Military history of Canada

Part of a series on the
Military history of Canada
History of... Canadian Armed Forces Army Navy Air Force Conscription Crown and Forces Militia Colonial New France Acadia Nova Scotia Peacekeeping
Conflicts Beaver Wars Anglo-French War) Acadian Civil War Anglo-Dutch Wars King William's War Queen Anne's War Father Rale's War King George's War Father Le Loutre's War Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War French Revolutionary Wars War of 1812 Pemmican War Rebellions of 1837–1838 Fraser Canyon War Chilcotin War American Civil War Fenian raids Red River Rebellion North-West Rebellion Second Boer War World War I Russian Civil War World War II Korean War Vietnam War October Crisis Oka Crisis Gulf War Somalia Yugoslav Wars Afghanistan Iraq War Libya Mali War ISIL
Installations Air Force Armed Forces French forts Navy
Lists Operations Wars
Research Bibliography Historiography Historians
Canada portal
v t e

The military history of Canada spans centuries of conflicts within the country, as well as international engagements involving the Canadian military. The Indigenous nations of Canada engaged in conflicts with one another for millennia. The arrival of European settlers in the 17th century led to new alliances and hostilities among Indigenous nations and colonial powers, leading to conflicts such as the Beaver Wars.

The late 17th and 18th centuries saw four major British-French conflicts fought in Canada, culminating with the British conquest of New France in 1760. This reshaped the region and contributed to the American Revolutionary War, during which American attempts to seize Quebec and spark a revolt in Nova Scotia failed.

The 19th century brought both external threats and internal challenges to British North America. While its colonies repelled American invasions during the War of 1812, the Rebellions of 1837–1838 and Fenian raids highlighted the need for militia reforms and contributed to Canadian Confederation in 1867. The end of the century saw Canadian units become involved in British imperial conflicts like the Nile Expedition and Second Boer War.

In the 20th century, Canada played a significant role in both World Wars. After World War II, it embraced multilateralism, with its military participating in international coalitions and peacekeeping missions, including the Korean War and the Gulf War. In the 21st century, Canada has continued its involvement in multilateral military coalitions, contributing to missions in the Greater Middle East and Mali.