Canadian Army Reading List
Canadian Army Reading List
Canadian Army Reading List
reading list
Publication Data
ISBN: 978-0-662-06911-9
NDID: B-GL-007-001/AF-001
Layout and Cover Design: Army Publishing Office and Graphic Arts Section
Kingston, Ontario
The Author and the Publisher make no representation, expressed or implied with regard to
the accuracy of the information contained in this book. The material is provided for histori-
cal and educational purposes and does not represent the policy or views of the Depart-
ment of National Defence. The Author and Publisher are not responsible for any action
based on the information provided in this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
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sion of the Director General Land Capability Development through the Department of
National Defence.
FOREWORD iii
USING THIS GUIDE TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN
READING PROGRAM iv
MILITARY CLASSICS 1
THE NATURE AND PRACTICE OF WAR 2
MILITARY THOUGHT AND STRATEGY 4
COMMAND, LEADERSHIP AND GENERALSHIP 6
THE NCO AND NCM 8
THE FACE OF BATTLE 10
TECHNOLOGY AND WARFARE 12
ECONOMICS AND WARFARE 15
THE ARMY AND THE STATE 17
FOREIGN POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS 19
NATIONAL SECURITY 21
DEFENCE POLICY 23
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS 25
AID TO THE CIVIL POWER 27
ETHICS AND SOCIAL TRENDS 29
MEMOIRS AND BIOGRAPHIES 31
MILITARY HISTORIES 33
THE PROFESSION OF ARMS 36
SURVEYS OF MILITARY HISTORY 38
THE CANADIAN ARMY AT WAR 41
EARLY COLONISATION 41
THE WAR OF 1812 43
UPPER AND LOWER CANADA REBELLIONS 44
FENIAN RAIDS AND THE RED RIVER AND
NILE RIVER EXPEDITIONS 46
THE RIEL REBELLION 48
WEST AFRICA 49
SOUTH AFRICA 50
THE FIRST WORLD WAR 52
THE RUSSIAN INTERVENTION 53
THE SECOND WORLD WAR 55
THE KOREAN WAR 59
THE COLD WAR 60
THE GULF WAR 62
AFRICA, THE BALKANS, AND KOSOVO 64
AFGHANISTAN 65
PEACEKEEPING, PEACE SUPPORT, AND
STABILITY OPERATIONS 67
ASIA AND AFRICA 68
EUROPE, THE AMERICAS, AND THE MIDDLE EAST 70
SPECIAL TOPICS
J. Crosman
Colonel
Director of Land Concepts and Designs
USING THIS GUIDE TO DEVELOP YOUR
OWN READING PROGRAM
Email: andrew.godefroy@forces.gc.ca
THE CANADIAN ARMY READING LIST
MILITARY CLASSICS
Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Lionel Giles, trans. El Paso: Norto
Press, 2005. ISBN: 0976072696.
The first known recorded effort to provide a basis for wartime planning and
the conduct of operations, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War remains one of classics
of military literature. Though the means with which military operations are
conducted continuously change, the maxims and principles of warfare, as
outlined by Sun Tzu, are timeless. For the military professional, this work
is an essential read and provides the basis from which to develop a more
elaborate understanding of the development of military thinking, both in
strategic and operational contexts.
Based upon official U.S. Army records—daily journals, journal files, after
action reports and personal interviews—Seven Firefights in Vietnam is an
illustrative account of modern warfare and the friction of combat. Through
the detailed examination of seven particular engagements that occurred
during the Vietnam War, the authors provide readers with an insightful look
at small-unit tactics and leadership, together with clear examples of the face
of war. This is a valuable addition to the library of either the military profes-
sional or the military student.
A new and revised edition of Dyer’s classic book, War: The New Edition
is a discussion of the history and nature of war. He traces the growth of
organized warfare through history, showing conclusively that the basic tenet
has remained unchanged—war is an act of mass violence applied against an
enemy so that he will do what you want him to do. The only real change has
been technological, permitting us to make war on a mass scale. This book
also asks many intriguing questions regarding war and military establishment,
and their relevance, in the modern era. In this regard, Dyer’s work is a useful
addition to any discussion on the nature of war, civilisation and progress.
Recently put back into print, Moran’s The Anatomy of Courage is one of
the key works in the literature on combat motivation, exploring the nature of
courage and fear in battle. First published in 1945, based upon research
the author conducted during the First World War, it was one of the first works
detailing the psychological effects of war. His main drive was to find out what
would lead to the gaining and expenditure of courage, and to find out why a
man could be “like a lion” one day in battle and cowering the next. Written
at a time when combat stress was still equated with a lack of character,
The Anatomy of Courage was groundbreaking in its own time, and remains
relevant to the military context of today.
This book discusses the relationship between technology and warfare from
the onset of civilisation till the present day, and is therefore a good general
reference on the evolution of this relationship. Examining the impact of new
technology on strategy, logistics, military organisation and communications,
Van Creveld provides insights into the ramifications inherent to the accelerating
development of technological change and how this could affect the conduct of
modern war. Central to this examination is the author’s belief that technological
progress does not necessarily translate into operational or tactical benefits.
Recent scholarship on civil wars and transitions from war to peace has
made significant progress in understanding the political dimensions of
internal conflict, but the economic motivations spurring political violence
have been comparatively neglected. This groundbreaking volume
identifies the economic and social factors behind the perpetuation of civil
wars while also exploring the economic motivations of international actors
seeking to restore peace to war-torn societies. The authors consider the
economic rationale of conflict for belligerents, the economic strategies
that elites use to sustain their positions, and in what situations elites find
war to be more profitable than peace. They strive consistently for policy
relevance in both their analysis and their prescriptions.
Horn, Martin. Britain, France and the Financing of the First World
War. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2003.
ISBN: 077352293X.
Although the major powers involved in the First World War entered the
conflict believing it would be short, its scale, intensity and duration forced
these states to significantly alter their economies in order to support their
respec-tive military forces. A major factor that dictated the success of these
economic alterations was the financial resources available and how they
were handled. This well researched study not only reveals how Britain and
France went about this, but also uncovers how this proved to be a crucial
factor in their eventual victory over Germany.
An excellent overall study of the way the respective coalitions involved in the
First World War managed their economies in response to their transition to
a state of total war. Stubbs goes into considerable detail by examining how
the respective states allocated their human resources, the degree to which
they were able to balance military and civilian requirements and their ability
to transport the required resources to the front. Utilising archival documents,
Race to the Front illustrates how these various issues ultimately shaped the
Germans’ 1918 offensives and the degree to which Great Britain, France and
the United States were competing with each other over control of post-war
Europe.
Through an important study that examines the first thirty years (1964-1994)
of the office of the Chief of the Defence Staff, Douglas Bland documents
the confusion surrounding the purpose of the position and the conflicts,
misunderstandings and rivalries, both personal and organizational, which
arose from it. The exact nature of the relationship between the army and
the state can present society with many questions, but the first question
is “whose policies prevail?” Within Chiefs of Defence, Bland argues that
during the last thirty years the policies of the Canadian Parliament have
always prevailed over those of allies and special interests in the defence
establishment. That fact and its causes and cures ought to concern
Canadians.
Borden, Penn. Civilian Indoctrination of the Military: World War I and
Future Implications for the Military-Industrial Complex.
Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1989. ISBN: 0313263817.
Within a provocative study that traces the origins of the modern military-
industrial complex to the progressive ideology of the late 19th and early
20th centuries, author Penn Borden provides an example of how military
establishments have been shaped by their societies by examining the issue
in an American context. Throughout this book the author examines the
crucial changes that occurred during the First World War and in its aftermath,
when the progressives deliberately broadened the functions and philosophy
of the military, with profound consequences for the social, political and
economic life of the nation. Switching from pacifism to preparedness during
the First World War, the progressives transformed the army, hitherto an
exclusivist frontier force, into a potent instrument for social engineering.
For more than half a century, the Brazilian army used fear and censorship
to erase aspects of its history from public memory and to create its own
political myths. Smallman examines the topics the Brazilian military wished
to obscure—racial politics and terror campaigns, institutional corruption and
civil-military alliances, political torture and personal rivalries—to understand
the army’s growing involvement in civilian affairs. This is a detailed study
of how a military establishment that once dominated a state and its political
control now struggles to find a place within its now democratic society.
Smith, Paul, ed. Government and the Armed Forces in Britain,
1856-1990. Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
ISBN: 1852851449.
With over 17 new essays reflecting the changed landscape of world politics,
the seventh edition of Art and Jervis’ renowned collection provides readers
with comprehensive coverage of the most important concepts, trends and
issues related to international relations. The most significant discussions
within this work relate to anarchy and its consequences, the use of force,
the international political economy and contemporary world politics. For
anyone studying the subject professionally, the depth and scope of the
issues addressed within International Politics, involving as it does complex
hierarchies and nonlinear feedback, makes this book a valuable read.
A short but ambitious treatise, The Invention of Peace documents the history
of the concept of peace from 800 AD to the present day and examines the
role of war within each era. According to Howard, modern concepts of peace
derive from the Enlightenment, and especially from Kant’s teaching that a
stable world order can arise only from forms of government in which the
citizens or subjects have some effective say over the making of war. Howard
traces how successive models of world order have competed for dominance
over the past 200 years. The author convincingly demonstrates that the long
struggle for stability among nations is not yet over, and that the latest new
world order arising after the end of the Cold War still poses as much danger
of conflict as it holds out promises of peace.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Arguing for the primacy of military history and its crystallization around key
moments of life and death, Hanson looks at three highly influential, yet
often overlooked, battles in three highly influential wars. In extrapolating
the webs of causality and coincidence surrounding important moments, the
author reveals surprising connections that many historical narratives miss.
