Vietnam War Resisters in Canada

A Guide to Web Sites
 

This web site complements an offline annotated bibliography project underway since January 2000. A September 2014 major revision reorganizes the material and verifies all links. A November 2021 major revision moves individual resisters into a separate listing with uniform format, adds new entries to main listing, and reorganizes and reviews existing entries. The version previous to 2014 (with no updating or further maintenance) remains available as an archive file. (For that link, see the last item listed below.)
 
Because of the increasing volume of internet-accessible material, preference tends to be given to items not available in print format. More emphasis is being placed on complementarity. Much of this listing forms the internet resources component of the larger bibliographic project. Special interest is taken in personal recollections.
 
Selected entries are listed in order of assessed relevance, interest, significance, extent of content, currency, etc. Each entry is assigned one or more controlled-terminology tags to describe content. This means that the web browser search function can be used to access particular desired content. Likewise, the "Updates List" can be used to search for newer entries.
 
As required and as possible, dysfunctional links are replaced by a link to the file captured by Internet Archive. That change is no longer signaled within the entry.
 
Tag List:  anti-draft | archive | audio | bibliography | biography | blog entry | British Columbia | conference | document | documentary film | encyclopedia | event | fiction | history | memoir | Montreal | organization | photo | poetry | research paper | student project | timeline | Toronto | Vancouver | video | women
 
Updates List:  Nov 2021 • Aug 2017 • Jan 2017 • Feb 2016 • Jan 2016 • July 2015 • Jan 2015 • Nov 2014 • Oct 2014 • Sept 2014
 


 
 
Requests for Research Assistance
A service provided to persons conducting research.
Added:  Jan 2017
Tags:  not applicable
 

Vietnam War Resisters in Canada : An Encyclopedic Essay / Joseph Jones
A summary account of the topic, paired with a critical review of Wikipedia coverage.
Added:  Jan 2015
Tags:  encyclopedia | history
 

Historical Notes on Vietnam War Resisters in Canada / Joseph Jones
No. 1:  The Numbers for U.S. Draft Resisters and Deserters Who Moved to Canada
No. 2:  Canadian Immigration Policy 1966-1974 and the Arrival of U.S. Vietnam War Resisters
No. 3:  Pierre Trudeau’s Views on U.S. Vietnam War Resisters
No. 4:  Iraq War Deserters Seek “Refuge” in Canada
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  history
 

Vietnam War Resisters in Canada : Individual Resisters
Individual resisters in Canada having record of involvement in events and circumstances prior to the Carter pardon of 1977.
Added:  Nov 2021
Tags:  archive | biography | memoir
 

Vietnam War Deserters and Draft Resisters in Canada : Books
Three lists of books: key works, related works, personal accounts.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  bibliography
 

Vietnam War Deserters and Draft Resisters in Canada : Selected Essays
One list of articles, essays, and papers in reverse chronological order.
Added:  Nov 2021
Tags:  bibliography
 

GI Press Collection 1964-1977 / Wisconsin Historical Society
Quality scans of 47 publications (pamphlets, periodicals, manuals, etc.) relating specifically to Vietnam War resisters in Canada. Titles include: Amex-Canada, Manual for Draft-Age Immigrants to Canada, Yankee Refugee.
Added:  Nov 2021
Tags:  archive
 

Seeking Sanctuary : Draft Dodgers
Twenty-two TV and radio segments from CBC Archives.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  archive | audio | video
 

The Ragnarokr Cordwainery : The History of an American Exile Community in Toronto, 1968-1996 / Philip M. Mullins
Although focused on Ragnarokr, this wiki site includes much material on the larger Toronto exile community. Includes biographies of about thirty individuals.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  biography | history | organization | Toronto
 

War Resisters in Exile : the Memoirs of Amex-Canada / Jack Colhoun
Text and pdf of the 68-page history of Amex-Canada published in late 1977. Amex-Canada 1968-1977 was both an organization and a magazine that appeared in 47 issues.
Added:  July 2015
Tags:  biography | history | memoir | organization | Toronto
 

In Exile : American Draft Resisters and Deserters in Canada / Anton Wagner
This 46 minute film from 1972 features draft resisters, deserters, counselors at the Toronto Anti-Draft Programme, and an editor from Amex-Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  documentary film
 

Vietnam War Resisters in Canada : A Virtual Cemetery
This virtual cemetery gathers memorials for dozens of persons. Most include photo together with obituary or biographical sketch.
Added:  Nov 2021
Tags:  biography
 

The Montreal Council to Aid War Resisters & the American Refugee Service / Gary W. Davis
The director of the Council and Service 1972-1975 recalls his experiences with those assistance groups.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  memoir | organization | Montreal
 

The Virtual Vietnam Archive
This massive “donation-driven archive” aims to “collect and present all sides and viewpoints of the era.” Scope: “Types of material include documents, photographs, slides, negatives, oral histories, artifacts, moving images, sound recordings, maps, and collection finding aids. All non-copyrighted and digitized materials are available for users to download.“ One example of available material is a scan of the November 1966 version of Immigration to Canada and Its Relation to the Draft published by Vancouver Committee to Aid American War Objectors. Sophisticated searching ability will prove an asset to the user.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  archive
 

