The Generals: The Canadian Army's Senior Commanders in the Second World War

The Generals examines the key military leaders who commanded Canada's army during World War II. Through detailed biographical accounts, Granatstein traces their careers from pre-war service through their wartime roles. The book profiles commanders including Andrew McNaughton, Harry Crerar, Guy Simonds and others who shaped Canada's military efforts. Their decisions and leadership styles are analyzed within the context of major WWII operations and battles involving Canadian forces. The military and political relationship between Canadian commanders and their British and American counterparts receives particular focus. Training methods, strategic planning, and command dynamics during key campaigns are explored through archival research and veterans' accounts. This work raises important questions about military leadership, civilian oversight, and Canada's evolving role as an independent force within the Allied coalition. The personal and professional challenges faced by these generals illuminate broader themes about command in modern warfare.

Readers describe this as a detailed examination of Canada's WWII military leadership that fills a gap in Canadian military history scholarship. Readers appreciated: - The personal background info on each general - Coverage of inter-officer conflicts and rivalries - Analysis of why some leaders succeeded while others failed - Clear explanations of command decisions Common criticisms: - Uneven coverage - some generals get brief mentions while others have extensive sections - Writing can be dry and academic - Limited discussion of certain key battles - Some readers wanted more operational/tactical details Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (21 ratings) Amazon.ca: 4.3/5 (6 ratings) Sample review: "A good analysis of the Canadian Army's senior leadership in WWII. Granatstein pulls no punches in his assessment of their strengths and weaknesses." - Amazon reviewer Another notes: "The book suffers from a narrow focus on personalities over strategy and operations." - Goodreads reviewer

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🎖️ J.L. Granatstein conducted over 75 personal interviews with surviving Canadian generals and their families while researching this book, providing intimate insights into their wartime experiences. 🏆 The book reveals that Canadian Army commanders had an average age of 45 in 1939, making them significantly younger than their British counterparts. ⚔️ Many of the generals profiled, including Guy Simonds and E.L.M. Burns, went from commanding small pre-war forces of about 4,500 men to leading divisions and corps of over 100,000 soldiers by war's end. 📚 Author J.L. Granatstein is considered one of Canada's most prominent military historians, having written over 60 books on Canadian military, political, and diplomatic history. 🍁 The book examines how Canada's senior military leadership evolved from a tiny peacetime force to command the world's fourth-largest Allied army by 1945, with over 700,000 men and women in uniform.