Through its examination of historical events and how these shape and
influence current political, domestic and military thinking, Ripples of Battle is
a useful work for anyone involved in policy formation.
Barnett, Thomas P.M. The Pentagon’s New Map: War and Peace
in the Twenty-First Century. New York: G.P. Putnam, 2004.
ISBN: 0399151753.
Horn, Bernd, Col ed. The Canadian Way of War: Serving the
National Interest. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2006.
ISBN: 1550026127.
An insightful look at the relationship between the media and the military, this
article argues that military organisations need to embrace the media and
incorporate it within their own military planning. Williams stresses that this
is a major requirement in modern operating environments, especially where
the media coverage could affect the shape and development of military
operations (the CNN effect) or sway political decision-making. The author
also outlines the problems within the military-media relationship and offers
possible solutions.
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
Huntington, Samuel. The Soldier and the State: The Theory and
Politics of Civil-Military Relations. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press,
2005. ISBN: 0674817362.
Though growing dated in many ways, Huntington’s history of the
development of US civil-military relations is extremely instructive to civilian
and military readers alike. Huntington uses comparisons with the German
and Japanese pre-WWII experiences to contrast the American, as well as
to develop his own theory as to what the ideal form of civil-military relations
should be. Huntington’s book is a must-read, even in its dated form, for
anyone who could possibly exercise political influence that may result in
military action.
Legault, Albert and Joel Sokolsky, eds. The Soldier and the State
in the Post Cold War Era. Kingston: Queen’s Quarterly, 2002,
ISBN: 0033-6041
The modern military that emerged in the nineteenth century was associated
with the rise of the nation-state. It was a conscripted mass army,
war-oriented in mission, masculine in makeup and ethos, and sharply
differentiated in structure and culture from civilian society. The post-modern
military, by contrast, loosens the ties with the nation-state, becomes
multipurpose in mission and moves toward a smaller volunteer force. It is
increasingly androgynous in makeup and ethos and has greater permeability
with civilian society. This book examines contemporary civil-military trends
by looking at the militaries of the United States and twelve other Western
democracies. The Post-Modern Military provides a reader with a solid
foundation on which to base organizational and personnel policies.
An interesting article that examines the issue of aid to the civil power,
this study focuses upon the Calgary riot of 1916 when Canadian soldiers
encamped just outside the city instigated a riot directed against the
German-Canadian ethnic community within the city. Joined by large
numbers of civilians, the soldiers clashed with police and attacked German
owned businesses. This article examines the role of the Canadian military
in restoring order, and the relationship with the local government that was
forced to call upon it.
Lerhe, Eric, Cdre (ret’d). “Civil Military Relations and Aid to the
Civil Power in Canada: Implications for the War on Terror.” CDIA-
CAFIA 7th Annual Graduate Student Symposium, RMC. (October
2004) PhD Paper, Dalhousie University.
This paper explores the links between civil military relations and aid to
the civil power in Canada, and how they have always been domestically
perceived as being neither very positive, nor successful. It also outlines the
problems and confusion regarding jurisdiction, authority and communication
within the links connecting the civil and military elements that constitute the
National Defence Headquarters. It is an important read for anyone wishing
to learn more about these issues, how they affect Canada’s counter-
terrorism efforts, and its relations with the United States.
Another useful article discussing the issue of aid to the civilian power,
“Bayonets in the Streets” covers the entire history of this protocol within
Canada, stretching from the country’s beginnings to the end of the Cold
War era. As such, this study provides a valuable basis from which to begin
any examination of this topic. In presenting his overall account, historian
Desmond Morton touches upon a number of incidents and provides a good
amount of information for each.
ETHICS AND SOCIAL TRENDS
Living by the Sword is the first critique of the Australian military experience
from an ethical perspective. It surveys attitudes toward war and warfare
from ancient to modern times, considers the moral status of the nation-state
and international sovereignty, asks whether the just war tradition was
relevant to campaigns against Iraq, assesses the recent emphasis
on collective security and suggests some difficulties associated with
recognizing conscientious objection. As intra-state conflicts increase, this
book considers when and where humanitarian intervention is justified and
whether the creation of “international constabulary” might avoid the need for
pre-emptive military strikes.
Although this work focuses upon American society, the complexities of the
ongoing struggle against terrorism and asymmetric threats are universal.
With this in mind, author James Toner argues that the cardinal virtues
must be the core values of the military, and that without them military
forces become little better than mercenaries. Through their adoption, the
author maintains that the profession of arms can serve in many ways as a
beacon of light in an increasingly confusing age, especially one where the
distinction between combatants and non-combatants is blurred.
MEMOIRS AND BIOGRAPHIES
Dallaire, Romeo, LGen (ret’d). Shake Hands with the Devil: The
Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2005.
ISBN: 0786715103.
The account of the genocide in Rwanda, Dallaire’s Shake Hands with the Devil
vividly reveals to the reader the total failure of the international community
to stop the genocide. Simultaneously, this is an in-depth look at Dallaire
himself and the reader learns much more about the author’s emotional states
when making decisions than in a conventional military history, making this
an important document of service. Dallaire’s argument that Rwanda-like
situations are fires that can be put out with a small force if caught early enough
will certainly draw debate, but the book documents in horrifying detail what
happens when no serious effort is made. Moreover, it also captures the effects
of such horrors upon those who are called on to deal with them.
Relating the story of one of Canada’s lesser known generals, The Soldiers’
General is a gripping account of the wartime experiences of Major-General
Bert Hoffmeister. Rising from the rank of captain in 1939 to Major-General by
1944, Hoffmeister campaigned exclusively in the Mediterranean, where he
ended the Second World War as the Commanding Officer of the 5th Canadian
Armoured Division. Author Douglas Delaney provides a comprehensive study
that reveals how this officer overcame his own self doubts and, by leading from
the front, knowing how to inspire his subordinates and through his ability to
manage the forces under his command eventually became one of Canada’s
foremost combat officers. A truly valuable addition to the literature produced to
date on Canadian Army officers.
The concept of the citizen soldier is not new in Canada. Ever since the Battle
of the Plains of Abraham determined the course of history for North America,
there have been many examples of citizens setting aside their tools to take
up arms in defence of the country. In his diaries, author Kurt Grant describes
the inner workings of the military as he saw it during his tour of duty as a
reservist who was chosen to go with 1st Royal Canadian Regiment as part of
the UNPROFOR mission to Croatia, in the fall and winter of 1994-1995.
MILITARY HISTORIES
Berry, F. Clifton, Jr.. United States Army at War: 9/11 through Iraq.
Annapolis, MD: US Naval Institute Press, 2003.
ISBN: 1591140633.
Lavishly illustrated, this book covers the U.S. Army’s operations since 9/11,
the examination of which are divided into segments. The first embraces the
immediate aftermath of 9/11, while the second concerns the deployment to
Afghanistan and overthrow of the Taliban. In conclusion, the author follows
Operation Iraqi Freedom from the build-up in Kuwait, through the actual
conduct of the action, to the early stages of occupation. Though relatively
brief because of its size, this book is nonetheless a valuable study of the
recent operations of the United States Army.
Glantz, David M. Colossus Reborn: The Red Army at War, 1941-
1943. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0700613536.
Grau, Lester W. The Bear Went over the Mountain: Soviet Combat
Tactics in Afghanistan. Collingdale, PA: Diane, 1996.
ISBN: 0788146653.
Written from the perspective of the Russian General Staff, this work follows
the Soviet tradition of recording the events and experiences of previous
wars not from a historical perspective, but in a lessons learned context,
to help improve future performance. This account reveals a story of poor
intelligence compounded by inappropriate force structures, inadequate
operational doctrine and no strategy to speak of, whereby Soviet forces did
not understand their opposition, especially the mujahedeen’s ability and
willingness to sustain the fighting far beyond rational-actor parameters. An
extremely valuable account of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, the level of
detail contained with The Soviet-Afghan War makes it especially appealing to
military professionals.
May traces the story of France’s fall from Hitler’s ascent to power to the
conclusion of the decisive battles of May 1940 that culminated in the British
evacuation from Dunkirk, and in the course of his examination challenges a
number of long accepted notions about the campaign. This work also
covers a number of aspects of the campaign, from the opposing intelligence
services to a detailed look at the inner workings of the French Army, that
have not been fully examined in previous accounts. Perhaps the most
interesting aspect of this work involves May’s look at the German planning
for the campaign, particularly the war games that were conducted and how
these impacted the campaign’s outcome.
Paice, Edward. Tip and Run: The Untold Tragedy of the Great War
in Africa. London: Phoenix, 2008. ISBN: 0753823497.
Tip and Run presents one of the most comprehensive narrative accounts of
how the First World War was fought in East Africa. Exhaustively researched
and extremely detailed, the book looks at the military campaigns, the
colonial relationships and the logistical nightmare of waging war in the
equatorial zone of what was formerly German East Africa. Although not
dealing with Canada, this book shows that the war was not just about the
trenches of the Western Front, and was fought in many locales in many
different ways. The fighting in East Africa (which lasted from 1914 until two
weeks after the armistice in 1918) is a frank, colourful discussion of some of
what was one of the most serious, deadly and extended colonial warfare of
the twentieth century.
Scales, Robert H., Jr. et al. Certain Victory: The United States
Army in the Gulf War. Washington, DC: Potomac Books, 2006.
ISBN: 1597970093.
