The Defence of the Undefended Border

"This important study of an unfamiliar aspect of Canadian-American relations presents conclusive evidence that the tradition of the "undefended border" has coexisted with a hitherto unsuspected degree of preparedness for war across that border. The tradition may be said to date from 1870, when the Treaty of Washington ended fortification building on the border and the imperial garrisons were withdrawn from Canada; but Dr. Preston shows that soldiers on both sides continued to make contingency plans for defence, largely of a general nature but inevitably including preparations for counter-invasion. In telling the almost unknown story of the planners' activities during the period from Confederation to World War II, the author has drawn upon public records (notably U.S. government archives recently de- classified), private papers, and the relatively unexplored files of the contemporary military press. From these sources he has gleaned the thoughts and opinions of men with military interests and expertise who speculated privately or publicly about the possible course and outcome of a war on the North American continent. Despite the growing conviction that neither side would resort to force in the settlement of disputes, planning af a high level continued intermittently in London, Washington, and Ottawa, and was frequently utilized for training purposes. British and Canadian concern with the unlikely event of an American conflict dwindled before World War I (although the notorious counter-invasion scheme known as "Defence Plan No. 1" was drawn up for the Canadian militia as late as 1920), but it was not until the international crisis of the Thirties that American contingency planning for war in North America fell into abeyance."--Publisher.