Alan Chen
R. Wood
CHC2D7
May 25, 2018
Historical Investigation: The threat of the Imperial Navy to Canada during World
War II
Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of Sources
This historical investigation focuses on the question: How much of a threat was the Imperial Japanese Navy to
Canada over the course of World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War, “Canada’s History: Pacific
War” are the two sources used in this investigation. One provides a general perspective/outlook on the Japanese navy,
the other offers a Canadian point of view on each situation/significant battle over the course of the war.
The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War is valuable in relation to its origin as it provides a general outlook
on the strength of the Japanese Navy on the part of a former naval commander for the United States. His situational
awareness in particular situations would prove valuable when analyzing particular situations including the strength of
generals, technological advancements, etc… In relation to its content, the author analyzes primary sources including
Japanese documents. In addition, it would happen to include the most recent research/resources on the topic. The
purpose is to inform the general public on the Japanese Navy in World War 2, providing an in-depth viewpoint on the
matter.
The source is valuable because the author is a former naval commander for the US and can provide valuable
insight on the ins and out of a naval force. It would be able to provide the situational awareness on each particular
situation regarding the Japanese and what they were up against, something that only a former commander can do, not a
historian who has not encountered similar situations in the past. The limitations is that author is American and could
possibly contain bias, as the Japanese’s main enemy in the Pacific was the US. This could mean over exaggerating the
strength of the Japanese Navy, as it would make the Americans look better in retrospect.
Canada’s History: Pacific War is valuable in relation to the origin as it provides a Canadian perspective on the
war in the Pacific, as it assesses the Japanese threat to Canada. The content features an analyzation of primary Canadian
documents during and after the war. It identifies significant battles that altered the balance of power in the Pacific such
as the Battle of Midway, or Iwo Jima. The purpose is to provide a deeper understanding of Canada’s stance in the Pacific
War.
In relation to the source, it is valuable because it is nationally published; there is no questioning the credibility of
the content. However, there are some limitations to the content it only analyzes Canadian sources. Very small amount of
limitation in terms of purpose, it only serves to educate the scholar on Canada’s stance during the war.
Word Count: 440
Section 2: Investigation
Coming into the Second World War, the Japanese Navy was the third-ranked navy in the wor...