This study provides a picture of the US Army’s performance during the Gulf
War. It begins by chronicling the Army’s regeneration in the two decades
after Vietnam—the foundation of the Desert Storm victory. Each chapter
starts with a personal combat story that puts the conflict into a human
perspective. The book brings the civilian reader into battle alongside
individual soldiers. It is a comprehensive account that allows individual
conclusions, including acounts by Iraqi soldiers, about the largest armour
battle since World War II.
First published in 1947, S.L.A. Marshall’s Men Against Fire argues that
in spite of the proliferation of weapons systems that allow targets to be
destroyed from great distances, future wars will still fundamentally revolve
around the infantry. Marshall was the author of the notion that only a
small percentage of combat troops actually fire their weapons. Although
influential for many years, recent studies have shown that Marshall’s
“ratio of fire” statistics may have been either in error or entirely fictitious,
making this work extremely difficult to recommend without reservation.
Although there are many noteworthy elements to this work that stress the
experiences of personnel involved in combat, much of what Marshall claims
should be read with caution and not be accepted at face value.
Bobbitt, Philip. The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace, and the Course
of History. New York: Knopf, 2002. ISBN: 0375412921.
The Shield of Achilles is a thorough examination of the interplay, over the
last six centuries, among war, jurisprudence and the reshaping of countries.
Bobbitt posits that certain wars should be deemed epochal—that is, seen
as composed of many smaller wars. For example, according to Bobbitt the
epochal war of the 20th century began in 1914 and ended with the collapse
of communism in 1990. These military affairs—and their subsequent
ultimate peace agreements—have caused, each in their own way,
revolutionary reconstructions of the idea and actuality of statehood and,
following, of relationships between these various new entities. Through this
analytical approach, this work is an excellent survey of military history.
Through this work, Keegan approaches the subject of war by simply asking,
what is war? Addressing this question through an examination of warfare
from its earliest beginnings to the end of the Cold War, he illustrates that
warfare has always been an extremely complex event. Considering the
difficulties faced by modern military establishments as they attempt to
deal with asymmetric threats, this work is a valuable read for the military
professional precisely because it addresses these complexities.
Keeley, Lawrence H. War before Civilization. Oxford, UK: Oxford
University Press, 1997. ISBN: 0195119126.
Throughout much of this century the notion has been gaining ground,
bolstered by genocide and Holocaust, that modern warfare is more barbaric
than war has ever been. Alongside this view has grown a romantic
impression that primitive cultures were, and are, more peaceful. Lawrence
Keeley aims to dispel this inversion of the connotations of “civilization”
by citing the historical evidence that humans have always been just as
bloodthirsty as they are today, and that indeed in the days when death was
less clinical it was often nastier. This book provides a clear demonstration
that “war is hell whether it is fought with wooden spears or napalm,” and a
useful tool for the study war and society.
Starting from the classical period and stretching to the Cold War era, the
authors of this work examine the relationships between the operational
aspects of war and social, economic and technological environments and
their development. Considering the length of this work, together with the
breadth of events that are studied, Men in Arms provides the reader with
an understanding of the essential elements of war through the ages and its
attendant effect on Western society as a whole.
Ropp’s insightful and detailed study of the wars of western civilisation from
1415 to the present examines the social, political, tactical, and strategic
implications of modern warfare. Of particular interest are his efforts to
relate technological advances in weaponry to the evolution of tactics and
strategy. An outstanding contribution to any personal or academic military
history collection, War in the Modern World is a very highly recommended
addition to history and military studies reading lists.
THE CANADIAN ARMY AT WAR
EARLY COLONISATION
Fowler, William. Empires at War: The Seven Years War and the
Struggle for North America, 1754-1763. Vancouver: Douglas and
McIntyre, 2005. ISBN: 1553650964.
A fresh new narrative of the global war that forged Canada and led to the
American Revolution, and the compelling cast of characters that changed the
world’s destiny. Empires at War captures the sweeping panorama of this first
global war and the huge cast of characters who fought it. William Fowler’s
narrative is adept at describing the battles and portraying the important
players on all sides, incorporating the perspectives of the First Nations
leaders and Canadian volunteers so critical to French initiatives throughout
the war.
Skaggs, David C. and Larry L. Nelson. The Sixty Years War for the
Great Lakes, 1754-1814. Vancouver: University of British
Columbia Press, 2001. ISBN: 0870135694.
Collectively, the important essays within this book delineate a common
thread, and weave together the series of wars for the North American
heartland that stretched from 1754 to 1814. The Sixty Years’ War for the
Great Lakes contains discussions that concern not only military and naval
operations, but also the political, economic, social and cultural interactions
of individuals and groups during the struggle to control the great freshwater
lakes and rivers between the Ohio Valley and the Canadian Shield.
This is, surprisingly, the first full-length study of the Battle of Queenston
Heights. This new work on the battle tackles many of the myths that have
grown over the years. Was Brock the hero of the day? Was this a victory
for the Canadian militia? Were the oft-maligned New York militia responsible
for their army’s defeat? In answering these questions, Robert Malcomson’s
exciting and readable account will add a new level of appreciation for the
drama and significance of the War of 1812.
Rammage, Stuart A. The Militia Stood Alone: Malcolm’s Mills, 6
November 1814. Summerland, BC: Valley, 2000.
ISBN: 1896967566.
In British Generals in the War of 1812 Wesley Turner takes a fresh look at
five British Generals—Sir George Prevost, Isaac Brock, Roger Sheaffe,
Baron Francis de Rottenburg, and Gordon Drummond—who held the highest
civil and military command in the Canadas. He considers their formative
experiences in the British Army and on active service in European and West
Indian theatres and evaluates their roles in the context of North American
conditions, which were very different from those of Europe.
Allan Greer’s subject is the role of the habitants in the political crisis that
culminated in the Lower Canadian Rebellion. Other scholars have discussed
this topic in terms of the habitants’ economic distress and their manipulation
by Patriot orators. According to Greer, neither explanation can account for the
specific actions by which the habitants contributed to the breakdown of political
order in the summer and autumn of 1837. Disturbances that conventionally
figure as anarchy are here presented as the application of popular political
traditions to a novel purpose: the repudiation of the colonial state.
During a four-day period in November, 1838, British troops and local militia
defeated an invasion force of 500 Canadian rebels and their American
sympathisers. The Battle of the Windmill victory prevented the invasion
force from capturing Fort Wellington, Ontario, and cutting the St. Lawrence
communications link, which would have left Upper Canada open to invasion.
Through its study of this nearly forgotten and largely unexplored event, Guns
Across the River makes an important contribution to the history of the rebellions
of 1837-1838.
Although increasingly dated, Senior’s Redcoats and Patriotes remains the most
detailed study available that is related to the rebellions that occurred in Lower
Canada. Containing an important analysis of the reasons behind the rebellion
and the motivations of those involved, Senior’s account also looks at the official
British responses to the rebellion, as well as those of the local authorities.
Overall, this book presents a balanced account of a largely forgotten aspect of
Canadian history.
Campbell, Gary, Maj.. “Getting There War the Challenge: The Red
River Expedition of 1870” in The Army Doctrine and Training
Bulletin, Vol. 5, No. 1, Spring 2002, pp 58-64.
This article provides a detailed account of the mixed Canadian-British military
expedition dispatched to restore order in the Red River area during 1870.
Forced to follow an old, tortuous hunting trail, the expedition had to traverse
1100 miles and still be in a condition to put down the rebellion. Moreover, the
men of the expedition had to transport everything they needed themselves.
This article provides a considerable amount of information detailing the
organisation and logistics of this operation.
As the author notes, this event continues to arouse strong feelings to this day,
particularly with regard to the role of Louis Riel and the execution of Thomas
Scott. The book begins with a background to the uprising and the main groups
that were involved. The colony of Red River at the time was a small, isolated
community. In his overview of the community, Bumsted gives a human face
to each group by naming prominent individuals and families, except in the
case of French-speaking Métis and Aboriginal people. As the author later
demonstrates, individuals from both groups were prominent in Red River.
MacLaren, Roy. Canadians on the Nile, 1882-1898. Vancouver:
University of British Columbia Press, 1978. ISBN: 0774800941.
Beal, Bob and Rod Macleod. Prairie Fire: The 1885 Northwest
Rebellion. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1994.
ISBN: 0771011091.
The Battle of Batoche analyses the Canadian Army’s assault on the Métis
stronghold at Batoche during the climatic four-day period from May 9-12,
1885. Through the use of sequential manoeuvre maps and contemporary
photographs, Hildebrandt demonstrates how the Métis forces effectively
won the first day of the battle and how the North-West Field Force overran
Batoche a few days later only after a carefully orchestrated feinting action
fell apart. This work also provides the first detailed analysis of the strategy
and tactics of the two sides during the fateful engagement.
Miller, J.R. Gabriel Dumont. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press,
2003. ISBN: 1551115751.
If Riel provided the intellectual inspiration for the Rebellion of 1885, it was
Gabriel Dumont who provided its strategy, and arguably its soul. Dumont, a
leading figure in the Métis society of hunters along the South Saskatchewan,
had been president of the short-lived local government, and became “Adjutant
General of the Métis people” when a Provisional Government was declared
in 1885. Through this detailed account, historian J.R. Miller thoroughly
examines Dumont and his role in the rebellion, and fills in a major gap in the
historiography.
WEST AFRICA
Godefroy, Andrew B., Maj, ed. Bush Warfare: The Early Writings
of General Sir William C.G. Heneker KCB, KCMG, DSO. Kingston:
Directorate of Land Concepts and Designs, 2009.
