Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets have been indiscriminate. Much of Eastern Europe is on elevated alert levels as the prospect of a wider war looms. [Ukrainian Ministry of Defence]

Nordic countries distribute booklets preparing populace for war

STORY BY STEPHEN J. THORNE

As the rhetoric escalates and violence spreads, Nordic countries have issued formal instructions to their citizenries on how to prepare for war and other crises.

“We live in uncertain times,” declares a Swedish government booklet distributed to households across the country. “Armed conflicts are currently being waged in our corner of the world.

“If Sweden is attacked, everyone must do their part to defend Sweden’s independence—and our democracy…. In this brochure, you learn how to prepare for, and act, in case of crisis or war.”

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• Shield maidens, night witches and Joan of Arc: women in combat go way back
• Heart of Oak, ships of steel
• In Toronto, a Korean War veteran remembers

Newfoundlanders at the their camp known as the “Beothuk,” in the south of Inverness, Scotland during WWII. [Bob Clarke/NOFU.ca]

The WW II contributions of Newfoundland’s foresters

STORY BY ALEX BOWERS

Just two months after the outbreak of the Second World War, despite having an abundance of woodlands, Britain found itself facing an acute timber shortage.

The reason was simple: too few loggers to meet increased demand.

A widespread absence of wooden frames to literally and figuratively prop up the nation’s coal-mining industry proved to be the most pressing challenge. Without that infrastructure in place, such a critical part of the war effort was under threat.

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More from Military Milestones

• Remembering Canadian veteran and “In Flanders Field” poet John McCrae
• An un-Canadian welcome: The Scheldt opening ceremony of 1944
• Fighting the tide: The first Canadian Battle of Hill 355

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