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Jonathan F. Vance - Objects of Concern: Canadian Prisoners of War Through the Twentieth Century - 9780774805049 - V9780774805049
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Objects of Concern: Canadian Prisoners of War Through the Twentieth Century

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Description for Objects of Concern: Canadian Prisoners of War Through the Twentieth Century Hardback. Jonathan Vance examines Canada's role in the formation of an important aspect of international law, traces the growth and activities of a number of national and local philanthropic agencies, and recounts the efforts of ex-prisoners to secure compensation for the long-term effects of captivity. Num Pages: 336 pages. BIC Classification: 1KBC; HBG; HBLW; JWT; JWXR. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational; (UP) Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly; (UU) Undergraduate. Dimension: 5817 x 4217. .

Hockey magnate Conn Smythe, Trudeau cabinet minister Gilles Lamontagne, and the composer and former conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sir Ernest MacMillan, share something other than their fame: they all have the dubious distinction of having been captured by the enemy during Canada’s wars of the twentieth century. Like some 15,000 other Canadians, Smythe, Lamontagne, and MacMillan experienced the bewilderment that accompanied the moment of capture, the humiliation of being completely in the captor’s power, and the sense of stagnating in a backwater while the rest of the world moved forward.

From prison camps in Eire, where POWs were allowed ... Read more

Beginning in the nineteenth century, Vance traces the growth of Canadian interest in the plight of POWs. He goes on to examine the measures taken to assist Canadian POWs during the two world wars and the Korean war. The book focuses in particular on the campaigns to ship relief supplies to prison camps and on attempts to secure the prisoners’ release.

POWs have sometimes been seen as forgotten casualties whose privations were misunderstood during war and whose needs were neglected afterwards. This perception developed out of a tradition in POW memoirs which paid little attention to the efforts of politicians, civil servants, and individuals who devoted considerable time and energy to their cause. Vance argues that this impression is wrong and that, in fact, every effort was made to ameliorate conditions for men and women in captivity. In his book, he outlines the difficulties and confusion that arose from jurisdictional squabbling and lack of clear communication. Ironically, Vance concludes, obstacles were more often created by an overabundance of enthusiasm than by a lack of interest in the prisoners’ fate. Canada’s wartime bureaucracy, often praised by historians, is revealed as needlessly complex and, in many ways, hopelessly inefficient.

In Objects of Concern, Jonathan Vance examines Canada’s role in the formation of an important aspect of international law, traces the growth and activities of a number of national and local philanthropic agencies, and recounts the efforts of ex-prisoners to secure compensation for the long-term effects of captivity. In doing so, he reminds Canadians of an aspect of war that has often been overlooked in conventional military history.

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Product Details

Format
Hardback
Publication date
1994
Publisher
University of British Columbia Press Canada
Number of pages
336
Condition
New
Number of Pages
330
Place of Publication
Vancouver, Canada
ISBN
9780774805049
SKU
V9780774805049
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1

About Jonathan F. Vance
Jonathan F. Vance is a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of History and Centre for Military, Strategic, and Disarmament Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Reviews for Objects of Concern: Canadian Prisoners of War Through the Twentieth Century
A fascinating study focusing on an underexplored issue. Vance tells this tale in a comprehensive and entertaining fashion.
J. Lemco
Choice
[Vance] is to be applauded for his painstaking research effort and careful choice of photographs, cartoons and artwork. Our understanding of the politics surrounding POWs during the Boer War, two World Wars and the Korean War ... Read more

Goodreads reviews for Objects of Concern: Canadian Prisoners of War Through the Twentieth Century


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