This book reproduces with additional biographical and historical material the
great work produced by Canadian born soldier William Heneker. Born in
Sherbrooke, Quebec, and a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada,
he fought several campaigns in West Africa as an officer with the British Army
at the end of the 19th century. Bush Warfare is a collection of Heneker’s
strategic and tactical thoughts about fighting across the full spectrum of conflict
from complex counter-insurgencies to stability operations.
Godefroy, Andrew B., Maj. “Canadians in West African Conflicts,
1885-1905” in Canadian Military History, Vol.17: 1 (Winter 2008),
pp.21-36.
SOUTH AFRICA
In 1899, for the first time in its short history, Canada dispatched sizeable
expeditionary forces to conduct combat operations in a foreign war. Although
considered ill-disciplined and nearly useless by the British when they first
arrived in South Africa, the Canadian contingent soon earned a reputation for
skill, courage, and daring. Our Little Army in the Field recounts the experiences
of this contingent, as well as relating the various political and personal factors
that resulted in and shaped their deployment.
Painting the Map Red is based on extensive research into public and
private papers from printed and manuscript sources in both Canada and
Britain. Carman Miller attempts to explain why men volunteered for service
in this distant conflict despite the rancorous pre-war debate on the wisdom
of Canadian participation. He examines the difficulties of leading citizen
soldiers and compares the differing styles of leadership. He also reveals
how the soldiers’ experiences in the field and the public’s perceptions of the
war altered Canadian opinion, politics and military development.
This book examines the little-known story of 1,500 young Canadians who
were recruited during the Anglo-Boer War to serve as policemen in South
Africa. Performing a vital paramilitary and policing role, the Canadian
members of the South African Constabulary experienced a considerable
amount of combat as they attempted to root out Boer guerrillas and bring
stability to the newly conquered Boer republics. Covering a frequently
forgotten facet of the conflict, No Colours, No Drums is a vital addition to
the historiography of Canada’s participation in the Boer War.
THE FIRST WORLD WAR
This book is not a blow-by-blow account of battles and operations but rather
an analysis of the 1st Division and its effectiveness, focusing upon training
methods, unit organization, equipment, staff duties and procedures, and
personnel problems. It also examines the substantial British contribution
to Canadian skill at arms, since many of the divisional staff officers
were British. The final chapters show how all the training, staff work,
organizational changes and team work came together in 1918 during the
battles of Amiens, Canal du Nord and the final offensive. We Lead, Others
Follow covers an aspect of the Great War that has rarely been studied.
Rawling, Bill. Surviving Trench Warfare: Technology and the
Canadian Corps, 1914-1918. Toronto: University of Toronto Press,
1992. ISBN: 0802050174.
Picking up where Rawling’s work left off, Shock Army of the British Empire
is an operational history of the Canadian Corps in the battles of the final 100
days of World War I, beginning with the battle of Amiens, August 8, 1918,
and culminating in the retaking of Mons on November 11, 1918, only hours
before the war ended. During the late summer and autumn of 1918, the
Canadian Corps, under Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur Currie, played a crucial role in
the defeat of the German Army on the Western Front. This work examines
the operational, organizational and tactical innovations developed by the
Corps during this campaign and their subsequent effect on military thought.
This book remains the best written and most comprehensive of the
relatively small handful of studies which have retrieved from near oblivion
the fact that Canadian troops participated in the Allied interventions of
1918-19 in Rus-sia. Within Canadians in Russia, MacLaren examines
both the political motivations that led Canada to contribute troops, and the
military operations in northern Russia and in Siberia where Canadian troops
were deployed. Considering that Canada’s role in the Russian intervention
is now almost forgotten, this will most likely remain the foremost account of
its involvement.
An extremely detailed and interesting book, Stamping Out the Virus focuses
upon the military aspects of the Western intervention in Russia’s civil war
to the detriment of its broader diplomatic and political aspects. Although
the author has chosen to leave out a study of the operations in Siberia, he
does examine the frequently ignored fighting within the Caucasus region.
Other aspects that are reviewed are the financial costs of the Allies in their
support of the White Russian forces and valuable summaries of the men
and equipment that were engaged within specific operations. Overall, this
book provides a considerable amount of welcome detail.
After a week of costly and heavy fighting, it was clear to senior Allied
commanders that the primary mission of Operation MARKET GARDEN had
failed. It was also clear that unless the 1st British Airborne Division was
evacuated across the Rhine, German forces would destroy it utterly. This
article details the vital role played by two Canadian engineer companies
during this evacuation, as well as providing further details concerning
Operation MARKET GARDEN as a whole and the debate within command
circles regarding the decision to evacuate the British Paras.
Copp, Terry. Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy, 1944.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004. ISBN: 0802037801;
Cinderella Army: The Canadians in Northwest Europe, 1944-1945.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007. ISBN: 0802095224.
Confronting the long-held belief that the Second World War was Canada’s
‘Good War,’ this work looks at the effect the war had upon Canadian
morals and society. By studying issues ranging from labour conflicts, to
the black market, to prostitution, Keshen reveals the dark underside of
wartime Canada. While presenting a vivid example of the complexities
inherent to any society, especially one at war, this work shows that official
concern for changes in morality frequently precipitated numerous, and
often contradictory, legacies in law and society. Through this examination,
this book makes a valuable contribution to the study of Canada during the
Second World War.
Murray, Gil. The Invisible War: The Untold Story of Number One
Canadian Special Wireless Group, Royal Canadian Signal Corps,
1944-1946. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2001. ISBN: 1550023713.
This book reveals, for the first time, details of the previously top-secret story of
Number One Canadian Special Wireless Group, a unit of the Royal Canadian
Signal Corps during the Second World War. While most Canadian forces were
necessarily focused on the war in Europe, this was the only Canadian unit sent
to Australia to participate in the top-secret intelligence mission of intercepting
the wireless communications of the Japanese in the Pacific theatre of
operations. A valuable look at an unexplored aspect of Canada’s participation,
The Invisible War is an important addition to the historiography of Canada and
the Second World War.
One of the best operational studies yet written about the Canadian Army in
Normandy, Brian Reid’s No Holding Back masterfully examines one of the
most controversial aspects of the campaign, Operation TOTALIZE. Starting
with an impressive look at the training and employment of staff officers in the
Canadian Army and how the Canadian Army developed before the war, Reid
then progresses to examine the context, details, and execution of the operation
itself. Even those who have studied Operation TOTALIZE and the Normandy
campaign in detail will be able to learn something new from this book.
For the allied armies fighting their way up the Italian boot in early 1944, Rome
was the prize that could only be won through one of the greatest offensives
of the war. Following upon his book about the battle of Ortona, Mark Zuehlke
returns to the Mediterranean theatre of the Second World War with this gripping
tribute to the Canadians who opened the way for the Allies to take Rome. A
valuable work that sheds new light on the actions of Canadian forces in Italy,
The Liri Valley is a superb addition to available literature of Canada’s Second
World War military operations.
The Canadian troops in Korea may have been few in number, but they
had their share of challenges and hardships, although, through no fault of
these troops, history ascribes to them no major combat laurels. Their long-
overlooked story is no less compelling than that of other U.N. contingents in
the Korean War or of other Canadian forces that fought in other, more popular
wars. Ted Barris, through his inclusion of many of the lesser known aspects of
Canada’s involvement, has done a commendable job of presenting a complete
and balanced history of the Canadian participation in the Korean War.
The Korean War represented a series of firsts for Canadian soldiers that
ranged from service under the command of the United Nations to their
operational control by American commanders. Blood on the Hills covers the
period from the start of that war to the cease-fire in July 1953 and describes
and analyses the mobilization of the Canadian contingent, its training,
manning, and equipment and its efforts in combat. David Bercuson focuses
on the many consequences of the army’s un-readiness for combat in Korea
and on the army’s lack of success in learning lessons from its experience in
an active theatre of war.
Bothwell, Robert. The Big Chill: Canada and the Cold War.
Toronto: Canadian Institute of International Affairs, 1998.
ISBN: 0772525188.
The Cold War shaped the post-1945 era. It drove Canada’s international
relations, affected our domestic politics and had a lasting impact on every
Canadian. In The Big Chill, Robert Bothwell adds new information and a
challenging interpretation of Canada’s role in the Cold War as he traces
the twists, turns and apparent inconsistencies of Canada’s participation.
Bothwell, a much-published author and highly regarded lecturer on
Canadian history, foreign affairs and politics, is the Canadian expert on
Canada and the Cold War.
Haydon, Peter T. The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis: Canadian
Involvement Reconsidered. Toronto: Canadian Institute of
Strategic Studies, 1993. ISBN: 0919769640.
This book chronicles most vividly and convincingly the significant role
played by Canada’s NATO Brigade Group at a critical juncture in world
history: a period when Soviet expansionism in Europe was checked,
communism’s contradictions exposed and the USSR itself ultimately
collapsing. It further challenges the view held in many Canadian academic
and political circles that Canada’s NATO role was not important, and that
peace in Europe was maintained strictly by the nuclear balance of terror.
War Without Battles is a superb historical accounting of a recently-ended
era in Canadian military history.
Whitaker, Reg and Steve Hewitt. Canada and the Cold War.
London: Lorrimer Pub., 2003. ISBN: 1550287699.
The Cold War was initiated in Canada in 1945 by the dramatic defection
of Soviet cipher clerk, Igor Gouzenko. This event marked the start of what
turned out to be more than four decades of muted conflict between the
Soviet Union and the West. Authors Reg Whitaker and Steve Hewitt offer
anecdotes, analysis and lively discussion of a subject that has seldom been
written about before. The book is organized by decade with each decade
introduced by a short contextualizing essay. Canada and the Cold War is
an attractive gift book as well as a fascinating historical overview of a key
period in Canadian history.
