The event has fascinated everyone, from scholars to history buffs. The halifax explosion of 1917 canada history and mysteries. It also tells the history of the halifax explosion, including the ways the disaster affected many peoples lives and the valiant work done by men and women in its aftermath. Her book, the blind mechanic, is about his struggle to fit in to the sighted world and his many accomplishments in the wake of tragedy. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1952 casualties more than 300 of whom are. Kingston author tells story of 1917 halifax explosion the. Destroyed neighbourhoods were rebuilt to safer standards, while medical treatment, social welfare, and public health saw advances and improvements. A former feature writer for the detroit news, his writing has been recognized three times in the best. Nov 07, 2017 a history of the destruction of a canadian city by an explosion as powerful as a nuclear weapon. Bacon is the author of the national bestseller the great halifax explosion and four bestselling books about college football, including three and out, fourth and long, endzone, and bos lasting lessons, coauthored with michigan coach bo schembechler. Each year, a commemorative service is held overlooking the scene, remembering those who died.
It has been called the worst manmade explosion in history. John boileau, a historian and retired canadian army colonel, has written a book, 6. Kitz ons msm january 12, 1930 may 10, 2019 was an educator, author and historian in halifax, nova scotia who played a key role in the recognition of the 1917 halifax explosion, the largest manmade explosion prior to the atomic bomb and the worst manmade disaster in canadian history. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship laden with high explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. This canadian history for kids, sketches of our canada, looks at the devastation created by the halifax explosion of december 6, 1917. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, and its effects are not lost on us today, even after all these years. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery is a 1989 canadian nonfiction book by.
A primitive seismometer located in the basement of the old physics building at dalhousie university recorded the event. In 1917, two ships collided in halifax harbor, resulting in the largest explosion in history up to that time. On december 6, 1917 the french munition ship, the mont blanc, and the norwegian war relief freighter, the imo, collided in halifax harbour, setting off a massive explosion that. Canadian history speaker series ends with halifax explosion on a beautiful and unseasonably warm day 100 years ago canada experienced its worst manmade disaster. After reading about this shocking and littleknown disaster, your students will no doubt be eager to learn more. A centurys worth of historical accounts, novels and documentaries, plus a tv miniseries, have told and retold the story. After the collision the montblanc was grounded at pier 6 and 20 minutes later kaboom. New book details 1917 halifax, nova scotia, explosion. A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a massive explosion that. The dramatic story of one of the greatest disasters in history in 1917, the port of halifax, nova scotia, was crowded with ships leaving for wartorn europe. The halifax explosion was the deadliest disaster in canadian history. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism kindle edition by bacon, john u download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Nearly 2,000 people died and some 9,000 were injured in the disaster, which flattened more than 1 square mile 2.
On december 6, 1917, as world war i continued in europe, ships carrying troops, supplies and munitions filled the harbour of the port city of halifax, nova scotia. Nov 09, 2017 the great halifax explosion is a narrative a gripping narrative, to borrow from the books blurb itself and reads more like maclennan than kitz, active and well paced for a nearly 500. Available at nova scotia archives as f5249 h173 k62. Halifax explosion, also called halifax explosion of 1917 or the great halifax explosion, devastating explosion on december 6, 1917, that occurred when a munitions ship blew up in the harbour of halifax, nova scotia, canada. The port was a major hub of wartime activity and halifax harbour was crowded with warships, troop transports and. In 1917, halifax, nova scotia was the main base of the new canadian navy and housed the most important army garrison in canada. Nov 30, 2017 a centurys worth of historical accounts, novels and documentaries, plus a tv miniseries, have told and retold the story. Halifax explosion of 1917 a thick cloud of smoke billowing over halifax and nearby towns, such as africville, in nova scotia, canada, after a munitions ship exploded in the halifax harbour on december 6, 1917. Who was to blame for huge halifax explosion 100 years ago. This canadian history for kids, sketches of our canada, looks at the devastation created by the halifax explosion of december 6, 1917 on december 6, 1917, as world war i continued in europe, ships carrying troops, supplies and munitions filled the harbour of the port city of halifax, nova scotia.
A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism by john u. Robert oppenheimer, who studied the halifax explosion closely when developing the atomic bomb, with history s only realworld case study demonstrating the lethal power of a weapon of mass destruction. A double take at the halifax explosion, canadas greatest. The great halifax explosion is a narrative a gripping narrative, to borrow from the books blurb itself and reads more like maclennan than kitz, active and well paced for a. This is an important book about an historical event that few people know about outside of canada, at least i learned about it only because i visited nova scotia on. During the first world war, halifax was a busy port and the centre of wartime shipping for canada. The halifax explosion in nonfiction the great halifax explosion. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1946 casualties more than 300 of whom are. The halifax explosion december 7, 2014 july 20, 2015 snapshots of canadas past.
Halifax, canada, halifax explosion remembrance book, 19171918. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy and extraordinary heroism, by john u. A general history of the explosion in which some fatalities are recorded as part of the narrative. In 1917, the thriving seaport of halifax, nova scotia, was leveled by a munitions explosion of unprecedented force when two ships collided in the citys harbor.
