The Cold War

Canada and the World after WW II 1945-2000

How Ready Are You?

1. To what extent has the UN been successful in meeting its mandate?

2. Evaluate Canada’s contributions to the UN and its record on Human rights.

3. To what extent was Canada’s relationship with the US positive from 1945-2000?

How Ready Are You? Explain the essence of the cold war.

The Cold War• The ideological struggle between the two new

superpowers in the bi-polar world after WW II was called the cold war: The US (capitalist/ democratic) and the Soviet Union (communist/ dictatorship). It was called the cold war because the two countries never actually fought each other. Instead they used espionage, propaganda, economic and political pressures. Also they supported other countries on their side in wars (ex. North vs. South Vietnam).

Containment in the Cold War

• Both sides feared the other. The US worried about worldwide communist revolution while the USSR worried about encirclement by capitalist countries leading to its collapse. The US believed in the domino theory (if one country in a region falls to communism the others will too) and used containment (don’t let any new countries become communist so it doesn’t spread) to prevent communism from spreading. This belief developed because right after WW II the USSR established Soviet style communist governments in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia and East Germany. These countries were considered Soviet Satellite States and said to be behind the iron curtain.

Containment

• The US practiced containment by promising to support democratic countries, especially those threatened by communism. They also gave billions of dollars in the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe to prevent communism from advancing.

How Ready Are You? Explain the essence of the cold war. Explain the US policy of containment.

How Ready Are You Explain how the UN works.

The United Nations

The United Nations

• UN created in 1945 by 50 countries to keep world peace, encourage cooperation among nations, defend human rights and help promote equality, to improve the standard of living for all nations.

Structure of the UN

General Assembly – Deals with all UN business. Includes all member countries (192 today) and requires a 2/3 majority for important decisions.

UN Security Council

Security Council – focused on world peace and has the power to force the members of the UN to carry out its decisions. Includes 5 permanent members (France, Britain, Russian Federation, China, United States) and 10 non-permanent members elected to two year terms.

• The permanent members have veto power (if one disagrees with something it doesn’t happen).

How Ready Are You Explain how the UN works.

How Ready Are You? What was the Gouzenko affair and why

was it significant?

Canada Early in the Cold War

The Gouzenko Affair – In 1945 a clerk at the Soviet embassy in Ottawa provided the Canadian gov’t clear evidence that two Soviet spy rings were operating in Canada. This lead to the Red Scare, a massive fear of communism. Lots of people were paranoid of the ‘Reds’ or ‘Commis’ or ‘Bolsheviks’.

How Ready Are You?

• What was the Gouzenko affair and why was it significant?

How Ready Are You? What was the Gouzenko affair and why

was it significant?

How Ready Are You? What is NATO and why was it created?

NATO (1948) and the Warsaw Pact (1955)

• The Berlin situation led the Allies to form NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This was a defensive alliance in case of attack on any member. In response the Russians formed the Warsaw Pact with all of its Satellite States.

Nato and the Warsaw Pact

How Ready Are You? What is NATO and why was it created?

The Arms Race

• A major part of the cold war was the US and its allies (Western bloc) engaging in a nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union and its allies (Eastern bloc). Both sides were racing to develop more and better weapons and to keep up with the other. Some believe that as long as both sides had roughly equal power, MAD (mutually assured destruction) would prevent war from breaking out since it didn’t make sense for anyone.

KOREAN WAR

What was Canada’s role in the Korean War?

The Korean War (1950-1953)

The communist North invaded the democratic South of Korea in 1950 supported by Soviet build weapons. The UN sent a force to defend South Korea and 32 countries led by the US and including Canada fought to push the North Koreans back. This showed that the UN was willing to act to support world peace (unlike its predecessor, the League of Nations which idly stood by as Germany and Japan took over places).

KOREAN WAR

What was Canada’s role in the Korean War?

DEW Line (1954)

• In 1954, Canada and the US agreed to build a line of radar stations in the arctic to provide early warning of a possible Soviet attack. The US paid for the line and for the most part Canada administered it.

Map showing Distant Early Warning (DEW) line;DEW station, Point Lay, AK

DEW LINE

What is the DEW line?

SUEZ CRISIS

What was Canada’s role in the Suez Crisis?

The Suez Crisis 1956

In 1956, Egyptian President Nasser seized the Suez canal (a vital trade route) from Britain and France. Britain and France joined with Israel to attack Egypt. The Soviet Union sided with Egypt and it started looking scary. Lester B. Pearson, then Canada’s Minister of External Affairs suggested the UN send a United Nations Emergency Force to act as peacekeepers while the two sides worked out a deal. This new idea worked out so well that Lester B. Pearson became the only Canadian so far to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.

SUEZ CRISIS

What was Canada’s role in the Suez Crisis?

NORAD

What is Norad?

NORAD The North American

Aerospace Defense System

• Created between Canada and the US in 1957

• Fighter forces, missile bases and air defense radar all controlled by a central command station built deep inside a mountain in Colorado. Always a nuclear armed plane in the air.