Vanderbilt Television News Archive
"The world's most extensive and complete archive of television news" includes ABC, CBS, and NBC evening news programs since August 5, 1968. A database provides access through abstracts for each story. Records include interviews with American exiles in Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  archive | video
 

Valid Offers, Technical Truth : Part I / Tom Yori
Valid Offers, Technical Truth : Part II / Tom Yori

A draft resister recalls trying to get landed immigrant status at the Canadian border. Published in Viet Nam Generation 4:1-2 (April 1992)
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  memoir
 

William John Heintzelman : Vietnam War Resisters in Canada
Twitter account focused on Vietnam War Resisters in Canada.
Added:  Nov 2021
Tags:  bibliography | event | history
 

Adjustment of Status Program, 1973
An Immigration Historical Note from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Landed immigrant status was granted to 39,000 illegal immigrants, including draft resisters and deserters.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  history
 

Baldwin Street Gallery
Laura Jones and John F. Phillips took contemporary photographs in Toronto. This site map provides easy overview of available files.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  organization | photos | Toronto
 

Charles Dobie: Local History
Sets of photographs provided by Charles Dobie include:
Wedding at the Huron Street Hall, Toronto, about 1970  (19 photos)
Baldwin Street, Toronto, 1970  (9 photos)
Added:  Feb 2016
Tags:  photos | Toronto
 

American Deserters Committee
Freedom of Information Act files from the FBI concerning the American Deserters Committee (Montreal) – six parts in pdf format.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  archive | Montreal | organization
 

The Salvation Army Tales / Nancy Naglin
After 45 years, a 1972 novel set in a Vancouver house filled with draft dodgers and deserters sees publication. Writing from direct experience of the situation, Naglin has realized her chief aim with uncanny ability: “to epitomize the most hopeless and frustrating aspects of exile.”
Added:  Aug 2017
Tags:  fiction | Vancouver | women
 

Our Way Home: Peace Event & Reunion
On 4-8 July 2007 Vietnam War Resisters in Canada met together for the second year in a row. The program included 12 presentations in two session titled A New Generation of Research on Vietnam War Resisters in Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  conference | event
 

Our Way Home Peace Event & Reunion / Andrei Conovaloff
“A Review of the Event and News about It”
Documents the Our Way Home reunions, related events, and media coverage for 2006-2008.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  event
 

Americans / J.M. Bumsted
This entry from Encyclopedia of Canada’s Peoples includes material on Vietnam-era American emigration to Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  encyclopedia
 

Vancouver Yippie
Vancouver Yippie! — A collection of links and materials.
Yippies — A section of Vancouver Anarchist Online Archive.
Draft resisters are mentioned as a component of the forces that invaded Blaine, Washington on 9 May 1970.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  history | memoir | Vancouver
 

Storming The Barricades, 1967-1973: Vancouver’s Underground Press Gangs / Rick McGrath
This extensive listing of individuals associated with the early years of the Georgia Straight includes a number of draft resisters.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  biography | memoir | Vancouver
 

The Carter Pardon of January 21, 1977
Texts:
Proclamation 4483 – Granting pardon for violations of the Selective Service Act, August 4, 1964 to March 28, 1973
Executive Order 11967 – Relating to violations of the Selective Service Act, August 4, 1964 to March 28, 1973
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  document
 

Vietnam Lotteries
The Selective Service System describes the draft lotteries and list the results for seven lotteries held 1970-1976 for men born 1944-1956.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  document
 

Better Lands and a Perfect Home: Americans in Canada / Mary Murphy
This 112-page item (April 1989) with bibliography of 38 sources is written by an American woman who immigrated to Canada in 1972. Part II The Vietnam Era (p. 36-56) reviews and questions previous studies of that period’s U.S. immigrants. Part III (p. 58-97) reports on a study of 40 persons in the Sointula/northern Vancouver Island area. All were surveyed July 1987 to March 1989 by questionnaire, and 27 supplemented with interviews.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  research paper | women
 

A Neglected Number: American Women’s Immigration Experience in Canada During the Vietnam War / Karen M. Dabney
Includes statistics, images, a personal narrative, and a list of works cited. Course work for Women’s Studies 399, Spring 2003, St. Olaf College.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  student project | women
 

How to Banish a Citizen: a Two-Step Transaction / Eric
Statistics 2000-2014 on visa ineligibilities for “people who departed from or remained outside the U.S. to avoid or evade military training or service”; Vietnam War emigrants and the case of Thomas Glenn Jolley; recission of entry ban under 1977 Carter pardon.
Added:  July 2015
Tags:  blog entry | history
 

Conferences: ‘Canada as Refuge?’
University of Edinburgh, Canadian Studies. Record of 1-2 May 2008 31st annual conference. Specifically relevant papers by Campbell, Colson, House, Lexier, Olafson, Romano, Squires.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  conference
 

The End of the Road
A 4:29 minute YouTube video about a draft resister community in Lund, B.C.
Added:  July 2015
Tags:  British Columbia | video
 

