Manifest Destiny is a novel that is based largely on events that took place during the Korean War in the early 1950's. Conflict, romance, mystery, the stigma associated with mental illness and humorous events take place. The cultural characteristics of the era, and especially those of the small towns of Canada and home of the main protagonist, are portrayed. The lives of the principal characters before, during and after the war are described. Peter Farley, the main protagonist, becomes romantically involved with several women, and especially with an American nurse in Korea. The Soviet Embassy in Ottawa recruits a Canadian communist fellow traveller to spy on Canadian Forces in Korea and his identity remains a mystery until near the end of the book. Combat occurs against the Chinese and North Korean communist forces in Korea. Peter Farley becomes a prisoner of war and returns to Canada to a difficult and uncertain future because his mind has been damaged by torture that he endured while in captivity.