War and Peacekeeping: From South Africa to the Gulf – Canada’s Limited Wars by J.L. Granatstein, David Bercuson (review)

•0• THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW workof CarloD'Este, BillMcAndrew, Brereton Greenhouse, andStephen Harris,to shednewlightonpersonality clashes, psychological breakdowns, the treatmentof Canadian prisoners of war,the experiences of artists and journalists, andotherissues theofficial history did not address. Dancocks attempts to describe the Canadiancampaign in Italy in allits facets, fromtheexperiences ofthecommon soldier to thepolitics ofcoalition warfare,including thehistory of 417 Squadron (theRCAF's onlyrepresentativein the theatre),the experiences of the combined Canadian-American ht SpecialServiceForce,discussions of the importanceof topography and climateon militaryoperations, and the inherentconfusion thatcharacterizes modernwarfare. Whatemerges isan account of a warmany,espedally the Americans, thought of novalueto thedestruction of NaziGermany, butto whichMackenzieKing wantedthe Canadianarmy to contributein themistakenhopethatit wouldavoid casualties in theend.TheAllies rarely,if ever, outnumbered theirenemies, whose knowledge ofdefensive warfare was only surpassed bytheirdetermination nottocedeground. TheD-DayDodgers isessentially a narrative, thoughon occasion Dancocl• subjects hismaterial to analysis, tryingto sortout sometimes contradictory interpretations, suchas Vokes'shandlingof the battle of Ortona or the strategic valueof theItaliancampaign asa whole.Theseforaysare,however, somewhat rare, andthereare, in fact,fewprimarysources in the notes. Of greater value to the graduatestudentor professional historianare the personal accounts whichmightserveto illustrate one'sresearch, many of whichtheauthorhascollected in theformofinterviews or personal letters. For anyonewishingto learnmore aboutthe Canadianexperience in the Italian campaign,as well as the politicalmanoeuvringsurrounding that experience, TheD-Day Dodgers wouldbea goodstart. BILLRAWLING Directorate ofHistory, National Defence Headquartzrs WarandPeacekeeping: From South AfricatotheGulf- Canada's Limited Wars. J.L GRANATSTEIN andt)AvIt) BERCUSON. Toronto:KeyPorterBooks1991.Pp.vi, 266, illus. $39.95 WarandPeacekeeping isthethird volumeofa series thatincludedMarching •o Amugeddon andA Nation Forged in Fire.The firstdealtwiththe GreatWar and the second with the Second World War. This third volume servesto fill in the gaps between theothertwo. The resultis a bit untidybut I doubtif it couldbe helped.The first section, called the'Ageof Innocence,' covered theperiodfromtheFenian Raidstoandincluding ourparticipation in theBoerWar.The middlesection - andeach isabouteighty pages long- deals withCanadian forces in Korea. The lastpart- the'Ageof Peacekeeping' - is a sweeping but nonethetcm REVIEWS 303 well-written survey of Canada's involvement in UnitedNationsmilitary activities around the worid sincethe end of the SecondWorld War. There is nothing ontheinterwar period, since thisbookisconcerned primarily with actionin the field. In the 1919-$9 period there were few Canadian servicemen on dutybeyond ourownborders, andthese, for themostpart, were attending seniorstaffcourses in Britain. Givensucha largecanvas onwhichto portraythearmedforces overthe past 125years, thereareboundto be some complaints aboutthe space devoted to various incidents. Forexample, thereisverylittleon the Yukon Field Forceandwhat,if anything, it accomplished. The North-West Rebellion gets aboutsix pages, the BoerWar overforty.Whethermeasured in casualties or members involved, this seems a bit uneven.The political implications of theBoerWar,however, casttheirshadow in the twentieth century andprovidea springboard for thenextsection on theKoreanWar some fiftyyearslater. Fortunately eachsegment of the bookstands aloneon its own merit. Thereareexcellent photographs accompanying the textaswellassufficient maps. The authors havebeenableto laytheir handson numerous diaries andpersonalletterswritten by men who participatedin theseactions, ranging fromthe FenianRaidsto the GulfWar.All areusedto goodeffect andhelpto enhance a well-written andlivelytext. As with the earlier volumes,War and Ptt•tl•pirl• has no notesor bibliography. Sometimes onecanguess wherethesources of quotations are coming from,but that isasfar asit goes. This isa volumewrittenfor the general public, andI'm surethose interested in Canadian militaryhistory will thoroughly enjoy it. Sowillthemoreacademically minded, though theywill wish forthemissing references. Should therebeasecond printing, I hopesomeone willpointoutthatthe twocoloniesof British Columbia and Vancouver Island were united in 1886, not1858.Asidefromthatsmallerror,thebookprovides oneof thebestand liveliest accounts ofpeacekeeping available. Bothauthors aretobecongratuhtedon providing the public,andthe militaryaswell,witha well-written survey of Canada's UNcommitments duringthepastfortyyears. I•,H. l•OVUniversity ofVictoria Carreda andtheUnited States: T• Politics ofPartnership. goneaT nOTHWœtJ_ Toronto: University of TorontoPress 1992.Pp.xii, 192,illus.$35 cloth, $16.95 paper Thisisa history dominated by a strong continentalist viewof Canadian destiny. Ironically, justasmuch oftheworld hasthrown offtheshackles of one ideology, manyin NorthAmerica, including Professor Bothwell, have ...