Canada and
the Cold War
Notes for Students
Mr. R. Smith
The World - Forever
Changed in August 1945
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Pre-WWI: Empires
Post-WWI: Nations
Post WWII: Super
Powers
From ‘Hot’ War to
‘Cold’ War
The Big Question:
Where was Canada’s
place in this new
world?
The Cold War at Home
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Little hysteria
‘McCarthyism’ not as prevalent in Canada
Witch-hunting in the USA to deal with the
‘Red menace’, i.e., the Soviets
Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent refuses to
outlaw Communist Party of Canada
Canada viewed by some as a safe haven for
communists
RCMP and Padlock Laws were used to
combat the perceived communist threat
Super Power Surrogates
NATO and the Warsaw
Pact
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
created in 1949 as a military response to
the threat of further Stalinist aggression
Warsaw Pact (1955) - Stalin’s response to
NATO, after West Germany was included in
NATO
Eastern Europe was established by USSR as
a ‘buffer zone’ between the West and the
Soviet Russia
A Sign of the Times
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Spies / counterspies
1956 - Hungarian revolution crushed
1961 - Berlin Wall
It’s objective:
to keep people
inside the
communist
‘workers
paradise’
Canada and NATO/NORAD
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Long-range bombers allowed Soviet forces to
target North America (NA)
Pinetree Line Radar
Mid-Canada Line Radar
Distant Early Warning System Radar
Used to detect Soviet attack on NA
Creation of NORAD (North American Air
Defence Command) in 1958 by USA and
Canada to defend North America from Soviet
air attack
Civil Defence: Home Front
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Nuclear Shelters
“Duck and Cover” Campaign
United Nations
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April 1945 – 51 countries come together
to write the UN Charter
Idea of collective security
UN has three powers:
>To condemn - in speeches and
resolutions
> To impose economic sanctions (trade
restrictions)
> To implement a military response
UN Security Council
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Security Council – its job is to maintain
peace and security
5 permanent members – Russia, France,
US, Britain, and China
10 non-permanent members – 2 year terms
Decisions need 9 consents
‘Big 5’ have power of veto
What is the problem with the veto?
Other Parts of the UN
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WHO – World Health Organization
UNICEF – United Nations Children’s
Fund
IMF – International Monetary Fund
Korean Conflict
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Divided after WWII
North was communist (USSR and China)
South was backed by Americans
1950 – N. Korea invades S. Korea
United Nations forces the communist invaders
to retreat! This action is NOT like the League
of Nations!
Lester Pearson (Canada) asks for a ceasefire
USA wants to use the atomic bomb
1953 - cease fire secured - no ‘official’ peace
Suez Crisis
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1956 – Suez Crisis
Egypt takes over the Suez Canal
Why was the Suez important?
Israel sees this as an act of aggression
by Egypt
Egypt bars Israeli ships
Britain and France support Israel
USSR supports Egypt
USA unhappy with Britain and France
Lester Pearson manages to craft a peace
agreement - receives Nobel Peace Prize
At Home - Civil Defence
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Open war might result in an exchange
of nuclear weapons
Schools had drills - ‘duck and cover’
Cities had bomb shelters
Existence of nuclear bombs may have
prevented war
What do you think?
Cuban Missile Crisis
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1959 Fidel Castro overthrows
Cuba’s pro-USA leader in a
communist revolution
USA imposes trade
restrictions and economic
sanctions against Cuba
1961 - USA backs an invasion
attempt
Castro turns to USSR for aid
and support
U2 Intelligence Gathering
Over Cuba
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U2 flights reveal nuclear missile bases in Cuba
Naval and air blockade of Cuba announced by
USA President Kennedy
War is adverted by compromise
Cuban missile crisis = almost the end of the
world - almost nuclear Armageddon
Example of ‘nuclear brinksmanship’
PM Diefenbaker fails, at first, to jump to the aid
of the USA - USA-Canada relations damaged
U2 High Altitude Spy Plane
Nuclear Weapons in
Canada?
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Did Canada need nuclear weaponry?
Americans wanted nuclear weapons in
Canada
Canada was unsure
Pearson (Liberal) said yes
Diefenbaker (Conservative) said no
The American voice
Why do you think some Canadians
supported the USA?
Vietnam War
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North = Communist
South = USA supported a
‘half’-Democracy
Domino theory: If one
country falls to the
Communists, others will
surely follow
Containment policy
Viet Nam conflict was
recorded on TV!
Vietnam War
Vietnam War
Back in the USA
Anti-war Protest
Problems
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Massacre at My Lai
Tet offensive - North Vietnamese
capture of USA Embassy and Saigon
US technical superiority was not
enough to secure victory
President Nixon pulls out USA troops
out of Vietnam in 1969
Non-communists: Boat People
(refugees) escape for their lives
Canada’s Reaction
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Canadians were divided
Canadian businesses prospered
Communism was still a threat
Pearson criticizes Operation Rolling
Thunder (USA bombing of North
Vietnam)
Canada takes many ‘Boat People’
Trudeau’s Foreign Policy
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Wants less dependence
on America
Recognized communist
rulers as the official
government of China
Worked to slow the
nuclear arms race
Cuts Canada’s defense
budget
Canada as a Middle Power
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Promote understanding and world peace by
bridging the gap between rich countries and poor
countries
Provide increased aid for poor countries
Policy of trade and aid - improve living conditions
CIDA was developed to boost foreign aid to less
industrialized countries
Policy of ‘tied aid’ - recipients must buy Canadian
products with aid money
Why was tied aid good for Canada?
Mulroney Era: Closer Ties
with the USA
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Built closer relations with USA
after Trudeau
SDI (Strategic Defense
Initiative) or Star Wars Plan
Canada officially said no to Star
Wars – but Canadian
companies could be a part of
the bidding process
Developed Investment Canada
- encourage foreign investment
Free Trade Agreement - FTA
removed tariffs and opened
Canada and USA to cross
border investment
Free Trade
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Good or bad?
Attract USA investment
Canadian industry would grow
Attract USA firms
Would USA companies leave Canada?
Would Canadian businesses be able to
compete with USA?
Economic union = political union?
1992 = NAFTA (North American Free Trade
Act) which included Mexico
End of Cold War
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Russia could no
longer maintain the
very expensive
USA-USSR arms
race
Perestroika –
‘reconstruction’
Glasnost –
‘openness’
Mikhail Gorbachev - Reformer
New World Order
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Regional conflicts
Persian Gulf War
Yugoslavia
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Africa
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New Era of Globalization
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Jean Chrétien (PM) works
to expand trade
Team Canada trade
missions launched
Free trade agreements
with Chile and Israel
APEC
Follows trend of
globalization, i.e., cross
border networks of
business, communication,
and culture