Making the Necessary Sacrifice: The Military's Impact on a City at War, Calgary, 1939-1945

Abstract

This thesis explores the military’s impact on a Canadian community at war. Calgary is the subject of this study because of the unique relationship and history it has with the military. This thesis seeks to examine the Second World War experience of a community whose major contribution to the war was hosting active and reserve personnel of the three armed forces, their families and a significant portion of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Through this study, a greater understanding of the military’s impact on the complexities of daily life in a city at war can be understood and placed within the national context.