The halifax explosion july 4, 2011 admin the morning of december 6, 1917 began as most mornings in the city of halifax, nova scotiawives kissed their husbands goodbye, mothers sent their children off to school, and the harbourfront, which served as a major hub during wwi was bustling with activity, both mercantile and military. John bacon takes you through some interesting history at the outset, and then details the. The great halifax explosion meet your next favorite book. New book details 1917 halifax, nova scotia, explosion. Dan soucoups book, explosion in halifax harbour 1917 nimbus begins with a history of halifax.
Africville, campbell road, halifax, nova scotia 45 19171206. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary. Created in 1919, the historic sites and monuments board of canada advises the minister of environment and climate change regarding the national historic significance of places, people, and events that have marked. Nov 30, 2017 a centurys worth of historical accounts, novels and documentaries, plus a tv miniseries, have told and retold the story. An entire neighbourhood was destroyed, thousands killed and injured, thousands more left homeless. A goodreads search for halifax explosion returns more than 40 titles. Dec 06, 2017 100 years after the great halifax explosion steve inskeep talks with author john u. The montblanc was a munitions ship on its way to join a convoy sailing to wartorn europe. Dec 01, 2016 bostons official 2016 christmas tree, like others that have come before it, is a thank you gift for events a century ago in the nova scotias canadian provinces coastal capital of halifax. As a token of its gratitude, every year halifax sends the residents of boston a giant christmas tree, as a way of thanking them for their friendship and support in the city. Army and navy personnel worked shouldertoshoulder with civilians on rescue, recovery and reconstruction. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and the norwegian warrelief vessel imo collided in the harbour at halifax, nova scotia. Fiction about the halifax explosion disaster that occurred in 1917 and killed 2,000 people.
Government of canada commemorates halifax explosion national. In his new book, the great halifax explosion, author john u. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy and extraordinary heroism, by john u. I had read another account of the halifax explosion years ago, but this book out a. While the halifax explosion of 1917 was a calamity, it was not the only major wartime explosion suffered by the locals. What followed was one of the largest humanmade explosions prior to the detonation of the first atomic bombs in 1945. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new. Collison of 2 ships ignited 3,000 tons of explosives that left 2,000 dead and 25,000 citizens homeless. Bacon, a superbly talented historian and story teller, has rescued from obscurity an astonishing episode of horror and heroism.
The resulting massive explosion destroyed halifaxs north end and left at least two. Kitz 4 times halifax explosion by graham metson 3 times too many to mourn by james mahar 3 times burden of desire harvest book by robert macneil 3 times miracles and mysteries. Train dispatcher vince coleman sacrifices his own life to save a train from the halifax explosion. Nov 07, 2017 an earlier book by janet kitz, shattered city. The explosion, bacon writes, destroyed 6,000 buildings, rendering 25,000 peoplealmost half the population of halifaxhomeless in oneearsplitting whoosh and killed 1,600 instantly. This is a riveting, wellwritten and researched world war i book.
The book is displayed at the entrance to the museums halifax explosion exhibit halifax wrecked. A centurys worth of historical accounts, novels and documentaries, plus a tv miniseries, have told and retold the story. That accident sparked a fire and an apocalyptic explosion that was the largest manmade blast prior to the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb on hiroshima. Bacons book, called the great halifax explosion, reconstructs what happened on december 6. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism. Bostons official 2016 christmas tree, like others that have come before it, is a thank you gift for events a century ago in the nova scotias canadian provinces coastal capital of. This nonfiction is an account of a tragedy which occurred in halifax, canada, at the end of the fourth year of the great war.
Dec 02, 2017 this is a terrific onestop overview of the devastating human cost that was the halifax explosion. When the ships collided, montblancs hold was pierced, fire started and quickly spread, igniting vapours from the benzol. The great halifax explosion is absorbing from first page to last. 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. Bacon has brought back to life this devastating wartime event and illuminated its lasting meaning. While most canadians returned home following ve day, people and. See more ideas about halifax explosion, halifax, explosion. 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. Mar 02, 2016 train dispatcher vince coleman sacrifices his own life to save a train from the halifax explosion.
David maraniss, pulitzer prize winner, and author of once in a great city fans of ken burns, daniel james browns the boys in the boat, and john. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, which took place when a french cargo ship laden with explosives collided with another ship in halifax harbour. The think like a historian series of videos and resources is a curriculumbased learning tool to build skills to analyze and interpret primary sources. A history, part iv the past is prologue 19602008 duration. The halifax explosion remembrance book is the first really definitive listing for those killed in the disaster of 6 december 1917. The first place to look is lacs thematic guide, halifax explosion. 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. 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. So not a great history, but when news of this explosion.
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. This is a terrific onestop overview of the devastating human cost that was the halifax explosion. The horrific explosion had, in the end, blown halifax into the 20th century, forcing many changes that were for the better. A collision between two ships in halifax harbour in 1917 set off an explosion unrivalled until the atomic bomb. Bacon recreates the recklessness that caused the tragedy, the selfless rescue efforts that saved thousands, and the inspiring resilience that rebuilt the town. The hsmbc plaque for the halifax explosion national historic event will be installed at the fort needham memorial park in halifax. Some of the devastation in halifax, nova scotia after the december 6. His latest book tells the tale of a historical event that isnt as wellknown as it probably should be. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism debuts tuesday. The source of what became known as the great molasses flood was a 50foottall steel holding tank located on commercial street in bostons north end. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet f.
