Second World War

Colton Map of British North America or Canada

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

'Wait for me Daddy', mother and son walk alongside soldiers in New Westminster

This section will help you find material in Vancouver Public Library on Canada's role in the Second World War as well as the war's effects on Canadian society. World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. Material on this subject can be found throughout the Central Library (350 West Georgia Street). Please ask the Information staff if you need help.

Useful Websites

Democracy at War: Canadian Newspapers and the Second World War

Online resource from the Canadian War Museum, includes collection of newspaper clippings from Canadian papers during the war.

Library and Achives Canada - Second World War

Includes service records, photographs, government war messages and information on medals. Also includes online exhibits on industry and Dieppe.

Veterans Affairs - Second World War (1939 – 1945)

World War II Military Operations

Collection of online National Film Board films from and about the Second World War. Note: free access to viewing films limited.

Indigenous Veterans

Personal stories, photographs and achievements of Indigenous World War veterans of Canada.

Digital Library Resources

Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Brief biographies of notable Canadians from the years 1000 to 1930.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples

NOTE: this online resource will be discontinued as of December 31, 2024. A print copy is available at the Central library.

Online version of the 1999 resource that describes the nation’s 119 different ethnic groups: their process of migration, arrival and settlement, community life, intergroup relations, language and culture.

Access:

Everywhere for VPL cardholders

The Globe and Mail: Historical Newspapers

Access the full image of the Globe and Mail newspaper from 1844 to 2018.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Historica Canada

Includes the complete text of the Canadian Encyclopedia in English and French, interactive resources and timelines of Canadian and world events.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

Recommended Titles

Canada in the Second World War

Canadians at War: Vol. 2, A Guide to the Battlefields and Memorials of World War II

The Damned: The Canadians at the Battle of Hong Kong and the POW Experience, 1941-45

Distance From the Belsen Heap: Allied Forces and the Liberation of A Nazi Concentration Camp

Greatcoats and Glamour Boots: Canadian Women at War (1939-1945)

The Last Good War: An Illustrated History of Canada in the Second World War, 1939-1945

The Necessary War: Canadians Fighting the Second World War, 1939-1943

Fight to the Finish: Canadians in the Second World War, 1944-1945

One Day in August: The Untold Story Behind Canada's Tragedy at Dieppe

Redress: Inside the Japanese Canadian Call for Justice

Canada's War in Colour

The Canadian Army Newsreels: Filmed and Produced by the Canadian Army Film Unit

Facing Injustice: The Relocation of Japanese Canadians

Forgotten Warriors

None Is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe, 1933-1948

No Price Too High: Canadians and the Second World War

Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War

The Secret Liberators: Canada's SOE Agents in Occupied France

Unwanted Soldiers

See full list

Northwest History Index

This card index in Special Collection provides access to the Northwest History Collection, a heritage collection covering the early history and exploration of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.

The collection includes:

magazine and newspaper articles
pamphlets
books
chapters in books
many other resources

As of August 1998, no new material has been added to the Northwest History Index. It is continued by the British Columbia Index.

Canadian History

Useful Websites