On the morning of December 6, 1917, two ships, one of which was loaded with munitions, collided in Halifax Harbour. The explosion which followed levelled two square miles of the city, killed over 1600 people and left thousands wounded and homeless. Through interviews with survivors and photographs of the devastation, this dramatically recounts the events.
Identify the causes and consequences of the Halifax Explosion. What is the historical significance of the Halifax Explosion in Canadian history? Consider how disaster relief for the victims and survivors of this event led to the involvement of the Canadian Red Cross in disaster relief in the country. One of the resulting legacies of this event is the annual gifting of a Christmas tree to the people of Boston as a symbol of enduring gratitude for the help that Haligonians received after the Explosion.