War and Peacekeeping: From South Africa to the Gulf-Canada's Limited Wars

Sidney Allinson is the editor at the Royal Canadian Military Institute
and author of The Bantams: The Untold Story of World War I.

There’s been no lack of books chronicling Canada’s combat record in
two world wars, but this book is a welcome departure. It describes our
country’s involvement in smaller military affairs, from the Fenian
Raids to the recent Gulf War. Along the way, its authors take a look at
Riel’s two Rebellions, the Boer War, and the Korean conflict. As well,
it describes our armed forces’ 30-year role in lesser-known trouble
spots (mainly United Nations’ peace-keeping missions).

Granatstein’s credentials are already well established in numerous
previous books, and this time he does equally well in partnership with
military historian David Bercuson. The pair give their account a firm
foundation by describing the origins of Canada’s militia. Hackles are
sure to be raised by some of their observations on early units’ poor
performance, widespread patronage, and the general apathy of nineteenth
century Canadians toward defence issues.

There are plenty of rousing-enough tales, though. Canadian volunteers
travelled far to distant wars, from boating down the Nile in a gallant
if vain attempt to rescue Gen. “Chinese” Gordon, to fighting the
Boers for three bloody years. In fact, the book’s two chapters about
fighting in South Africa are among the best this reviewer has seen on
Canada’s performance in that tragic affair.

Canada’s contingent with the British Commonwealth Brigade in Korea
performed noticeably well, despite bitter cold, trench warfare, and
human-wave enemy attacks. The book describes later challenges as
peacekeepers, usually without firing a shot, in the Congo, Cyprus, and
various Middle East squabbles. The accompanying maps, artwork, and
photographs are very well done, most of them seen for the first time.
Worthy of a place on any history shelf.