Title: Strangers in arms : combat motivation in the Canadian Army, 1943 1945 /
Authors: Engen, Robert C.
Year: 2016
Subjects: Canada. History; Canada.; World War, 1939-1945 Regimental histories Canada.; World War, 1939-1945 Manpower Canada.; World War, 1939-1945 Psychological aspects.; Motivation (Psychology) Canada History; World War, 1939-1945 Canada.; Military morale Canada History; Soldiers Canada Psychology.; Combat Psychological aspects.; Combat sustainability (Military science); Canada
Abstract: "This book is a study of the combat motivation and morale of infantrymen in the Canadian Army during the Second World War. Using previously unexamined archival sources, including battle experience questionnaires, censorship reports, statistical analyses, and operational research, it offers a "big-picture" look at the human dimensions of warfare as experienced by Canadian soldiers in Italy and northwest Europe from 1943 to 1945. The work addresses many long-standing myths about the composition, behavior, and morale of the Canadians who fought in the Second World War, ie. "that the Canadian reinforcement stream produced poorly trained and unmotivated replacements, men who did not fit well into battle seasoned units and whose lack of basic skills, motivation and knowledge adversely affected the combat power of Canadian infantry units." Engen explains how this perception emerged and became entrenched in official and scholarly historiography, and he shows why it is largely untrue.^
Contents: Myths and realities of the Canadian Army -- Building the Canadian infantry -- The Canadians in Sicily and Italy, 1943 -- The Canadians in Italy, 1944 1945 -- The Canadians in Normandy, 1944 -- The Canadians in Northwest Europe, 1944 1945 -- Conclusion : strangers in arms.