This is a first-hand, inside account of the Canadian Navy action in the Gulf
War. Through the recollections and anecdotes of Commodore Miller and
others who served at the front, the reader is given a bird’s-eye view of the
Canadian Navy undertaking a dangerous operation 13,000 kilometres from
home. The account makes clear that it was the Navy’s professionalism and
ingenuity which convinced the Allies to give Canada a major role in combat
logistics supply. The Persian Excursion will be of interest to professional
military personnel, as well as to the general public.
This book deals extensively with Iraq and Saddam Hussein—his rise to
power, his mastery of Iraqi statecraft, his pan-Arab proclivities and his
two Gulf wars: the first against Iran and the second against the U.S.-led
multinational coalition in 1991. The book portrays a multi-dimensional
Saddam Hussein: good and bad, strategic and human. A valuable feature
of the book is the detailed discussion it presents of the psychology of all the
participants before, during and after the Gulf War.
AFRICA, THE BALKANS, AND KOSOVO
Although this article deals specifically with the air campaign of the Kosovo
operation, it nonetheless provides a considerable amount of information
regarding the campaign as a whole. Indeed, its most interesting coverage
explains and analyses the restrictions commanding officers faced during
this campaign, specifically in terms of an operating environment dictated by
casualty aversion and the need to prevent civilian and collateral damage.
A valuable look at a very complex military operation, it provides a clear
example of the difficulties involved in such circumstances.
From 1992 to 1995, the Canadian Army was at the centre of a violent
conflict that raged throughout the Balkans. In this informative book, the
authors perform an invaluable service to Canadian history as they bring
together a collection of first hand accounts from Canadian soldiers involved
in UN missions in Croatia and Bosnia. These personal narratives, taken
from officers and NCMs who served Canada in these dangerous lands,
allows the reader an intimate look into UN peacekeeping in the early 1990s
and the effect it has had on our soldiers.
Gammer, Nicholas. From Peacekeeping to Peacemaking:
Canada’s Response to the Yugoslav Crisis. Montreal:
McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2001. ISBN: 0773521518.
AFGHANISTAN
Within an overall description of the utility of light infantry forces and their
importance in modern operating environments, this article relates the
experiences of the 3rd PPCLI during its deployment to Afghanistan during
2002. As related by the battalion commander, it discusses the preparations
for the battalion’s deployment, and the various operations it conducted.
Also addressed are problems with humanitarian assistance, interoperability,
the legal aspects of operations and suggestions about where the Canadian
Forces need to improve their level of sophistication.
This article attempts to introduce and examine some of the primary lessons
that the Rwandan genocide could have for those who formulate Canadian
foreign policy, specifically to assist them in developing policy related to the
crisis in Darfur. Through its examination of the Rwandan Genocide, this
article also defines genocide and the legal and moral obligations associated
with it, and provides a useful strategy for the prevention and suppression of
future genocides.
Keeping the Peace explores the new multidimensional role that the United
Nations has played in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace-building
over the past several years. By examining the paradigm-setting cases of
Cambodia and El Salvador and drawing lessons from these UN “success
stories,” the book identifies more effective ways for the international
community to address conflict in the post-Cold War era. This book is
especially timely given its focus on multi-dimensional peace operations, the
most likely role for the UN in coming years.
James, Alan. Keeping the Peace in the Cyprus Crisis of
1963-1964. New York: Palgrave, 2002. ISBN: 0333748573.
During the Cold War, Cyprus was of great strategic importance to the West.
Britain, the US and NATO all had valuable installations there, and any
armed conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots could easily pull two
nearby NATO members—Greece and Turkey—into war. When
inter-communal fighting broke out in Cyprus in December 1963, the West
was deeply embarrassed. This book examines the efforts of first Britain,
and then the UN, to keep the peace.
There are few army commanders from the Civil War that have lacked a full
biographical treatment, and up to the present, that gap was nowhere greater
than with Major General Don Carlos Buell, who commanded the Army of the
Ohio for approximately one year. During that time, he was at the head of the
forces that captured Nashville, fought at Shiloh, commanded a wing on the
advance to Corinth and participated in Braxton Bragg’s Kentucky invasion
that ended with the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862. This is a valuable
treatment of an important, though nearly forgotten, Union general.
Haughton, Andrew. Training, Tactics, and Leadership in the
Confederate Army of Tennessee: Seeds of Failure. London: Frank
Cass, 2000. ISBN: 07144650323.
This valuable work contains an incisive study of the failure of the main
Confederate army in the West to improve its combat effectiveness through
progressive training programs and tactical doctrine. Specifically, it surveys
the military experiences of this unsuccessful organization through four
years of warfare in order to assess the evolution of its tactical and training
methods, thereby casting more light on its unenviable war record.
Hoy, Claire. Canadians in the Civil War. New York: Harper Collins,
2004. ISBN: 1552784509.
Hoy pulls together all of the small strands of the Canadian activities in the
Civil War—the enlistment of tens of thousands of Canadians, the Canadian-
based Confederate espionage system, the raids on St. Albans and Johnston
Island—and explains, in clear and elegant writing, the war’s impact on both
Canada and the United States. The best work yet produced on the subject,
Canadians in the Civil War fills a gap in the book collection of any Civil War
specialist.
Henry Wager Halleck has not been fondly remembered by history. Despite
a brilliant antebellum career in which he established himself as a leading
thinker on military affairs and played a key role in the founding of California,
Halleck is best known for a record of service to the Union cause that can
at best be described as mixed. Well-researched, unfailingly interesting
and clearly written, Commander of All Lincoln’s Armies presents the
long-awaited biography of this officer, who, as the commander of all of the
North’s armies for most of the conflict, ultimately played a major role in the
course of the American Civil War.
Power, J. Tracey. Lee’s Miserables: Life in the Army of Northern
Virginia from the Wilderness to Appomattox. Chapell Hill, NC:
University of North Carolina Press, 1998. ISBN: 0807823929.
Starting in the spring of 1864, Lee’s Miserables looks at the Army of Northern
Virginia through the eyes of the men in the lower ranks as they passed
through the ordeals of the final stage of the war. In particular, Power’s portrait
of the army as it confidently awaited the spring campaign of 1864 certainly
casts doubt on the notion that at the time Gettysburg was looked upon as
some sort of turning point. Overall, it is an important look at the steady
deterioration of an army and the events that eventually brought it to defeat.
Winks, Robin W. The Civil War Years: Canada and the United
States. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1999.
ISBN: 0773518193.
While the American Civil War raged, Britain and the northern states waged
a “war in anticipation” as British North America waited and wondered
whether the federal army of the United States would invade. Robin Winks’s
classic study is a dramatic examination of the impact of the American
Civil War on Canada, especially on the movement toward Confederation.
Presently in its fourth edition, The Civil War Years remains a valuable
contribution to Canadian history, the history of Canadian-American and
Anglo-American relations and Civil War studies.
Payne, Stanley G. The Spanish Civil War, The Soviet Union, and
Communism. London: Yale University Press, 2004.
ISBN: 030010068X.
A masterpiece of the historian’s art, Hugh Thomas’s The Spanish Civil War
remains the best, most engrossing narrative of one of the most emblematic
and misunderstood wars of the twentieth century. Revised and updated
with significant new material, including new revelations about atrocities
perpetrated against civilians by both sides in this epic conflict, this work has
been given a fresh face forty years after its initial publication in 1961. With
its massive, well-researched detail, this book remains the best and most
comprehensive account of the war available.
Whealey, Robert H. Hitler and Spain: The Nazi Role in the
Spanish Civil War. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky,
2004. ISBN: 0813191394.
Windrow, Martin. The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French
Defeat in Vietnam. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0306813866.
In this masterful account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu of 1953-54, Windrow
dissects retrospective criticism of the French strategy. For reasons that emerge
within his comprehensive, meticulous analysis, the ideas behind the French
strategy at Dien Bien Phu were taken from a prior victorious battle. Generals
believed that establishing a ground base deep in Communist-controlled territory
and supplying it by air would regain them the initiative against the Viet Minh
insurgency. Many works addess Dien Bien Phu’s history-altering significance
in the Indochina conflict, but for learning about what actually happened there,
Windrow’s study will be difficult to surpass.
Zaffri, Samuel. Hamburger Hill: The Brutal Battle for Dong Ap Bia,
May 11-20, 1969. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 2000.
ISBN: 0891417060.
Samuel Zaffiri has done an excellent job describing the background, the
decisions and the terrific action of the 10-day battle for the Dong Ap Bia in
May 1969. The narrative is full of the horror felt by the ordinary soldiers
and junior leaders, down to the platoon and section level, as well as the
frustration for the tactical decisions made by the top leadership of the 101st
Airborne Division during those hectic days. He points that, more than the
Tet Offensive, the battle for Hamburger Hill was a critical turning point for
the US involvement in the Vietnam War and he gives much evidence of the
turmoil it caused among the US public opinion.
SPECIAL TOPICS
Although officially authorized in 1905, the South Alberta Light Horse traces
its origins back to the 1880s when units of cavalry were raised to protect
Alberta during the Northwest Rebellion. This fascinating study of a proud
regiment takes “Her Majesty’s Cowboys” from the 1880s to the 21st century.
Written for the general reader, Century of Service will appeal to all who are
interested in the heritage of Canada and Alberta, military history and the
meaning of service to one’s country.
