Canadians Fighting Series

WINNER OF THE OTTAWA BOOK AWARD

An unforgettable chronicle of Canadians fighting the Second World War.

Historian Tim Cook displays his trademark storytelling ability in the second volume of his masterful account of Canadians in World War II. Cook combines an extraordinary grasp of military strategy with a deep empathy for the soldiers on the ground, at sea, and in the air. Whether it’s a minute-by-minute account of a gruelling artillery battle, vicious infighting among generals, the scene inside a medical unit, or the small details of a soldier’s daily life, Cook creates an utterly compelling narrative. He recounts in mesmerizing detail how the Canadian forces figured in the Allied bombing of Germany, the D-Day landing at Juno beach, the taking of Caen, and the drive south.

Featuring dozens of black-and-white photographs and moving excerpts from letters and diaries of servicemen, Fight to the Finish, along with its companion volume, The Necessary War, broadens our understanding of the Second World War with a gripping account of Canadians who fought abroad, and the home front that was changed forever.

CO-WINNER OF THE C.P. STACEY AWARD

The definitive account of Canadians fighting in the Second World War written by Canada’s premier military historian.

Tim Cook, Canada’s leading war historian, ventures deep into the Second World War in this epic two-volume story of heroism and horror, loss and longing, and sacrifice and endurance.

Written in Cook’s compelling narrative style, this book shows in impressive detail how soldiers, airmen, and sailors fought—the evolving tactics, weapons of war, logistics, and technology. He also examines the war as an engine of transformation for Canada. With a population of fewer than twelve million, Canada embraced its role as an arsenal of democracy, exporting war supplies, feeding its allies, and raising a million-strong armed forces that served and fought in nearly every theatre of war. The six-year-long exertion caused disruption, provoked nationwide industrialization, ushered in changes to gender roles, exacerbated the tension between English and French, and forged a new sense of Canadian identity. It showed that Canadians were willing to bear almost any burden and to pay the ultimate price in the pursuit of victory.