Canada's road to the Pacific War
Subtitle: intelligence, strategy, and the Far East crisis
By: Timothy Wilford
Series: Studies in Canadian military history
Publisher: UBC Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Vancouver
Language: eng
Number of pages: 286
ISBN-13: 9780774821216
Subjects: History; Guerre mondiale, 1939-1945; Military policy; World War, 1939-1945; Histoire; Service des renseignements militaires; Military intelligence
Description: "In December 1941, Japan attacked multiple targets in the Far East and the Pacific, including Hong Kong, where Canadian battalions were stationed. The disaster suggested that the Allies were totally unprepared for war with Japan. This book dispels that assumption by offering the first in-depth account of Canadian intelligence gathering and strategic planning leading up to the crisis.  Timothy Wilford reminds us that Canada was both a Pacific and an Atlantic power, and the first nation to declare war on Japan. Canadian intelligence officers and strategists monitored Japan's movements and worked closely with their US and Allied counterparts to develop a picture of Japan's intentions and a strategic plan to meet challenges in the Pacific. Although Canada wanted to avoid conflict with Japan until US participation was assured, policy makers fully anticipated action in the Pacific and made preparations for national and imperial defence, which included the internment of Japanese Canadians.  'Canada's Road to the Pacific War' sheds new light on Canadian decision making, Commonwealth strategic planning, and the emerging Anglo-American special relationship during a crisis that led to war in the Pacific, as well as to the creation of the Grand Alliance."--Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Prelude to War: Canada and the Pacific Powers, 1922-40; title: The Allied Web: Intelligence Networks in Canada before the Pacific War; title: Developing a Far East Strategy, December 1940 to July 1941; title: Avoiding Confrontation with Japan: Diplomacy, Deterrence, and Hong Kong; title: Reassessing the Far East Crisis after the Asset Freeze, August to October 1941; title: Guarding the Coast: Canadian Defence Strategy for the North Pacific; title: Countdown to War: Negotiation and Mobilization, November 1941; title: The Coming of the Pacific War, December 1941; title: Conclusion: Canada's Response to the Pacific Challenge; title: Glossary of Names; title: Chronology of Events, 1922-42.