It’s just around the corner at least in terms of history. The 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 starts next June and it will be a major historical moment in Canada, especially in the Great Lakes region.

To start getting ready for the event I’ve just finished reading Flames Across the Border, the 2nd installment in the Pierre Berton two part series covering the war. It’s a really phenominal read, very easy to get into, and has rekindled my interest in the time period.

I’m not sure what my impressions of the war were before I started reading. Anything I did learn in elementary school was minimal at best, and even in university my own areas of interest took me elsewhere. All I really knew was a handful of names and the large gaping hole in Brock’s jacket which sits in the War Museum in Ottawa.

But having read flames across the border I was struck by the struggle. My own area of interest has traditionally been in European warfare where the size of the battles justifies their importance. But in North America the war was as much about the struggle to muster the necessities of life, transport them through hundreds of kilometers of open wilderness, and then prepare for battle.

Lots of work is also underway to commemorate the events in Canada. One website that is definitely worth checking out is http://www.westerncorridor1812.com/. They have a terrific map featuring some historic places in Southwestern Ontario, as well as this terrific video: