It is generally accepted that from the 17th to 19th centuries, war was a major determinant in building Canadian nationhood. No one questions that in the last century Canada's involvement in two world wars put enormous strains on society or that this, at the same time, strengthened the Canadian state. However, the study of military history in Canada was for too long regarded as the purview of the specialist and military staff. Nevertheless Canadian historians have been in the forefront in the writing of critical analyses of official military history and historians have increasingly used military source materials to examine wider questions about Canadian society in wartime. In addition, genealogists and collectors have built specialized but equally valid accounts using military history materials and these can now be used to advantage by the reader.

Notes

The authors have included the English edition of works if they are available in both English and French. Items known to be available in French are marked with an asterisk (*). Most titles included in this guide are held by Library and Archives Canada, and many are available for interlibrary loan, through your local library, in Canada and abroad.