Canada and the Cold War

Paper 3 Cold War and the Americas - Using specific examples assess the success of regional cooperation in the hemisphere since 1945. - To what extent did either Canada or one Latin American country develop a foreign policy independent of the United States after 1945? - In what ways, and with what results, did the Cold War influence relations between Latin America or Canada with the United States in the period 1945-1957? - How far did the Cold War bring changes to either Latin America or Canada in their relations with the United States?

- In what ways, and with what results, did the Cold War influence relations between either Latin America or Canada with the United States in the period 1945 to 1957? - How did the Cold War change relations between the United States and either Latin America or Canada between 1953–1979? - “During the Cold War, Canada and the United States had disagreements about policies.” To what extent do you agree with this view? http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/ASchulzki/files/paper%203%20master%20list%202011.pdf

Define and account for the main fears of Canadians in the decade after 1945. To what extent did Canada and the USA disagree about foreign policy during the period 1945-63. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police defended Canada against the infiltration of communism’ to what extent do you agree with this statement. Why were there tensions between Canada and the USA in the period 1961-1963? Assess the impact of the Cold War on Canadian domestic life in the period 1945-1963.

Canada, for the most part, would cooperate with the United States and support the idea of containment, but would struggle to defend its sovereignty and maintain its own foreign policy. At times, Canada would fully cooperate with the United States in its struggle against communist aggression. At other times, Canada would try to distance itself from the US, who it saw as the aggressor.

Canada would get its first taste of the Cold War in 1945. Gouzenko Spy Affair Igor Gouzenko, a Russian working at the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa walked into the newsroom of the Ottawa Citizen and declared he had proof of a widespread Soviet Spy ring operating in Canada. Involved Canadian, US and British Citizens.

“Wake up call” for Canada and the West Gouzenko demanded asylum, but was almost turned over to Stalin. Several were arrested.

Canada took part in the Marshal Plan (European Economic Recovery Program) – $2 Billion in sales.

Canada and the Berlin Airlift The British asked Canada to contribute planes and crews. It refused primarily on the grounds that the operation risked war and Canada had not been consulted. “Canada, upset at London’s presumption of automatic Canadian support did not participate” American officials began to question Canada’s commitment to fighting the Cold War.

Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King was also worried about his health and getting Canada involved in another war. King also wanted to avoid another conscription crisis.

1949 - Canada joins NATO Many Canadians wanted NATO to not only to be a military alliance, but an economic alliance. How could nations unite for defense, he asked, if they fought trade wars against each other? Norman Robertson, the Canadian High Commissioner in London

Canada thus found itself in a difficult position, caught between these two foreign policy objectives. Canada was a key founder of NATO, a military alliance to stop Soviet aggression, but was also committed to the idea of multilateralism and the UN.

Canada participated in the Korean War but tension developed between the US and Canada.

Korean War (1950-1953) Canada was going to recognize Communist China before the war started despite American protest. Canada agreed that the Soviet Union should be contained, but it also thought the United States needed to be contained.

Canadian riflemen catch up on the hometown news while waiting for orders to move up against the Chinese communist forces on the Korean front on Feb. 29, 1951. (AP Photo) .

Americans thought Canadians had no say in how the Korean War was fought since their contribution was much smaller. However, since this was supposed to be a UN mission, Canadian Prime Minister felt that they had every right to criticize the US.

Suez Crisis, 1956 Canada played an important part following the Suez Crisis, sending in Peacekeepers. However, as a member of the British Commonwealth, many Canadians felt it should have shown more support for Great Britain and recognized its contribution to the world economy. This "treasonable act" was probably one reason for the defeat of the Liberals in the general elections of 1957.

Canada’s Secretary of State for External Affairs “This is the most popular army in history- an army which everyone fights to get into” Lester B Pearson, Canadian Prime Minister 1963-1968.

Avro Arrow The Avro Arrow was a fighter plane designed by Canadian Industry in the 1950s. The purpose was to develop a fighter jet capable of shooting down Soviet bombers.

It could have been the fastest jet and put Canada on the aerospace industry map, but the project was cancelled by Prime Minister Diefenbaker in 1959. It became a 400 million dollar pile of scrap metal. Estimates suggest that the project would have cost over 1 billion. 14,000 people were out of work.

Bomarc Missile The launch of Sputnik was also a game changer. The Avro couldn’t defend against a satellite missile. Bomarc Missile

After the cancellation of the Arrow, A brain drain occurred. Hundreds of scientists and engineers went south to work for American aerospace and engineering projects. Some project scientists committed suicide

Canada purchased Voodoo Jets from the United States instead. The Voodoo were replaced by CF-18s in the 1980s.

