Cold War Part 2

The Korean Conflict WWII left the Asian country of Korea divided North: communist state supported by USSR and China South: democracy backed by US In 1950, war broke out as North Korea tried to invade South Korea UN force, mostly Americans, tried to force the invaders to retreat Canada sent thousands of troops and three naval destroyers to Korea Lester Pearson, Canada's Minister of External Affairs, urged all sides to ceasefire Ceasefire reached in 1953, war increased in tension between the West and the communist nations

The Suez Conflict 1956: Suez Canal, in Egypt, gave Canada a change to take a leading role at UN Suez Canal links the Mediterranean and Red seas, provides the shortest sea route from Europe to the Indian Ocean In 1956, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt’s president, took over the Canal, Israel frightened by Egypt’s aggression. Egypt threatened to bar ships to and from Israel from using the canal. Britain and France was quick to support an Israeli invasion.

The Suez Canal (cont.) Ignored ceasefire, landed troops in the canal zone Soviet Union offered Egypt financial aid and missiles US was angry at allies, Britain, France and Israel, who had not consulted US government before attacking Egypt. Conservative Party and many other Canadians felt it was their duty to support Britain, Liberal PM Louis St. Laurent, denounce the British and French intervention and like the US refused to support hem

Suez Canal (cont.) Lester Pearson went to UN to try to work towards a solution Pearson proposed that a UN Emergency Force be sent to the Suez Canal to separate and mediate between the rival armies. UN agreed, the force, under Canadian general, was chosen from countries not directly involved in the conflict. Lester Pearson awarded Nobel Peace Prize.

Cuban Missile Crisis 1959: Cuban rebels under Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s pro US leader in a revolution US was angered, and imposed trade and economic sanctions on Cuba 1961: US backed an invasion of the island by a group of anti-Castro Cubans, but the invasion failed But….. It encouraged Cuba to turn to the USSR for support

Cuban Missile Crisis (cont.) October 1962: US planes shot two photos showing USSR was installing offensive nuclear missile bases in Cuba Missiles launched from these sites were a direct threat to US security So, President Kennedy announced a naval and air blockade of Cuba. US forces and NORAD were ready for war Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev refused to remove missiles.

Cuban Missile Crisis (cont.) Soviet ships steamed towards the US ships that blocked the island, and at last minute USSR agreed to dismantle the missile bases in exchange that US would not invade Cuba

Avro Arrow During the 1950’s the Canadian government was involved in the development of a new military jet aircraft. The Avro Arrow was built by the A.V. Roe Company in Ontario. It was expected to be one of the most advanced war planes of its kind. The Arrow was initially approved by the Liberal government in 1953, however when the conservatives took power under Diefenbaker in 1957, he cancelled the Arrow project.

Avro Arrow (cont.) This led to a great deal of controversy: thousands of people lost their jobs. People charged that the government had abandoned a made-in-Canada project in favor of a made in the US defense policy. They claimed that the entire Canadian aircraft industry was crippled by Diefenbaker's decision. Despite being partially responsible for the creation and passage of the Bill of Rights in 1960, Diefenbaker’s decision to ground the Arrow contributed to the Conservative party defeat in 1963.

Nuclear Issue in Canada The Cuban Missile crisis caused a debate about Canada’s defense policy and the country’s stand on nuclear weapons. The questions was: Should Canada accept nuclear weapons on its territory, as the US wished??? Canada accepted the US Bomarc when the Avro Arrow was scrapped.

Nuclear Issue in Canada (cont.) US Bomarc Missile was capable of carrying nuclear heads. Many people started to realize that nuclear war would mean global suicide. Minister of external affairs felt Canada should be a non-nuclear nations. Minister of defense insisted that nuclear weapons were vital in protecting Canada against communist aggression

Nuclear Issue in Canada (cont.) During the election campaign of 1963, the Liberals, under Lester Pearson, proposed that Canadian forces accept nuclear weapons under certain conditions. PM John Diefenbaker and the Conservatives appealed to Canadian nationalism, including Canada's right to decide for itself on international matters.

Nuclear Issue in Canada (cont.) Business leaders and newspapers supported the Liberals, fearing that Diefenbaker’s anti-Americanism would injure trade and investment form the US Diefenbaker was defeated by the Liberals in 1963.

The Vietnam war Major conflict in Cold War, Vietnam was divided into communist north and “democratic” south (even though more like a dictatorship) was supported by the US American felt that if the south should fall to communism, the other Asian states would fall By 1960 US sending troops to fight for S. Vietnamese 1965 President Lyndon Johnson increased number of US troops and authorized bombing of N. Vietnam By 1966 there were 190 000 US soldiers in Vietnam, and the number kept growing.

Vietnam War (cont.) Vietnam was the first war recorded by TV cameras. Americans watched Vietnamese villages being bombed, and their own young men returning disables or in body bags, so some questioned their involvement Anti war protests were held across the country 1968 My Lai: US soldiers massacred women and children

Vietnam War (cont.) North Vietnamese launched the Tet offensive, simultaneously attacking cities throughout S. Vietnam and briefly seizing US embassy in Saigon. US was unable to win the war In 1969, US president Richard Nixon took office and pledged to pull US troops out of SE Asia, the last US combat force left in 1973.

Vietnam War (cont.) Less than two years later, a North Vietnamese army crushed the South Vietnamese army. Vietnam was now unified under communist rule. People fled to refugee camps in Malaysia and Hong Kong, where they applied for refugee stats in Canada.

Canada’s Reaction to Vietnam War Canadians were divided over the war in Vietnam Some benefited by selling goods to US Defense Department Most people still saw communism as a threat – “better dead than red” PM Lester Pearson had doubts, in 1965, he criticized Operation Rolling Thunder, the US bombing campaign of North Vietnam.

Trudeau’s Foreign Policy In 1968, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, a Liberal, was elected PM. His goal was to chart a course in the foreign policy that was less dependent on US approval In 1970. This goal was clearly signaled when Canada officially recognized the communist government of the People’s Republic of China.

Trudeau’s Foreign Policy Trudeau defied US pressure to withhold this recognition Trudeau did not want to anger US, but did no think Canada could act on foreign affairs without considering the US government to some extent. Trudeau’s national defense was a departure from previous policies

Trudeau’s Foreign Policy Wanted to scale back Canada's participation in the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union in the hope that this would ease cold war tensions. From 1970 to 1972, nuclear missiles were removed from Canada’s NATO forced in Europe Bomarc missile sites that Pearson had accepted in 1963 were dismantled.

Trudeau’s Foreign Policy (cont.) 1984: last nuclear warheads were removed from Canadian soil Trudeau also cut the national defense budget and reduced Canada’s NATO contingent in Europe to half its former strength. Canada still continued to participate in NATO and NORAD