Canada's Navy: The First Century

From it's 18th-century roots in exploration and trade, to the major conflicts of World War I and II, through to current roles in multinational operations with United Nations and NATO forces, Canada's navy has been an expression of Canadian nationhood and a catalyst in the complex process of national unity. In this text, Marc Milner argues that the history of the Royal Canadian Navy falls into three distinct periods. Until 1939, the Navy was essentially a national orphan: neglected by government, spurned by Canadians, composed largely of expatriate Britons, and lacking a clearly identifiable role. World War II and postwar years that role redefined. During the war, the navy underwent an astonishing expansion that brought together Canadian industry, government and people to produce, by 1945, the third largest Navy in the world. Moreover, that Navy made a decisive contribution to winning the war in the Atlantic, going on to confirm, with the outbreak of the Cold War, Canada's new and important role of defence of shipping in the Atlantic as part of a wider western alliance. Since that time, naval history has been a struggle to reconcile naval ambitions for fleet development with those of the government, and to find a national identity for the service itself. The final result has been the renaissance of the last two decades, which has seen the navy re-emerge as the most modern and capable of Canada's armed services. Milner suggests that this remarkable metamorphosis may be the result of a final coalescing of the Navy, the nation, and the state. Based on extensive archival research and interviews, this text is a comprehensive examination, certain to provoke discussion, of the Royal Canadian Navy, a body with a rich and interesting history.

About the Author :
Marc Milner teaches at the University of New Brunswick and has written extensively on Canadian naval and military history. His previous books include The U-Boat Hunters (1994) and North Atlantic Run (1985).

Review :
'Milner's book ... will serve for many as the navy's "official history." ' -- John D. Harbron, Globe and Mail '[Canada's Navy] will long remain the standard account of how the Canadian navy was created, developed, and used ... Marked by breadth of learning, masterly analysis, and a generous scholarship, it is a model and an inspiration. Canadians, and naval historians around the world, are once again in Milner's debt.' -- Andrew Lambert, The International History Review 'This book, like the first edition, provides an outstanding narrative of the history of the Canadian Navy, and should hold a place of honour on every naval officer?s bookshelf.' -- Jurgen Duewel, Canadian Military Journal, vol10:03:2010 'This welcome new book is stimulating, authoritative, and current. Canada's Navy: The First Century is a great read.' -- Jan Drent, Maritime Affairs 'A delightful tour de force.' -- Ron Lowman, Toronto Star