1945-1991

CANADA AND THE COLD WAR

The End of WWII - 1945

• During WWII, the USA and USSR had been allies against Germany and Japan

• With the Axis powers defeated, these two countries began to look at each other as future enemies

The Cold War Begins

• The USA and USSR, the world’s two economic and military superpowers, were threatened by each other for a number of reasons

1. USSR’s Communist Ideology• Govt. controlled all industry and trade• No political opposition allowed• USSR set up Communist governments in

“liberated” Eastern European countries like Poland, Hungary, and East Germany

• Communism would later spread to places like China, Cuba and Angola – ‘Domino Effect’

American Fears

American Fears (cont.)

2. Soviet Military Strength

– USSR had the largest armed force in the world at the end of WWII

– While most nations reduced their armed forces to peace-time levels, the USSR maintained a large military – 2.5 million soldiers in Eastern Europe after the war

– Soviet Red Army troops could easily invade Western Europe through Germany

U.S. followed a policy of CONTAINMENT- do not let Communism spread, resist it! (Truman Doctrine- help “free peoples” resist Communism)

Cold War: Harry Truman --- Foreign Policy

Harry Truman(1945-1953)

Soviet Fears

1. Invasion• Russia had been invaded in WWI and

WWII by European forces• These invasions contributed to heavy

casualties in both wars• Soviet leaders sought to control

Eastern Europe so it could serve as a buffer zone to prevent future wars on Soviet soil

Soviet Fears (cont.)

2. Nuclear War– The USA had dropped the A-bomb on

Japan as a show of strength to the USSR– Soviet leaders knew the Americans had a

major advantage because they were the only country to possess atomic bombs at this time

– The USSR would detonate its first A-bomb in 1949

– Soon, a nuclear arms race began

Effects of the Atomic Bomb

Canada and the Cold War• Canada was thrust into the Cold War world quickly and

unexpectedly. In September 1945, a young Russian named Igor Gouzenko walked into the newsroom of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper and announced he had proof of a widespread Soviet spy ring operating in Canada.

• Gouzenko's allegations were a wake up call for Canada and the rest of the world. The event would cause a chain reaction of anti-Communist sentiments throughout the West

• Conservatives thought Communism should be outlawed in 1949

• P.M. Louis St. Laurent refused, noting that such tactics were the trademarks of dictatorships, not democracies

Canada and NATO• In 1949, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty

Organization) was created as a military alliance to prevent Soviet expansion

• Members: USA, Canada, Britain, others

NATO FLAG

Canada and NATO (cont.)

NATO Agreement– Any attack on one NATO member was

considered to be an attack on all– Tactical nuclear weapons could be used

if conventional weapons failed– As a last resort, total nuclear war would

be waged– USSR created the Warsaw Pact in 1955, an

alliance of E. European Communist countries designed to rival NATO

Canada and NATO (cont.)

Canada’s commitment to NATO– Had to keep Cdn. troops based in Europe– Cdn. ships and planes tracked Soviet subs– Cdn. forces participated in regular military

exercises with NATO allies– Canada adapted its defence policy to those

of its allies– All this meant that, to some extent,

Canada’s autonomy was sacrificed

Canadians were in Germany as part of our NATO commitment in western

Europe• From 1951 to 1994,

over 400,000 Canadians lived in Germany as members or dependants of the Canadian Forces Europe.

• The image to the right are some of the facilities used by Canadians at the base in Lahr, Germany.

NATO- North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationDefensive alliance between U.S. and Western Europe (1st time U.S. entered into peacetime military alliance)

Cold War: Defined

• Timeline of Nuclear proliferation

North American Defence

• To protect against direct Soviet air attacks, the US built three lines of radar stations across Canada b/w 1950-57

• The Pinetree Line, Mid-Canada Line, and DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line were designed to give the USA time to launch a counterattack if Soviet long-range bombers were attacking over the North Pole

N. American Defence (cont.)

• These radar stations were manned by US military personnel on Cdn. soil

• Many Canadians feared this also compromised Canada’s autonomy, but most accepted this as the price of better security against a Soviet attack

The DEW Line• The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line began

on the 15th of February 1954 when US President Eisenhower signed the bill approving the construction. It, was designed and built during the Cold War as the primary line of air defence warning of "Over the Pole" invasion of the North American Continent.

