Canadian Armed Forces were eventually active in nearly every theatre of war, most combat was centred in Italy, Northwestern Europe, and the North Atlantic.