Revolt of the Admirals

Canada’s armed forces were about to be rolled into one — same training, same ranks, and same (gasp!) uniforms. For the proud leaders of the Royal Canadian Navy, this could only mean war.

Written by Nelle Oosterom

 — Posted September 21, 2010

“I should have followed my instincts”

Former defence minister Paul Hellyer does not regret unifying Canada’s armed forces, but he would do a few things differently if he had to do it again. Hellyer unified the army, navy, and air force in the 1960s under a storm of controversy.

The navy in particular opposed unification. An article by Jack Granatstein entitled “Revolt of the Admirals” — published in Canada’s History magazine in October-November 2010 — outlines why naval brass were so against the move..

Hellyer was eighty-seven-years-old when he spoke with Canada’s History associate editor Nelle Oosterom about what he did right — and what he did wrong.

Themes associated with this article

Related to Military & War

D-Day: Images of War

A selection of photographs from Library and Archives Canada that capture the moments before, during, and after the D-Day mission during the Second World War.

Photo gallery

The Battle of Frenchman's Creek

The Battle of Frenchman’s Creek (November 1812) was the second attempt of the Americans to invade Canada across the Niagara River following the battle of Queenston Heights and their defeat there. Episode 2 of the War of 1812 Video Field Guide.

Video

The Christmas Truce

Fiction Feature: A young boy named Justin finds a letter and learns about the Christmas truce of 1914.

Article

The War to End All War

November 2018 marked the one hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War. A century later, the conflict continues to affect us — even if we don’t fully realize it.

Article