Summerside's War Effort During WWII

Website Book Reviews

A Nation Forged in Fire; Canadians and the Second World War 1939-1945
Back the Attack! Canadian Women During the Second World War - at Home and Abroad
The Canadians at War 1939-45, Volume I
Days of Victory; Canadians Remember 1939-1945
On the Homefront; a Scrapbook of Canadian World War II Memorabilia
Six War Years 1939-1945; Memories of Canadians at Home and Abroad
The Home Front in the Second World War
Victory 1945; Canadians from War to Peace
Voices of a War Remembered; an Oral History of Canadians in World War Two

The Canadians at War 1939-45, Volume I

Published by Reader's Digest Assoc. (Canada) Ltd., ©1969.

The book offers a small section on the home front titled, "The Changing Face of Canada."

Pages 256-265 - There are statistics re industries and information on the Alaska Highway. The chapter mentions mining, housing shortages, Victory gardens, canteens for servicemen, Victory Bonds, and taxes. "In 1938, Ottawa's revenue from personal income taxes was $42 million. By 1943 it had risen to $815 million." There is also information on movie stars, popular songs & orchestras, and radio programs. Food rationing was introduced in 1942. "Conserving gas became almost a national pastime." The black market for rationed goods is briefly explained along with the change in styles of clothing due to fabric controls. There is some description of several cities that were used as military bases. "Communities big and small felt the impact of war in many ways." There are also sections about Montreal and Victoria as well as several paragraphs re Winnipeg's war effort.