The Cold War was initiated in Canada in 1945 by the dramatic defection of Soviet cipher clerk, Igor Gouzenko. This event marked the start of what turned out to be more than four decades of muted conflict between the Soviet Union and the West.

The story of Igor Gouzenko is only one of many tales of espionage and intrigue told in this lavishly illustrated history. Authors Reg Whitaker and Steve Hewitt offer anecdotes, analysis, and lively discussion of a subject that has seldom been written about before. The book is organized by decade with each decade introduced by a short contextualizing essay. Canada and the Cold War is an attractive gift book as well as a fascinating historical overview of a key period in Canadian history.