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. Bacon about a ship collision and explosion during world war i thats been called the worlds first weapon of. Npr news broadcaster robert macneil is an ambitious historical novel which sheds light. Government of canada commemorates halifax explosion. The american steamship old colony, docked in halifax for repairs, suffered little damage and was quickly converted. The halifax explosion december 7, 2014 july 20, 2015 snapshots of canadas past. Morning edition for december 6, 2017 hear the morning edition program for december 6, 2017. Dec 06, 2017 the hsmbc plaque for the halifax explosion national historic event will be installed at the fort needham memorial park in halifax. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism by john u.
Halifax explosion library and archives canada blog. A reference copy at the museum is available for the public to consult. Remembering the halifax explosion on the hundredth anniversary of the disaster, we look back at how some of the citys children miraculously survived december 6, 2017 april 2, 2020 by katie ingram katie ingram updated 21. On the morning of december 6, 1917, two ships, the imo and the montblanc, collided in the narrows of halifax harbour. History is more than just words on a screen or from a textbook. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. On december 6, 1917, halifax harbour pilot francis mackey was guiding montblanc, a french munitions ship, into bedford basin to join a convoy across the atlantic when it was rammed by belgian relief vessel imo.
The cargo of the montblanc caught fire, and after burning for 20 minutes, the ship exploded. New book details the halifax, nova scotia, explosion of 1917. This is a great book on one of the most interesting manmade disasters in history, and does a great job taking the reader straight to the seen of the. I first heard of john u bacon through his commentaries on npr. 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. Jan 17, 2019 guides to records about the halifax explosion. Dec 07, 2014 the halifax explosion december 7, 2014 july 20, 2015 snapshots of canadas past.
Score a books 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. Courtesy harpercollinsnova scotia archives this article is more than 2 years old. Bacons book, called the great halifax explosion, reconstructs what. The halifax explosion of 1917 canada history and mysteries. Aftershock the halifax explosion and the persecution of. The ship was a floating bomb, every substance in the cargo engineered to blow up, noted laura m. Halifax explosion books tagged halifax explosion librarything. 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. Jan 16, 2020 the source of what became known as the great molasses flood was a 50foottall steel holding tank located on commercial street in bostons north end.
The unforgettable generosity of the people of massachusetts after the halifax explosion was important to the care and rebuilding of halifax and would be impossible to repay. Jul 14, 2017 a newly discovered diary tells the harrowing story of the deadly halifax explosion on the eve of the disasters centennial, a sailors 1917 journal details a rare eyewitness account of the. 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. Most people believe that world war ii ended with v day on 8th may 1945, but the reality was that, after the resolution in europe, war continued in the pacific. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the great halifax explosion. A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a massive. Corpses, many dismembered or burned beyond recognition, were scattered everywhere. The norwegian ship imo left the protected anchorage of bedford basin, outbound for new york to load food and clothing for the. The imo can been seen beached on the far shore the james collectioncity of toronto archives in a final, fatal maneuver both captains bellowed out orders to put their engines full speed astern.
The book was presented to the museum in 2002 by the halifax foundation. The halifax explosion remembrance book, an official database compiled in 2002 by the nova scotia archives. Halifax explosion book of remembrance maritime museum of. The halifax explosion of 1945 canada history and mysteries. Nov 07, 2017 the explosion, bacon writes, destroyed 6,000 buildings, rendering 25,000 peoplealmost half the population of halifaxhomeless in oneearsplitting whoosh and killed 1,600 instantly. New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. The story and scope of the disaster and its aftermath is revealed in fiction and nonfiction narratives for both adults and children in these selections from the collection of the cape breton regional library. In this definitive account, bestselling author john u.
The halifax explosion of 1917 the canadian encyclopedia. The resulting blast killed around 2,000 people and devastated the city of halifax, nova scotia. Devastation after the halifax explosion, showing what is left of the richmond neighbourhood. Library and archives canada lac holds various records that tell part of the story of the halifax explosion, its aftermath, and the relief work and investigations following the disaster. The explosion would revolutionize pediatric medicine. Lessons learned 100 years after halifax explosion the star. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the. Bostons christmas tree tradition rooted in a canadian. Remembering the halifax explosion through a childs eyes kaye chapman was five years old on the fateful day in 1917 when a munitions ships collision in halifaxs harbour. For more information about the halifax explosion, visit. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1952 casualties more than 300 of whom are. Every two weeks a page is turned, ensuring that each name is displayed once throughout the year.
A former feature writer for the detroit news, his writing has been recognized three times in the best. This is an important book about an historical event that few people know about. On the morning of december 6 th, 1917, the steamship montblanc, inbound from the atlantic with war material for france, entered the halifax harbour narrows. In early december, 1917, it approached the port city of halifax on the eastern shore of canada. A moving exhibit on the explosion, halifax wrecked, can be seen at the maritime museum of the atlantic, lower water street. It was the result of an unlikely collision in the narrows of halifax harbour, involving the french ship, mont blanc loaded with tons of wet and dry picric acid, tnt, gun cotton and benzol and the belgian relief vessel, imo, under norwegian registry. Halifax explosion the anatomy of a disaster page 1.
A newly discovered diary tells the harrowing story of the deadly halifax explosion on the eve of the disasters centennial, a sailors 1917 journal details a. After reading about this shocking and littleknown disaster, your students will no doubt be eager to learn more. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1952 casualties more than 300 of whom are newlyconfirmed and identified victims. The disastrous 1917 explosion of a munitions ship in halifax harbo.
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