GPT
Edgar Wardell McInnis (July 26, 1899 – September 28, 1973) was a prominent Canadian poet and historian, renowned for his comprehensive works on World War II and Canadian history. His most notable publications include the “Oxford Periodical History of the War,” a detailed six-volume chronicle of World War II, and “Canada: A Political and Social History,” a widely influential textbook in Canadian history education. McInnis was a respected academic, holding long-term professorships at the University of Toronto and later at York University. He was a two-time recipient of the Governor General’s Award for English-language non-fiction, honored for “The Unguarded Frontier: A History of American-Canadian Relations” in 1942 and “The War: Fourth Year” in 1944.

Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, McInnis served as an artilleryman in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France during World War I. During this time, he wrote poetry, resulting in collections such as “Poems Written at the Front” (1918) and “The Road to Arras” (1920). He won the Newdigate Prize in 1925 for his poem “Byron.” McInnis completed his undergraduate studies in history at the University of Toronto in 1923 and went on to become a Rhodes Scholar, earning his BA and MA from Oxford University. He returned to the University of Toronto as a history professor and later took on the role of executive director at the Canadian Institute of International Affairs in 1951. In 1960, he joined York University and became the dean of graduate studies in 1964.

McInnis’ contributions to historical scholarship were further recognized in 1966 when he was awarded the J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal. His academic and literary works have left a lasting impact on the understanding of Canadian and international history.