CBC's "The Arrow"

The U.S. may have pressured Canada into canceling the Avro Arrow project in 1959 because the high-tech jet was capable of intercepting and exposing the secret U.S. spy planes, a new book says. The Avro Arrow fighter jet was so technologically advanced that it threatened both U.S. aerospace industry and the Central Intelligence Agency's (C.I.A) secret U-2 spy missions, author Paul Campagna said during a weekend speech to the Aerospace Heritage Foundation. The U.S. urged Canada to buy into its Bomarc missile system, knowing the country couldn't afford both missiles and the Avro Arrow program, Campagna said.

Nuclear Weapons NORAD was created by the US and Canada to protect North American Airspace from a Soviet Attack. North American Aerospace Defense Command (1957) The US wanted Canada to have nuclear weapons.

From 1963 to 1984, Canada fielded a total of four tactical nuclear weapons systems which deployed several hundred nuclear warheads Prime Minister Pearson agreed to have them as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Diefenbaker and Kennedy

Diefenbaker was supportive of American action during the crisis, but did not give them the unequivocal support that Kennedy had expected. Much to Kennedy’s annoyance, Diefenbaker recommended that independent United Nations inspectors should go into Cuba and survey the nuclear sites.

Diefenbaker refused to put Canadian troops on alert,  and deliberated for several days over raising the military awareness level to DEFCON 3 as Kennedy had requested.  Personal animosity may have influenced Diefenbaker’s delay during the crisis, as relations between the Canadian leader and American President were particularly uneasy.

Some blame Diefenbaker’s sour relationship with Kennedy for the reason he lost the 1963 election to Pearson and the Liberals.

The “Diefenbunker” was built from 1959-61 The “Diefenbunker” was built from 1959-61. It was meant to hold the Canadian Government in the event of a nuclear attack.

http://gregmarkey.com/2011/02/14/the-diefenbunker-finding-history-underground/

Mackenzie King Louis St. Laurent 1921-1930, 1935-1948 1948-1957 John Diefenbaker Lester Pearson 1963-1968 1957-1963 Pierre Trudeau 1968-1984

Lester Pearson’s Social Reforms After defeating Diefenbaker’s Conservatives in the 1963 election, Pearson was determined to introduce social reforms he considered essential for Canada to move forward as a modern democracy. Many of these reforms were criticized due to the climate of the Cold War. There were some similarities between Canada’s welfare state and Soviet style control.

- Canada Pension Plan - Canada Assistance Plan - Universal Healthcare (1966 Medical Care Act) - Canada Student Loan Program

Canada-United States Automotive Agreement (Auto Pact) In 1965, a landmark agreement with the United States transformed Canada's tiny car-making industry into a world leader. The Auto Pact created thousands of Canadian jobs and was the backbone for a generation of economic growth. But the Auto Pact also tied Canada's fortunes more closely than ever to its southern neighbor.

New Canadian Flag Pearson instigated the ‘great flag debate’. 1965 Symbolic of Canada becoming more independent of Great Britain and its colonial ties.

Australia?

Sources… http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vol12/no1/41-granatstein-eng.asp http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/war-conflict/vietnam-war/canadas-secret-war-vietnam/canadian-hawks-fly-south.html

Domestic Security RCMP Profunc – Prominent Communist Functionaries - Identified individuals who might be a threat during a war with the USSR or a state of emergency. - The plan was to imprison them and their families during such an event. - Focused on communist sympathizers and union members - charities, debating clubs, human rights organizations

Richard Cavell, Canadian Cold War historian said…. If one of the aims of the Cold War was to preserve national identity… For Canada, that threat was coming from the South of the border, not from the Soviets.

Canadian Woman and the Cold War During WWII, millions of women were called upon to work in Canada’s factories to work. After the war, all political parties and religious groups urged women to give these jobs up to men and return to traditional roles.

Women that did not comply came under suspicion. The RCMP investigated these woman and their possible ties to left wing unions. During the war, the RCMP investigated Tupperware and tea parties. This increased after the war.

Feminism increased in the late 1950’s. Women began complaining about the rise in prices, national healthcare system, quality of housing. RCMP investigated these women who were angered by social and employment inequality.

She formed the Unitarian Services Committee (USC) RCMP investigated humanitarian Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova. She formed the Unitarian Services Committee (USC) Born in Czechoslovakia, she worked closely with war refugees. FBI told the RCMP that the Boston branch was under “Red” control.

Unitarianism didn’t see communism as a threat like other religious groups so the RCMP thought it might offer communism a way into Canadian society.