In the midst of the Second World War, the Germans introduced a new kind
of warfare that had never been seen before, featuring a new kind of soldier:
the paratrooper. The Allies countered by setting up their own airborne
forces. Tip of the Spear tells in stunning black and white pictures the story
of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion from its inception in 1942 to its
disbandment in 1945. Without question, the Battalion—or more accurately,
its members—laid the foundation and established the airborne legacy that
other Canadian airborne establishments could proudly follow and build on.
Although a short article, this paper provides a convincing argument for the
feasibility and utility of parachute operations, especially within the context of
counterinsurgency operations. To support its case, it compares parachute
operations with forces moved by helicopter, whereby it demonstrates the
advantages of the former over the latter. Overall, it persuasively argues for
the re-establishment of a large parachute capability within the structure and
doctrine of the Canadian Forces.
In this more thorough examination, Horn does more than just analyze the
politics behind the birth, development and demise of the airborne forces. From
the creation of the post-war Mobile Striking Force and Defence of Canada
Force to the disbandment of the Airborne Regiment, the author provides a
rare look into the decision making process in Ottawa, with its personalities
and motives, heroes and villains, and causes and betrayals. Noting that the
Army’s key problem remained its inability to find a viable, long-term role that
made airborne forces indispensable, Horn also examines the scandals which
provided the political death knell for the Airborne Regiment.
Rickard, J.N., Capt. “The Employment of Airborne (Parachute)
Forces in Modern Asymmetrical Warfare” in The Canadian Army
Journal, Vol. 7, No. 3, Fall/Winter 2004, pp. 111-123.
This short history is the first to offer a broad and selective survey of the
phenomenon known as jointness—the combined operations of land and
naval forces until the twentieth century and especially of land, sea and air
forces since the Second World War. Touching on operational, doctrinal and
political dimensions, the survey ranges from the ancient Mediterranean to
recent times while focusing on European and American experiences from
the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries, including Desert Storm.
Wide-ranging cases illustrate trends and patterns of jointness and define
the central problem of friction, while the selective bibliography provides a
wide array of additional sources.
Citino, Robert M. Blitzkrieg to Desert Storm: The Evolution of
Operational Warfare. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas,
2004. ISBN: 0700613005.
Surveying military history from the Second World War to the present, Robert
Citino analyzes military campaigns to demonstrate the difficulty of achieving
decisive results at the operational level. Brimming with new insights,
Citino’s study shows why technical superiority is no guarantee of victory
and why a thorough grounding in the history of past campaigns is essential
to anyone who wishes to understand modern warfare. Blitzkrieg to Desert
Storm provides that grounding as it addresses the future of operational-
level warfare in the post-9/11 era.
Addressing the issue of joint and combined operations abilities within the
Canadian Forces, this article provides a number of suggestions as to how
the Canadian Forces could improve its internal ability to conduct joint
operations in the future. Focusing upon issues of mobility, organisation and
readiness, the author stresses that up to this point the Canadian Forces
have performed admirably in this context, especially given much of the ad
hoc nature of the headquarters assigned to conduct combined operations.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS
This article outlines the core missions of special operations forces units and
the evolution of their missions, doctrine, force structure and capabilities.
Specifically, it discusses the rivalry between special and conventional forces
over scarce resources, and how conventional force commanders frequently
see special operations forces as a drain on valuable personnel and funding.
It also discusses the value of special operations forces, and the historical
impediments to their use and size.
Leebaert, Derek. To Dare and To Conquer: Special Operations
and The Destiny of Nations—From Achilles to Al Qaeda.
Boston: Little, Brown, 2006. ISBN: 0316143847.
The fighting conducted by the First Canadian Army to clear the German-held
Breskens pocket was amongst the fiercest fighting Canadian troops were
involved in during the course of the Second World War. Since the terrain
severely reduced the employment of armoured assets, air support was
invaluable in providing support to the infantry. This article examines this
battle and the aid the Canadians received from the British Royal Air Force,
with particular emphasis being placed upon the effectiveness of this support
and the co-ordination between the two services.
Ever since its use by the French to put down rebellious Moroccan tribes
in 1913, airpower has been employed to fight in limited but often lengthy
small conflicts around the globe. This is the first comprehensive history of
airpower in small wars—conflicts pitting states against non-state groups
such as insurgents, bandits, factions and terrorists—tracing it from the early
years of the twentieth century to the present day. By taking a broad view of
small-war airpower, the authors are able to make assessments about the
most effective and least effective means of employing airpower.
Hall, David Ian. “Creating the 2nd Tactical Air Force RAF:
Inter-Service and Anglo-Canadian Co-Operation in the Second
World War” in Canadian Military Journal, Vol. 3, No. 4, Winter 2002,
pp. 39-45.
During the Second World War, close air support played a vital role in the
successful outcome of a number of campaigns and battles. In particular,
the support received by the Anglo-Canadian and American armies
in Western Europe proved essential to the eventual success of their
operations. This article examines this aspect of the conflict, and specifically
focuses upon the evolution of air support theories and the question of
who should control this support. Moreover, it discusses the Canadian
contribution to these developments and debates, and reveals that Canada
played a greater role than has previously been assumed.
Pennie, Ken, LGen. “Transforming Canada’s Air Force: Vectors for
the Future” in Canadian Military Journal, Vol. 5, No. 4, Winter 2004-
2005, pp. 39-46.
Schlight, John. Help from Above: Air Force Close Support of the
Army, 1946-1973. Washington, DC: US Air Force History and
Museums Program, 2004. ISBN: 0160515521.
Within Help from Above, the author looks at close air support during the
period 1946-1973, during which technological advances in the form of
jet aircraft, weapons, communications and other electronic equipment
played significant roles. This account examines the development of close
air-support doctrine, and vividly captures the story of the opposing views that
influenced it, including the US Army’s determination that it be a handmaiden
to its ground force, and the US Air Force’s equally strong view that it is
but one part of an indivisible triad of tactical airpower which should remain
controlled by air commanders.
FUTURE WARFARE
Lavoy, Peter R., Scott D. Sagen and James J. Wirtz, eds. Planning
the Unthinkable: How New Powers Will Use Nuclear, Biological,
and Chemical Weapons. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press,
2000. ISBN: 0801487048.
From West Africa to the former Yugoslavia, in every global hot spot a
private army waits, ready to step into the fray. Professional soldiers of
fortune have always existed, but now they’re on the brink of playing a new
role in world affairs. A former mercenary takes a hard look at the conflicts
presently raging, contrasting the success of these armies in achieving
peace with the often inept and confused actions of the United Nations, in
what is a sure-to-be controversial account.
This work provides a detailed analysis of the arts of fortification and siege
craft as they were carried on between 1660 and 1860, a period when
fortress warfare exercised an often decisive influence upon strategy, politics
and urban life. Well-written, well-illustrated and well-designed, Fire and
Stone makes the theory and practice of Vauban fortifications quite clear.
The volume includes an appendix on how to tour old fortifications, which is
invaluable for any researcher actually visiting them.
This work focuses upon three recent case studies of urban combat—Panama,
Somalia, and Chechnya—that encompass a range of political constraints
that military forces must operate under when conducting operations in urban
environments. The author discusses how ongoing technological, social
and political changes are increasing the significance of certain elements of
urban operations. These include the presence of the media; the presence of
non-combatants; rules of engagement; and information-operation tools such as
psychological operations, public affairs, civil affairs and political-military strategy.
This book covers the better known German fortifications such as the
Eastwall, Westwall and Atlanticwall. More importantly, it also describes
many lesser known German fortifications such as the many fortified lines
built or planned on the Eastern Front, in Italy and some really obscure
fortified lines like the Ingrid Line in Croatia and Slovenia. Also covered are
the tunnels and bunkers built to shelter Hitler’s command train in Poland,
German air raid shelters, U-Boat and S-Boat pens and the flak towers.
Much of this information had not appeared in the English language before
the publication of this book.
Kern, Paul B. Ancient Siege Warfare. Bloomington, IN: Indiana
University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0253335469.
Ancient siege warfare was a form of total war that often ended in the sack
of a city and the massacre or enslavement of entire populations. Leaders
from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar all commanded great sieges that
ended in fearsome slaughters. The ancient Hebrew prophets and Greek
poets described siege warfare as a world without limits or structure or
morality, in which men violated deep-seated taboos about sex, pregnancy,
and death. Here, Paul Kern examines how siege warfare could unleash
such unrestrained violence and why we today are reminded of our terrible
vulnerability even in the age of modern war.
LOGISTICS
This book examines the development of logistics from the era of Gustavus
through to the Second World War, and discusses its importance in terms of
the successful outcome of military operations and its impact on campaigns.
Although Supplying War overturns many of the traditional historical views
on the role of logistics, it is valuable not for the questions it answers, but for
the questions it forces the reader to ask. Although increasingly dated, this
book remains one of the top analyses of this issue.
ASYMMETRIC WARFARE, TERRORISM, AND
COUNTER-INSURGENCY
In this concise and penetrating study, Roger Barnett illuminates the effect of
operational, organizational, legal and moral constraints on the ability of the
United States to use military force. He defines asymmetrical warfare as not
simply a case of pitting one’s strength against another’s weakness but rather
of taking the calculated risk to exploit an adversary’s inability or unwillingness
to prevent, or defend against, certain actions. Barnett concludes that the
U.S. must create a formal system of selectively eliminating the constraints
that dictate responses to certain situations or scenarios.
This book details and analyzes the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) COIN
response to the two major Palestinian uprisings of 1987-1993 and 2000-2005
in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It explores how the IDF has attempted
to adapt its conventional military forces to the difficulties of carrying out COIN
operations, and pays attention to the strategic, operational, tactical and
ethical dilemmas that have confronted the IDF for the past two decades.
