In accordance with Britain's foreign policy towards the War, Canada was officially neutral. This, however, did not prevent approximately fifty thousand Canadian-born soldiers from serving in both armies. Four Canadians attained the rank of brigadier-general and twenty-nine were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Throughout the War, Canadian public opinion was divided for various reasons, including religion, language, culture, economic class, and moral background. The Civil War was the culmination of the reciprocal, sometimes parallel, but often intertwining influence of both the United States and Canada on each other's historical, territorial, political, economic, and social development. Following the War - two new nations emerged.
PRELUDE TO WAR is the first in a series of books dealing with Canada and the American Civil War by Canadian author and historian Mark Vinet. It offers an in-depth study of the fiery issues that led to the War and dramatically unveils how both countries, as neighbors, dealt with the contentious issues of Sectionalism, Slavery, Slave Rebellions, Abolitionism, and the Underground Railroad.
Includes 26 Maps, Photographs, and Illustrations.
