Military and Oral History Conference:
Between Memory and History
The Making of The Veterans: A Documentary. The Impact of War on the Evolution and History of Canada, Canadian Society, and the Canadian Forces as Told Through the Words of Veterans.
Daniel R Rodrique and Colonel (Ret'd) Andrew Nellestyn.
The Veterans: A Documentary consists of 52 episodes of 45 minutes each and spans the period WWII, Korea, the Cold War, peacekeeping, the Balkans, Iraq 1 and 2, and Afghanistan. In essence, The Veterans covers the spectrum of conventional/classical warfare involving state actors to today's asymmetrical counter-insurgency operations consisting of a combination of two or more of non-state, rogue, and near-failed, failed, and going-concern state actors such as encountered in Afghanistan and other areas of conflict. WWI is covered archivally as there are no living veterans. The Veterans examines the role and evolution of the application of military force through the oral accounts of the veterans involved in these operations and relates these to military doctrine, education, training and equipment. The Navy, Army, Air Force, combat, combat support (logistics, maintenance, transportation, chaplain and health services, etc.), and civilian contributions and participation, e.g., Rosie the Riveter, are featured. The military component will be overlaid by the effect of foreign military operations on the history and evolution of Canada, Canadian society, and Canada's position and influence on the world stage. The selection of this whole-participatory national approach and thematic embrace, establishes The Veterans as a distinct and comprehensive addition to the role and contributions played by Canada's veterans and the sacrifices, in many instances ultimate, made by the men and women who served the cause of freedom in uniform. The paper will cover the manner in which the interviews were conducted, the selection of interviewees, the backdrops, archival material, media employed, techniques, interview dynamics, funding, support, and planning and organization.