The halifax explosion took place in halifax harbour almost a hundred years ago, on dec. The explosion had profound and longlasting consequences. While much has been written about the disaster, there is still more to the story, including the investigation of the. On december 6th, two of them the mont blanc and the imo collided in the narrows, a hardtonavigate stretch of the harbor. The halifax explosion was the greatest nonnuclear detonation in history, killing 2,000 people and obliterating homes and businesses over a large swath of the city. Bacons the great halifax explosion is the seminal account of one of the bloodiest manmade disasters in world history, which killed some 2,000 people. After decades of hard economic times, the city was a hub of canadas war effort. The halifax explosion goodreads meet your next favorite book. My 10yearold son uses his lego to reenact the events of the halifax explosion of december 1917, when two ships collided in halifax harbour, creating the largest manmade explosion before the. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new.
This is a riveting, wellwritten and researched world war i book. New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. Obtain your favorite canadian history books at much lower prices than other booksellers. A history of the destruction of a canadian city by an explosion as powerful as a nuclear weapon. Collison of 2 ships ignited 3,000 tons of explosives that left 2,000 dead and 25,000 citizens homeless. The halifax explosion remembrance book is the first really definitive listing for those killed in the disaster of 6 december 1917. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new books. Dan soucoups book, explosion in halifax harbour 1917 nimbus begins with a history of halifax. A goodreads search for halifax explosion returns more than 40 titles. Here are some books exploring the many facets of this canadian tragedy, the. The horrendous explosion in halifax harbor the morning of 6 december 1917 killed almost 2,000 people and altered the important atlantic seaport forever. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. Oct 29, 2019 in 1917, two ships collided in halifax harbor, resulting in the largest explosion in history up to that time.
See more ideas about halifax explosion, nova scotia and canadian history. History is more than just words on a screen or from a textbook. But you dont have to be historically inclined to be curious about the tragedy or want to learn about the halifax explosion and its aftermath. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1952 casualties more than 300 of whom are newlyconfirmed and identified victims. The halifax explosion took place on december 6, 1917 when a french munitions ship and a belgian relief vessel collided in the harbour and exploded, killing more than 1600 people instantly, wounding more than 9000 others, and damaging or destroying approximately 12,000 buildings. Canadian history has a habit of being presented in a way that tends to be boring and dry. Most available programs are text and living book historical fiction focused, which is a 31 days of canadian history book read more. Rich in fact and shocking images, the story sets a blistering pace following. This is a terrific onestop overview of the devastating human cost that was the halifax explosion. Halifax is the capital of nova scotia and the largest urban area in atlantic canada. That was the exact moment of the great halifax harbour explosion of december 6, 1917, which was destined to be the deadliest disaster in canadian history.
But, underneath the facts and dates, there are actually some amazing or shocking stories in our past both good and bad. What followed was one of the largest humanmade explosions prior to the detonation of the first atomic bombs in 1945. The book broke new ground, making extensive use of oral history interviews conducted by janet kitz to tell. Here are some books exploring the many facets of this canadian tragedy, the communities it happened to, and its lasting repercussions. The penguin history of canada for example doesnt even mention it. With one of the finest and deepest icefree harbours in north america, halifax was the port through.
Canadian content history, canadian disasters, canadian heroes, interesting canadian places, interesting canadians halifax explosion, towns in nova scotia vince colemen 1874 dec. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Kingston author tells story of 1917 halifax explosion. It tells the riveting story of two world war i ships that collided in halifax harbor in 1917, causing one of the most powerful explosions in historya devastating blast that ripped through the canadian towns of halifax and dartmouth. Large collection of new and used canadian history books. The halifax explosion tells the gripping, asyet untold story of canadas worst disastera haunting tale of. Few living people recall that the largest manmade explosion in history prior to the advent of the nuclear age took place in halifax, nova scotia. In this definitive account, bestselling author john u. The massive explosion killed more than 1,800 people, injured another 9,000including blinding 200and destroyed almost the entire north end of the city of halifax, including more than 1,600 homes. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the great halifax explosion. Hidden history is a diary series that explores forgotten and littleknown areas of.
New book details the halifax, nova scotia, explosion of 1917. Robert oppenheimer, who studied the halifax explosion closely when developing the atomic bomb, with historys only realworld case study demonstrating the lethal power of a weapon of mass destruction. This book does a good job of recreating the events, although im not sure why treachery is. Fiction about the halifax explosion disaster that occurred in 1917 and killed 2,000 people. Halifax was devastated on 6 december 1917 when two ships collided in the citys harbour, one of them a munitions ship loaded with explosives bound for the battlefields of the first world war. This nonfiction is an account of a tragedy which occurred in halifax, canada, at the end of the fourth year of the great war. Halifax, nova scotia, incorporated as a city in 1841, population 403,1 2016 c, 390,096 2011 c.
Halifax explosion project gutenberg selfpublishing. The event is well chronicled in books, magazine articles and online reference reserves. Bacon recreates the recklessness that caused the tragedy, the selfless rescue efforts that saved thousands, and the inspiring resilience that rebuilt the town. The explosion would revolutionize pediatric medicine. The author relates the circumstances of the accident that caused the explosion, as well as the recovery efforts and subsequent inquiry into the event.