Tim Cook’s ‘The Good Allies’

By Christopher Miskimon

The United States and Canada share a border thousands of miles long; this naturally gives rise to friction. The two nations had their share of that when the United States entered the war in December 1941. The Canadians possessed two years of experience at running convoys and raising troops for the war effort, but when America joined the fight, it would inevitably take a larger role in managing the conflict due to its large size and industrial capacity. The Americans were brave and energetic, but they could be arrogant at times and had much to learn. The Canadians had their own troubles as they strove to raise enough troops and mobilize their own economy for wartime. Nevertheless, the two nations learned to work together and combine their economies toward the goal of ultimate victory. Both thrived in their own ways and did their parts to win the war.

This new work looks at both the North American home front and its forces abroad. It is well written and very detailed. The author effectively shows how two nations previously at odds learned to cooperate against their mutual enemies. The book also looks at how each nation’s leadership shaped their country’s efforts.

The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism During the Second World War (Tim Cook, Allen Lane Publishing, Canada, 2024, 576 pp., photographs, notes, bibliography, index, $30, HC)

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