Cold War Comforts examines Canadian women's efforts to protect
children's health and safety between the dropping of the first atomic
bomb in Hiroshima in 1945 and the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Amid
this global insecurity, many women participated in civil defence or
joined the disarmament movement as means to protect their families from
the consequences of nuclear war. To help children affected by conflicts
in Europe and Asia, women also organized foreign relief and
international adoptions.
In Canada, women pursued different paths to peace and security. From all
walks of life, and from all parts of the country, they dedicated
themselves to finding ways to survive the hottest periods of the Cold
War. What united these women was their shared concern for children's
survival amid Cold War fears and dangers. Acting on their identities as
Canadian citizens and mothers, they characterized with their activism
the genuine interest many women had in protecting children's health and
safety. In addition, their activities offered them a legitimate space to
operate in the traditionally male realms of defence and diplomacy. Their
efforts had a direct impact on the lives of children in Canada and
abroad and influenced changes in Canada's education curriculum,
immigration laws, welfare practices, defence policy, and international
relations.
Cold War Comforts offers insight into how women employed maternalism,
nationalism, and internationalism in their work, and examines shifting
constructions of family and gender in Cold War Canada. It will appeal to
scholars of history, child and family studies, and social policy.
