Deadly Allies: Canada's Secret War 1937-1947 Book

Using a mix of archival information and interviews, Bryden's book is still pretty shocking, even 25 years after its publication (and 60 after the events described). That Canada developed chemical weapons for WWII is not altogether surprising (despite government denials for many years after); however, the careless way in which they were often handled and the tests on unknowing Canadian soldiers is not something that I expected.

The early movers on Canada's chemical and biological weapons programs have some big names including Banting, Seagram (of distillery fame), and Eaton (of department store fame). From there, the program metastasised as the British and American governments both saw the benefits in having thriving programs.

Interestingly, the perceived balance of chemical weapons stock between the Allies and Germany created a kind of balance, which stopped either side from using them and foreshadowed the nuclear world. The author postulates that Germany could have seriously affected the war had it used its nerve gases on Allied troops (including sarin). The loss of life that would have resulted from the addition of chemical warfare could have been horrendous, especially with the addition of the botulinus toxin, potent enough to kill with a drop less than the size of a micron.

The author is a solid writer with the tendency to go on tangents (though his tangent on the Habbakuk, the proposed air craft carrier made of ice, is fascinating). This is a well-researched and valuable addition to the history of Canada's role in WWII.