The historian David O’Keefe discusses his new book on the Dieppe Raid: One Day in August: The Untold Story Behind Canada’s Tragedy at Dieppe (Knopf, 2013), Remembrance Day, and more, with Joseph Planta.

One Day in August: The Untold Story Behind Canada’s Tragedy at Dieppe by David O’Keefe (Knopf, 2013). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: One Day in August

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

For Remembrance Day, a look at a new book from the historian and documentarian David O’Keefe. He’s made a lot of news in recent years when after nearly two decades of research, he revealed for the first time the ‘Ultra Secret’ story behind the Dieppe Raid. In six hours, on 19 August 1942 nearly one thousand Allied soldiers were dead, British and American, but a majority of whom were Canadian. Two thousand others were wounded or captured. It’s one of Canada’s greatest losses and a sorrowful moment in our national story. In his new book, One Day in August: The Untold Story Behind Canada’s Tragedy at Dieppe, David O’Keefe explores the reasons for the raid, what it meant to accomplish, and why it failed. I’ll ask him about this book, and after over seventy years, what Dieppe means to Canadians as we ponder it on Remembrance Day. David O’Keefe is a professor at Marianopolis College in Westmount, Quebec. He served with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), and worked as a Signals Intelligence research historian for the Directorate of History and Heritage. He’s created and collaborated on over fifteen documentaries for History Television. The more recent one Dieppe Uncovered aired on History Television here in Canada and on Yesterday TV in Britain last year, on the 70th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. You can follow David O’Keefe on Twitter: @keefer2929 is his handle. This book is published by Knopf. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, in Toronto today, David O’Keefe; Dr. O’Keefe, good morning.

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