• The actual construction of the 58 sites took place between 1955 and 1957. Many tons of supplies and equipment were moved to the Canadian Arctic by air, sea and river barge. One such carrier, the USAF 62nd Airlift Wing, moved over 13 million pounds of materiel in this monumental effort. The DEW Line was declared fully operational on 31 Jul 1957, and has remained in operation for more than 30 years.

(ref: USAF Museum "This week in Airforce History)

N. American Defence (cont.)

The DEW at Hall Beach, NWT (photo by Sergeant Jim Smith/courtesy Canadian Forces).

A DEW Line station in northern Canada

North American Defence Cont.

• Canadians tracked Soviet submarines in the North Atlantic from military facilities in Halifax. Beacons were placed on the ocean floor. These are now used to track the migration of whales.

• Uranium City, Saskatchewan mined weapons grade uranium for use in nuclear weapons. This site is still extremely radioactive.

• Nuclear weapons were placed here for approximately twenty years. The mid 1960’s to the mid 1980’s.

N. American Defence (cont.)

• The development of ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) meant nuclear missiles launched from the USSR could reach North American cities within 30 minutes

N. American Defence (cont.)• In 1957, NORAD was

created to counter possible Soviet attacks on N. America

• It included joint fighter forces, missile bases and radar stations all controlled by a central command station built in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado

Civil Defence Canadians prepared for

nuclear war by:– Building bomb

shelters– Teaching students to

“duck and cover”– Formulating the

Tocsin B cross-Canada evacuation plan

– Building the Diefenbunker– Duck and Cover with

Bert the Turtle

Civil Defence (cont.)

• In reality, the best deterrent against nuclear attack was the threat of all-out nuclear war

• Later, both the USA and USSR would follow a policy of M.A.D. (Mutually Assured Destruction)

The Creation of the U.N.

• The United Nations was created in 1945 in response to WWII and the League of Nations’ inability to maintain collective security and secure world peace

United Nations (cont.)

UN Security Council– 5 permanent members – 10 non-permanent with 2 year terms– Decisions require support of 9 members, but 5

permanent members can veto– Use of vetoes between 1945 and 2007:

• USSR/Russia – 123• USA – 82• Britain – 32• France – 18• China – 6

Cold War Confrontations

Korean War (1950-53)• Between N. Korea (with help from USSR &

China) and S. Korea (aided by US & UN)• USA considered use of atomic bomb• Canadian troops served in UN force

Canada’s Role in Korea

•Nearly 25000 Canadians saw action in Korea before the truce of 1953

•Canada ranked 3rd in total aid to South Korea

•Only 16 members of the U.N. aided the war effort in Korea

•Canada asked to keep troops in Korea until 1955 to help

maintain an uneasy truce

Canada’s Role in Korea•Nearly 25000 Canadians saw action in Korea before the truce of 1953•Canada ranked 3rd in total aid to South Korea•Only 16 members of the U.N. aided the war effort in Korea•Canada asked to keep troops in Korea until 1955 to help maintain an uneasy truce

THE COST IN HUMAN LIFECasualties in the Korean War

780,000500,000

70,000

30,000

4,500

NK & Chinese soldiersand civilians

SK civilians

SK soldiers

USA soldiers

Other UN soldiers

Peacekeeping milestone Canada

• In 1956, Egypt seized control of the Suez Canal and soon Britain, France and Israel became embroiled in a conflict with Egypt. The world seemed on the brink of war.

• At the United Nations, Canadian Minister of External Affairs Lester B. Pearson proposed deployment of an international peacekeeping force to stabilize the situation while Britain and France withdrew their forces.

• Pearson emerged from the Suez Crisis as hero, winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving the conflict.

• Although Canada made other attempts to have a voice in international matters, for the most part, it was drawn into the American sphere for much of the Cold War.

