Casting Light on the Shadows: We Will Find A Way

FOREWORD

It is with great pleasure that I introduce We Will Find a Way: The Canadian Special Operations Legacy. This publication is intended to provide individuals with background knowledge on Canada’s Special Operations and Special Operations Forces (SOF) legacy.

Prior to 9/11, the global narrative of Special Operations Forces (SOF) had largely been relegated to the margins of the historical record. Yet, with the more visible employment of SOF in the War on Terror waged in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the world, SOF have been increasingly removed from the shadows. This shift into the light has been exemplified in the Canadian experience. While, importantly, this nation has conducted “special operations” since its inception, many, if not most, Canadians remain unaware of this rich history.

We Will Find a Way: The Canadian Special Operations Legacy addresses this deficit by providing a historical glimpse at Canada’s special operations experience and, in so doing, helps to expose the foundation of contemporary special operations which are rooted in the achievements of the individuals and organizations that paved their way.

As such, this latest Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) Education & Research Centre (ERC) publication is another step toward capturing and promulgating the history of Canada’s special operations experience.

Table of Contents

• FOREWORD
• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER 1 – The Ranger Tradition
• CHAPTER 2 – Strength from Weakness: The World War II Experience
• CHAPTER 3 – Special Operations in the Cold War
• CHAPTER 4 – The Rise of Terrorism: The Post-Cold War Experience
• CHAPTER 5 – Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
• ABOUT THE AUTHOR
• ENDNOTES
• GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS
• INDEX