Written by a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, this book explores the
ongoing insurgency facing U.S. and Coalition forces in Iraq. It outlines some
of the historical antecedents and aspects of the insurgency, profiles some of
the major elements of the highly decentralized insurgent movements, and
assesses the successes and failures of the Coalition forces in combating
them. The work detailing the origins, objectives, and tactics of the various
insurgent groups is of particular interest. The book also attempts to locate
the ongoing military campaign within the chaotic political environment of
present-day Iraq.
Howard, Russell D. and Reid L. Sawyer. Terrorism and
Counterterrorism: Understanding the New Security Environment:
Readings and Interpretations. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
ISBN: 0073527718.
Born in 1926, General Sir Frank Kitson was commissioned into the British
Army soon after the end of the Second World War and retired 40 years later
in 1985. This book tells his story. In the course of his service, he took part in
counter-insurgency and peace-keeping activities in Kenya, Malaya, Oman,
Cyprus and Northern Ireland and later held staff appointments in the Ministry
of Defence. A fascinating account by an officer that had to deal with complex
military environments, this work and the lessons it contains are of value to
anyone who might find themselves in similar circumstances.
Scheuer argues that the United States was unprepared for September
11 because “our own naiveté‚ and insularity led us to underestimate the
complexity and determination of our adversaries.” Examining bin Laden’s
words and his leadership qualities, the author says that Al Qaeda remains
largely intact and that its next attack will be more lethal than September
11. An insightful study that emphasises the old adage of ‘know thy enemy,’
this is a valuable work that greatly facilitates the understanding of current
terrorist motivations.
The U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. ISBN: 0226841510.
This book explores an aspect of the global war on Islamist terror that often
goes unrecognized: the counter-insurgency and internal security operations
carried out by China. Combating an indigenous separatist insurgency (with
ties to global jihad operations) in the western Xinjiang province, China has
employed ruthless but effective counter-insurgency techniques, and has
achieved a large measure of success in doing so. This book explores these
practices, and highlights the success achieved by the Chinese approach based
upon reshaping local society and government institutions. China’s war to
suppress the insurgency is an important element of the global war on terror that
deserves more attention in Western militaries.
MILITARY EDUCATION
This article focuses upon efforts, mainly stemming from the Canadian Forces
College, to ensure that training and education efforts within the Canadian
Forces maintain their relevance as the Canadian Forces themselves
continuously undergo a period of doctrinal and structural change. It also
argues that the debate on this issue remains essentially that between those
who argue for straight-forward explicit doctrines and those who maintain that
the goal of education is to teach adaptability and the ability to respond to a
variety of crises.
This work examines the British Army over the course of 125 years, and
describes the transformation of a conservative military establishment into
one of the world’s most progressive armies. In doing so, author Jay Luvaas
presents the biographies of eleven of the most eminent British military
writers and reformers, including Sir William Napier, G.F.R. Henderson,
Spencer Wilkinson, J.F.C. Fuller and B.H. Liddel-Hart. Invaluable solely for
its discussion of military reformers such as these, The Education of an Army
provides an important look at the role of progressive military education and how
this impacts military establishments.
Kennedy, Gregory C., ed. Military Education: Past, Present, and
Future. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, 2006.
ISBN: 1593114079.
Often the only time a nation evaluates the education of its armed forces is
during the aftermath of a great military disaster. This work brings together
the ideas of international scholars, all recognized as leaders in their fields, to
examine the professional military education experiences of various nations
during the last 250 years. Case studies of each branch of the military reveal
success and failure in the past and present, with a goal of improving military
education in the future.
French, David and Brian Reid. The British General Staff: Reform
and Innovation, 1890-1939. London: Frank Cass and Co., 2002.
ISBN: 071465325X.
With the benefit of new found material, this book brings to light the amount of
real effort and intellectual discourse that went into the several U.S. war plans
that are known as the Rainbow Plans. Perhaps the most interesting aspect
of this work is the analysis of the numerous war games that the US Army
conducted, many of which predicted or foresaw a number of the actual events
of the Second World War. This is a valuable look at how military staffs prepare
for future wars, especially when their own lack of physical resources with which
to conduct war games forces them to turn to a more intellectual study.
This book examines the development of military staffs from the time of
ancient Egypt through to 1949, with its primary focus being on the evolution
and development of the military staffs of Germany, the Soviet Union,
Britain, France and the United States. One of the few works in existence
that focuses specifically upon the evolution of military staffs and the roles
they played in their respective militaries, The Military Staff provides a great
deal of information on this subject. Although becoming increasingly dated,
reading this book is still a vital first-step in any more detailed study of this
aspect of the military profession.
This volume examines political and cultural mobilization during the First
World War by looking at Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Austria-
Hungary, and generates arguments on mobilization and total war which
have wider relevance. It explores national ideals which cast the war as a
crusade, the inclusive “self-mobilization” of sectional identities and private
organizations behind national efforts and the exclusion of suspect groups
(the enemy within) from the mobilization process. It also highlights the
importance, and difficulty, of assessing the limits of mobilization as well
as the differing capacities of the state to sustain it, factors related to prior
degrees of national integration and political legitimacy.
One of the most difficult aspects inherent to any large-scale war or conflict,
the military mobilization of any society requires careful planning, as well
as a clear idea of national goals and priorities. Within this detailed work,
author Marvin Kriedberg studies the manpower aspects of American military
mobilizations stretching from the American Revolution to the end of the
Second World War. A practical and comprehensive account, this work
provides a useful long-term analysis of military mobilizations within the
context of a single state.
Samuelson, Lennert. Soviet Defence Industry Planning:
Tukhachevsky and Military-Industrial Mobilisation, 1926-1937.
Sweden: Stockholm Institute of East European Economies, 1996.
ISBN: 9172584157.
With the conclusion of the Russian Civil War, the Soviet government and
military authorities began planning the defence of the state within a total
war context. This work provides an examination and analysis of how the
Soviet Union went about this and the degree to which they succeeded,
and specifically focuses upon General Mikhail Tukhachevsky. One of
the foremost military thinkers of his time, Tukhachevsky played a major
role in the development of Soviet military doctrine and defence planning
before he was purged.
Majoor, Arthur, Sgt. “Prepare for Battle: Training for 21st Century
War” in The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin, Vol. 5, No. 2,
Summer 2002, pp. 63-65.
During the height of the Cold War, the U.S. Government prepared a
document, known as The Emergency Plans Book, outlining what might
happen to America in the event of total nuclear war with the Soviet Union.
This book is based on the only known declassified copy in existence, and
is an unedited presentation of the Plans. This is a shocking snapshot of
what the U.S. government was thinking might happen if Russia attacked,
supported by expert commentary and compelling photos of the results of real
nuclear explosions.
This fresh new angle on the future scenario thriller is presented in a unique
new format: the novelzine™. It’s a novel printed in magazine form. Author
R.L. Muehlberg spins the clock to 2012 A.D. He pits the world’s newest
superpowers, United Europe and the Asia-Pacific Confederation, against a
world-weary, financially-exhausted United States and a divided Canada. In
Jet Stream, Part 1 of Muehlberg’s WWIII: The Breakup of America trilogy,
an independent Quebec allies with United Europe in a surgical, brutal
attack against the United States and Canada. Jet Stream is a cautionary
adventure that warns against a frighteningly plausible future.
Another Kind of Justice is the first historical survey of Canadian military law,
providing insights into military justice in Canada, the purpose of military law,
and the level of legal professionalism within the Canadian military. Drawing
on a wide range of materials, Chris Madsen traces the development of
military law from 1867 to 1997, explains how the law has served a strictly
functional purpose in maintaining discipline and demonstrates how it claims
its legitimacy and distinct status in relation to civil law. It becomes clear that
military law has responded to pragmatic needs in a reactive rather than a
planned manner.
Poole, H. John. Militant Tricks: Battlefield Ruses of the Islamic
Insurgent. Chevy Chase, MD: Posterity Press, 2005.
ISBN: 0963869582.
This book gauges the progress in Iraq and Afghanistan from a unique
perspective—that of East-Asian battlefield deception. For some readers,
it will serve as an intelligence reference manual and be read a few
paragraphs at a time. For others, it will provide an in-depth solution to the
enemy’s so-far-successful formula and be read cover to cover. Militant
Tricks, while simultaneously a more in-depth tactical look at the asymmetric
battlefield of the present, is a useful guide for any military personnel who
will ever have to face this adversary.
The Journal of Slavic Military Studies (until 1993 The Journal of Soviet
Military Studies) investigates all aspects of military affairs in the Slavic
nations of central and eastern Europe in historical and geopolitical context
and offers a vehicle for central and eastern European security and military
analysts to air their views. Its unique international editorial board and
diverse content including translations of newly released Soviet and Russian
documents as well as specialist book reviews make the journal a must for
academics, military figures and civilians alike who are interested in this
region’s security and military affairs.
Formerly known as The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin, this journal
is the official publication of the Canadian Land Force Command and is
published three times per year. The Canadian Army Journal is dedicated to
the dissemination and discussion of doctrinal and training concepts, ideas
and opinions by all army personnel and those civilians with an interest in
doctrinal, training and other military matters. It includes articles related to
subjects such as leadership, ethics, technology and military history, and is
of particular value to the Canadian military professional.
INTERNET SOURCES
As the website for the Canadian Military Journal, this site provides all of
the same information and articles the physical journal provides, only for
free. Moreover, also available on this website are the back issues of the
Canadian Military Journal dating to 2000. Due to the immediate and easy
access it provides, together with the sheer scale of information it contains,
this website is immensely useful to anyone studying Canadian military
issues.