One Couple's Experience / johnnb
Report on experience of informing U.S. Dept. of State in 2012 of 1973 intentional loss of U.S. citizenship.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  blog entry | memoir
 

Ronald J. Anderson, deserter from U.S. Army, is arrested in Peace Arch Park on August 24, 1974 / Daryl C. McClary
Article from HistoryLink.org, the free online encyclopedia of Washington State history.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  encyclopedia
 

Vietnam Resisters Speak Out
Web site associated with War Resisters Support Campaign. Stories with photos of fifteen men who came to Canada during the Vietnam War: Andy Barrie / Dick Cotterill / Michael Klein / Bill King / Don Pease / Charlie Diamond / Michael Shaffer / David Rapaport / Tim Maloney / Tobey Anderson / Michael Hendricks / Tony McQuail / Tom Riley / Juergen Dankwort / Rex Weyler.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  biography
 

Hell No We Won't Go
Facebook promotion site for 2013 television documentary.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  documentary film
 

Edward I. Koch
Transcript from Notable New Yorkers produced by Oral History Research Office, Columbia University Libraries. Former Congressman Koch discusses his December 1969 visit to Canada to talk with draft resisters (pages 529-532).
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  memoir
 

Vietnam War Internet Links / William A. Joseph, Wellesley College
Includes sections for Draft and Antiwar Movement.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  bibliography
 

Frank H. Epp  1929-1986
An entry from the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Editor of I Would Like to Dodge the Draft Dodgers, But … (1970) — the first book published on the subject of American Vietnam War resisters in Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  biography | encyclopedia
 

Nancy Meek Pocock  1910-1998
Toronto supporter of Vietnam war resisters.
Added:  Oct 2014
Tags:  biography
 

Remembrances: Fugitive Days
Blogger Rodak briefly recalls "my short-lived run to Canada."
Added:  Feb 2016
Tags:  memoir
 

Exiled American Refused Pardon
Now a physician in Sweden, Michael Bransome spent a year en route in Canada. He remains an unpardoned exile from the United States.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  biography
 

A Hundred Years of Immigration to Canada 1900-1999
This timeline from Canadian Council for Refugees includes events relevant to the history of U.S. Vietnam War resister migration to Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  timeline
 

Immigration to Canada 1928-1971
Six tables of statistics provided by Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (Halifax).
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  statistics
 

GI Resistance in the Vietnam War
“By 1970, the U.S. Army had 65,643 deserters.”
Added:  Jan 2016
Tags:  history
 

Sir! No Sir! GI Movement Archives
Audio archives, galleries with over 1500 images, library of articles/pamphlets/posters for events 1965-1973.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  archive
 

My Draft Resistance / Eric Pence
Recollection of 1969 draft refusal in Seattle that might have led to Canada but did not.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  memoir
 

RITA (Resistance in the Army) / Max Watts
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  memoir | organization
 

Men and Women Who Dare to Say No : Mennonite Resistance to Draft Registration 1980-1985 / Mark Becker
A substantial essay based on primary research.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  research paper
 

Draft Registration, Draft Resistance, the Military Draft, and the Medical Draft / Edward Hasbrouck
A large collection of information, on a web site hosted in Canada, regularly maintained by a long-standing draft resistance activist.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  anti-draft
 
 


Archived Entries
 

Draft-Age Americans in Canada
A section from Forging our Legacy: Canadian Citizenship and Immigration, 1900-1977, a book by Valerie Knowles commissioned by the federal department. The 1970 photograph of the Montreal American Deserters Committee can also be found in: Spencer, William, "Why they won't fight," Weekend magazine 20:6 (Feb. 7, 1970) 2. There the individuals are identified as: Larry Svirchev, Jim Weeks, Paul Petri, Steve Argo, John Nichols (left to right).
Special Note 1: The above link became a matter of controversy in 2009 because the material was removed from the Government of Canada web site (possibly reflecting a current Canadian government attitude toward Iraq War deserters in Canada). On 4 July 2009 Sue Bailey of Canadian Press reported on Ken Marciniec's access to information attempts to discover why the information disappeared. The link now works again.
Special Note 2: Link fails in Nov 2021, so now linked to an Internet Archive version. Comment: this material was never of great interest in and of itself, except for the photo and for the apparent redaction effort made under the Stephen Harper government.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  history
 

A Brief and Incomplete Bibliography of Works about American Draft Dodgers and Deserters from the Vietnam War / Stuart Spore
A twenty-item listing.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  bibliography
 

Vietnam War Bibliography / Edwin E. Moïse
Spotty coverage. Includes relevant items, particularly under subheadings The Antiwar Movement and International – Canada.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  bibliography
 

Archived Version of Vietnam War Resisters in Canada
The version of this web site that existed prior to the extensive revision of September 2014.
Added:  Sept 2014
Tags:  archive
 

 


 

Suggestions for additions are welcome. For contact information see  Joseph Jones.

 

Established May 2001
 
First extensive revision February 2004
 
Little updating from July 2009 to September 2014
 
Web site migrated July 2013
 
Second extensive revision September 2014
 
Third extensive revision November 2021
 
Last updated on 24 November 2021
 
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