Saints, Sinners, and Soldiers: Canada's Second World War

by Jeffrey A. Keshen

The first-ever synthesis of both the patriotic and the problematic in wartime Canada, Saints, Sinners, and Soldiers shows how moral and social changes, and the fears they generated, precipitated numerous, and often contradictory, legacies in law and society. From labour conflicts, to the black market, to prostitution, and beyond, Keshen acknowledges the underbelly of Canada’s Second World War, and demonstrates that the “Good War” was a complex tapestry of social forces – not all of which were above reproach.

Genres: Canada, Nonfiction, World War II, War, History

389 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Dasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Saints, Sinners, and Soldiers Keshen analyzes the less good side of the "good war." As Keshen makes note of, the Second World War is remembered in Canadian popular memory as a simpler time when the young nation pulled together to defeat totalitarian regimes overseas. Keshen argues that this is only one aspect of the war. For many, the war brought panic over degrading morals and society slipping into debauchery. Through Keshen's detailed analysis it is clear that most topics of this moral panic were double-sided. For example, women entering the workforce brought about legislation for equal pay for equal work and growth in the number of women given the opportunity to work. However, traditional ideas of work remained as women who chose to work were viewed as contributing to moral decline and problem children. Women who entered the armed forces in numbers not previously seen faced people worrying about the state of femininity and saw servicewomen as an attack on family stability.
Keshan also covers the concerns over delinquent youth, wartime marriages and divorces, infidelity, illegitimate children, venereal disease, rent-gouging, charity scams, and prostitution. Such issues, even if overstated during the war, led to a growing concern over Canada's moral state. Such concerns also indicate the amount of change that Canada underwent over the course of the war. The variety and intensity of change meant that although many Canadians sought comfort in a traditional life after the war, too much had changed to make this idealized world order possible. The alterations Canada underwent prompted legislation that in some ways entrenched a more traditional, conservative worldview but in other ways allowed for progressive and radical laws that resulted in greater financial stability and increased opportunities for men and women.

[Deodand · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I needed to read a book about Canada's home front - it was refreshing. It occurred to me that I've done a lot of reading about battles and European theatre civilian life - but since our troops were "over there", nothing ever gets written about what happened "over here".

Distance from these events has put a gloss of respectability on the Canadian war effort. This book shows us that everyone was not equally interested in peace, fairness, patriotism or even politeness! (Maybe Americans should read this book to see that we can be dicks too.) From a long way off, it looks as though they were all pulling in the same direction, and most of them were - but let's record the acts of the few who weren't.

There were lots of little pieces of information in this book that surprised me - for instance, I didn't know that the residences that were destroyed in the explosion at Halifax in 1917 were not rebuilt until WWII 30 years later. Can you imagine that happening today?

[Jean-Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book for Canadian military history, Keshen's work a very well constructed study of the social aspect of the war for Canadians citizens and servicemen both at home and oversea. This book will be of interest for anyone who's interested in wartime Canadian society.