Cold War Confrontations

The Suez Crisis (1956)• Israel (aided by USA) and Egypt (aided

by USSR) were at the brink of war• Canadian Lester Pearson proposed a

UN peacekeeping force be sent in to mediate

• RESULT: Pearson won Nobel Peace Prize and Canada gains reputation as peacekeeping nation

The Avro Arrow• Growing concerns in Canada over the Soviet Union’s

military intentions caused Canada to re-examine its defensive preparedness – fear of attack over the Arctic

• 1953 the Liberal government hired the A.V. Roe company to research and develop a new supersonic, twin engine two seat interceptor jet with a range of 1000 kms and a top speed over 1.5 mach

• 11 sleek, beautiful prototypes were built but costs skyrocketed, in excess of $250 million

• The launching of the Soviet satellite Sputnik made some people believe that planes would be obsolete in the face of missile technology

• In Aug 1958 the new Conservative government decided to accept US Bomarc missile system as a partial replacement of the Avro and decided to cancel the Arrow

• Tremendously controversial decision as great national pride in the new plane and significant money investment gone

Cold War Confrontations

Construction of the Berlin Wall (1961)

• Built to prevent people from fleeing communist East Germany to capitalist West Germany

• Came to signify the Cold War divisions

The Berlin Wall

Cold War Confrontations

The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

• Oct. 1962 US planes took photos of Soviet-installed nuclear bases in Cuba

• US set up a naval and air blockade of Cuba in response

Cold War Confrontations

Cuban Missile Crisis (cont.)

• Was essentially a game of “nuclear chicken” where the USSR blinked first

Cold War Confrontations

Cuban Missile Crisis (cont.)• US expected Canada to provide

unconditional support• PM Diefenbaker refused to:

– place Canada’s NORAD forces on alert– allow US planes w/a-bombs to landRESULT: Canadian independence

preserved, but relations with USA were damaged

Canada and the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy, Khrushchev, Diefenbaker

Cold War Confrontations

Vietnam (1965-1973)• USA and US-supported dictatorship in

south fought communists in north who were supplied weapons and training by USSR and China

• US troops used napalm and bombing raids on civilian targets

• Despite superior weapons, the US was unable to win the war

Vietnam

Vietnam was the first war recorded by American media

Cold War Confrontations

Vietnam (cont.)• War was unpopular in

US --- hippies• Many draft dodgers fled

to Canada• Many Vietnamese fled

to Canada in the 1970s• PM Pearson’s criticism

of the US led to problems

Cold War Confrontations

Afghanistan (1979-88)

• USSR invades Afghanistan to restore communist government

• US funds and arms anti-Soviet rebels (Taliban) to fight communism

• Often called the USSR’s version of Vietnam due to cost of war, in money and life, and loss to an “inferior” foe

Trudeau and the Cold War

• Pierre Eliot Trudeau served 4 terms as PM (1968-1979, 1980-1984)

• Changed Canada’s defence policies:– removed nuclear weapons from Canada’s NATO

forces in Europe– dismantled BOMARC missile sites– removed all nuclear warheads from Canadian soil

by 1984– cut Canada’s European NATO force in half– set Canada up as middle power promoting peace

Pierre Elliott Trudeau

The End of the Cold War

The Cold War ended with the collapse of the USSR in 1991 due to:– Economic strain of arms race with USA– New social, political and economic reforms

showed the people that the govt. wouldn’t use force to repress their rights anymore

– Eastern European countries demanded change and overthrew communist govt.’s

USSR collapsed as member states (Ukraine, Lithuania, etc.) declared independence

The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

A New World Order?

• With the collapse of the USSR, the USA was the sole remaining “superpower”

• After the US led UN forces in the first Gulf War vs. Iraq (1991), President George Bush (Sr.) declared a “new world order” with the UN serving as a global peace force under US guidance

New World Order (cont.)

• Today, many question the purpose of the UN after failures in Yugoslavia, Somalia, Rwanda and more

• UN authority was undermined further by the American war on Iraq in 2003, an attack launched without UN support