| This dissertation examines the entertainment units established within the three services of the Canadian military during the Second World War. The Army, Navy and Air Force each had their own Department of National Defence-supported entertainment divisions, staffed by male and female military personnel that could sing, dance, act, play musical instruments or otherwise amuse. In performing for both civilian and military audiences, these units aimed to increase morale among the troops at home and overseas, while encouraging recruitment into the services and promoting the war effort in general. The investment in military entertainment units, in addition to accomplishing those goals, represented a form of government subsidy for the performing arts that had long-term dividends. Canadian military funding for the arts during this period created not just an audience for homegrown entertainment but a pool of skilled artists who were well placed to meet that demand and sparked an explosion in the development of our national culture in the post-war years. |