The joint product of the Centre for Military and Strategy Studies at the
University of Calgary and the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute,
this is the official website of the Journal of Military and Strategic Studies.
This site provides access to a large number of previous issues of this journal,
together with its most recent. The journal itself focuses upon military and
foreign policy issues, most often from the Canadian perspective.
RAND Corporation: http://www.rand.org/
The official website for the RAND Corporation, this is another site that
is extremely useful to any military professionals, academics or students.
Researching and analysing foreign and military policy decisions, the website
of the RAND Corporation provides free access to a very large number
of online articles devoted to this field. Its other import aspect is its link to
its publishing department, from which a wide range of hard-to-find books
covering contemporary military and foreign policies can be purchased.
As the website of the Canadian Army Journal, this site provides free
access to all of its issues dating back to 1998. It also provides additional
information on the Land Force Doctrine and Training System (LFDTS), as
well as links to the official Canadian Army website. Also available from this
site is a downloadable version of Crisis in Zefra produced by the Directorate
of Land Strategic Concepts.
Available for download online are all of the papers written by Canadian
officers enrolled in several CFC programs, including the Master of Defence
Studies, Exercise Final Horizons and other advanced military studies
courses. Hundreds of papers are available from 1998 on, providing senior
officers’ perspectives and analyses of a variety of current and historical
military topics. The papers are searchable by year, program or paper title
and author name.
The lesson learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom in the spring of 2003 was
conclusive: the use of the 21st century’s latest technology was insufficient
to keep operational leaders completely informed, help them to act with
certainty or prevent disorder and the unexpected. We must therefore face
the facts: to be truly effective, the decision-maker has no other choice than
to learn how to devise and conduct actions in conditions of uncertainty. How
can this be achieved? What principles must be followed? What means must
be available and how should they be organized? What style of command
must the decision-maker adopt? This book provides answers to these
questions, giving leaders, whether military or civilian, the determinative keys
to the success of the action.
Since ancient times, governments have used the most diverse methods of
propaganda to exalt the glory of the sovereign or fan the flames of hatred
for an enemy. Propaganda changed in scope with the advent of printing in
modern times, which brought the written media, press and publishing to
the foreground. Radio subsequently brought speech to the forefront, and
today the image has become the rule, first through movies, then through
television, and currently through the digital and Internet revolution. In spite
of these successive changes or revolutions in the methods, the aim remains
the same and has changed little. The goal is still to serve the purposes of
war and to reinforce group cohesion through negative (censure) or positive
means (propaganda, misinformation and intoxication). Our information
society, so smitten with modernity, resorts to the most archaic and
sometimes most unrefined means. The “fibs” of 1914 resurfaced during the
Gulf War, with the Iraqi militia repeating the atrocities of the German militia.
This historical survey, the broadest ever conducted in France, examines
the infinite variety of propaganda media, but also the timelessness of
some methods that we too often believe to be bygone. This critical and
historical approach will help readers to gain a better understanding of the
mechanisms of contemporary media. This survey was conducted by the
Commission française d’histoire militaire under the direction of its President,
Hervé Coutau-Bégarie, Director of Studies at the École pratique des hautes
etudes, and Director of the Introduction to Strategy course at the Joint
Defence College. Fifty-nine contributions cover all genres and eras from
Antiquity to today. The substantial introduction is a first attempt at synthesis.
Where do the loyalties of a military leader lie? What are the keys to moral
strength in combat? What are the values required for the operational
success of soldiers and their leaders plunged into the suffering and pride
of war? The answers to these fundamental questions lie in the training
of leaders and styles of command. This book brilliantly answers many
fundamental ques-tions by delving into the turbulent past—the post-
revolutionary period marked by the Napoleonic Wars and great political
and social upheaval—to find the memory of the men who made history.
In this book readers will find answers to questions, backed by in-depth
research, on the motivation of soldiers, moral resources, the exemplarity
of leadership, the role and place of military ceremony, cohesion and esprit
de corps, shared values, military culture and the violence of war. Through
the writings of the actors who shaped history, this reflection on ethics
and command paints a living picture of a fascinating period. Laurence
Montroussier provides detailed answers to all those interested in the still
complex relations between the soldier, the leader and war.
Luttwak, Edward N. Le grand livre de la stratégie : de la paix et de
la guerre. Paris : Odile Jacob, 2002, ISBN 2738111874
In the fight against terrorism, the European Union and the United States are
often seen as having turned their backs on each other. The “war on terror”
has received little coverage in European discourse, which focuses on the
penal response. Yet beyond the political imperatives of this line of thought,
the diversity of approaches is only apparent: the gradual alignment of the
European Union with its American partner has been established. Beyond
the superficial disagreements, the European Union is walking a fine line for
a democratic system, being poorly armed to handle a continued state of
emergency. The juxtaposition of the American and European anti-terrorism
experiences opens up perspectives that challenge the very core of our
democracies: how can the response to terrorism be sustained over time
and not yield to emergency measures? How can the balance be restored
betwee security requirements and freedom? This book is essential reading
for the start of the 21st century.
Abou Zahab, Mariam, Olivier Roy and King John. Islamist
Networks: The Afghan-Pakistan Connection (Translated from the
French by John King). New York: Columbia University Press in
association with the Centre d’études et de recherches
internationales, Paris, 2004, ISBN: 1850656975
The Al Qaeda organization was only able to reach its full capacity to harm
because it found refuge in Afghanistan, where Bin Laden finally settled in
1996. Why was this safe haven not attacked before 2001, especially after
the attacks in August 1998 on the U.S. embassies in East Africa? Because
the Taliban were part of a vast and radical regional Islamic network, the true
centre of which was Pakistan. Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Pakistani Deobandis,
the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan-the entire region became a refuge for
terrorists. What is the history behind this tendency? Since they each have
their own history and doctrinal discrepancies, how did these movements
slowly join forces against a common enemy, the United States of America?
This book aims to answer those questions by examining the evolution of
radical Islamic networks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia over a
period of almost 25 years.
The Algerian War is often referred to as the “war of images”. It is true that
the warring factions faced stereotyping in the press, leaflets and other
propaganda. By personifying their adversary, by redefining the “other,” the
“enemy” in comparison to themselves, it is their own identity that Algerian
combatants were constructing in order to gain strength and credibility.
This book demonstrates the diversity and sometimes heterogeneity of
representations of the French enemy, for the outlook of ALN members
differs depending on whether they were settlers, professional soldiers,
young conscripts or civilians who remained in France. And although the
image of the French soldier has changed throughout the “incidents” or
the war of independence, the colonial past played a significant role in its
construction. The book is based on the valuable testimonies of 79 former
ALN-FLN combatants from wilaya 3 (Kabylie), who substantiate French and
Algerian archives and break the silence of the men who were party to this
conflict. For the first time, the game of representations is reversed as the
book explores the Algerian combatant’s view of his adversary in those days.
Testimonies and a face-off of perspectives here build a bridge between the
two shores of the Mediterranean, and a path towards mutual understanding.
Five years later, the after-shocks of 9/11 are still affecting our lives, societies
and freedoms. The world is still suffering the consequences of Al Qaeda’s
feat: the Middle East is in a state of unrest, the U.S. is sinking in the Iraqi
quagmire, while Canada seems to be seeking some sort of diplomacy in
keeping with its tradition. However, it is important to go beyond conventional
wisdom to question the real impact of the attacks. What about the terrorist
threat? What will happen to U.S. foreign policy with the legislative elections
in November 2006? Where is the relationship between Washington and
Ottawa headed? Has it really changed? The conclusions of this book are
sometimes unexpected, often reassuring. In any case, they are essential,
since understanding the impact of 9/11 five years later also means starting
to shape the world of tomorrow.
MacLeod, Alex (ed.). Lutte antiterroriste et relations
transatlantiques. Brussels: Bruylant, 2006, ISBN 280272147X
New York, Madrid, London; three cities evocative of what has become the
central issue in international relations in the early 21st century: the war on
terror. To face the threats in this foggy reality, governments are attempting to
implement domestic policies while seeking to coordinate their actions on an
international level. Inevitably, the new direction in international policy and the
difficulties it creates for all impacts on transatlantic relations. More than ever,
the priorities on the international agenda are shaped by a sole superpower,
leading to decisions, such as the war in Iraq, that are not always unanimous.
This book is divided into two sections. The first section deals with the
North American reaction to the September 11 attacks and the emerging
characteristics of what some are calling the continental “fortress of security.”
The second section examines different aspects of European efforts to
create a regional security space, as well as the impact of September 11 on
European security policy. In succession the authors cover regional efforts
in the anti-terrorism fight, migration policies and border control. The last
chapter compares security integration processes in Europe and North
America and determines their implications for Canada.
Total war and comprehensive strategy are primarily 20th century ideas;
steel storms and mobilization of the people to serve in the mass industrial
war. As the climax, the fear of the possible nuclear destruction of the
planet. In the end, the comprehensive strategy would be the stringent and
unremitting coordination of the military, economic and cultural enterprises
of States that, even in times of peace, are preparing for total war. Has such
a system ever existed? To separate dream from reality, this investigation
starts with the original reflection of Marshal Ludendorff in the time between
the two world wars, then moves on to other times and spaces in the culture
of strategy: from ancient Rome struggling against Carthage to the Soviet
and Chinese situations. This multidisciplinary approach to two strategic
concepts extends the thought process along two lines: will the 20th
century also see total wars, of which Rwanda and Chechnya were the first
symptoms? Is the U.S. hyperpower already developing a comprehensive
strategy?