• Significance: Shows the level of fear of the nuclear war and Canadian US cooperation.

NORAD

What is NORAD?

AVRO ARROW

What was the AVRO ARROW and what impact did it have on Canada US relations?

AVRO Arrow (1953-1959)

• A supersonic long range jet to defend the Northern Hemisphere developed by a Canadian company from 1953-1959. Six planes were completed and they were the fastest plane in the world at the time but because of cost overruns and American pressure, the Canadian gov’t cancelled the contract and destroyed the existing planes. This was a huge controversy as it dealt a huge blow to the Canadian aerospace industry and felt to many like a sell-out.

AVRO ARROW

What was the AVRO ARROW and what impact did it have on Canada US relations?

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

What was Canada’s role in the Cuban Missile crisis?

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

What was Canada’s role in the Cuban Missile crisis?

BOMARC MISSILES

Why were the Bomarc Missiles controversial and how was the controversy resolved?

Bomarc Missiles 1963

• Instead of the Avro Arrow, Canadians bought American Bomarc missiles for defense. In 1963 PM John Diefenbaker campaigned in the Federal election not to allow the American’s to arm these missiles with nuclear warheads. Lester B. Pearson, the Liberal leader campaigned for the opposite and narrowly won the election meaning that Canada became a nuclear power.

BOMARC MISSILES

Why were the Bomarc Missiles controversial and how was the controversy resolved?

VIETNAM WAR

What was Canada’s role in the Vietnam war?

Vietnam War (1954-1975)

• A civil war between North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (anti-communist and partially democratic). The US fought on behalf of the South to contain communism. The Russians and Chinese supplied the North but didn’t send troops. The US was not doing well because of the North’s effective guerrilla tactics. Eventually the US withdrew most of its troops and tried to bomb the North into submission and when this failed the US pulled out in 1973. By 1975 the North had taken over all of Vietnam under communist rule.

Vietnam War and Canada

• This was the first “TV War.” Horrible images on the evening news led to the US public turning against the war which eventually forced them to pull out. This also led to draft dodgers many of whom escaped conscription to move to Canada which accepted them. Canada did not participate in this war. In 1965 Canadian PM Pearson actually criticized the US war in Vietnam and was seriously berated by US president Johnson (see page 145 in Counterpoints for a cartoon).

VIETNAM WAR

What was Canada’s role in the Vietnam war?

The End of the Cold War

During the 1970’s the tensions between the superpowers relaxed. In 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. They left in 1988 (unsuccessful) and from 1989-1991 communism in the Warsaw pact countries collapsed because of economic stagnation, too much military spending, political corruption, loss of belief in communism and increased nationalism.

PERSIAN GULF (IRAQ) WAR

What was the UN’s and Canada’s role in the Persian Gulf War (I).

The Persian Gulf War (1990-1991)

• Iraqi president Sadam Hussein took over Kuwait in 1990. The UN imposed sanctions which failed. So, a multinational force, led by the US, and including Canada was sent by the UN and they drove Saddam from Kuwait by early 1991.

PERSIAN GULF (IRAQ) WAR

What was the UN’s and Canada’s role in the Persian Gulf War (I).

YUGOSLAVIA (BOSNIA/ KOSOVO)

What was Canada’s role in Bosnia (1992-1995) and Kosovo (1995)?

Yugoslavia 1991-1999

UN in Bosnia• From 1992-1995 a civil war broke out over Bosnia and

the UN sent peacekeepers including Canadians. They succeeded in getting Croatians to leave but not before committing murder, rape and destruction.

NATO Bombing of Kosovo 1995

• In 1989, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic abolished the Kosovo as an independent province within Serbia. Over 90% of Kosovo were Kosovars and only 8% were Serbian. After years of minor battles between the Serbs and the Kosovars, the Serbs took over much of Kosovo and displaced 300,000 Kosovars. By 1999 they massacred an entire town and were set to continue with their ethnic cleansing. NATO (including Canada using our own CF -18’s) bombed Serbia (a UN member) into submission and freed Kosovo and then handed the situation over to the UN.

YUGOSLAVIA (BOSNIA/ KOSOVO)

What was Canada’s role in Bosnia (1992-1995) and Kosovo (1995)?

SOMALIA

What happened in Somolia involving Canadians in 1992?

Somalia (1992)

900 soldiers from the Canadian Airborne Regiment were sent to Somalia to keep peace during a civil war. Some of these soldiers beat and tortured a Somali teenager to death and tried to cover it up only to be caught. In the end the whole regiment was disbanded and the event brought shame on Canada

SOMALIA

What happened in Somolia involving Canadians in 1992?

RWANDA

What happened in Rwanda in 1994 and what was Canada’s role?

Rwanda 1994

• Historically, the Tutsi ethnic group ruled brutally over the Hutu ethnic group (the Belgian colonizers set it up so they had all the power even though they made up only.

Rwandan Genocide

• 15% of the population). When Rwanda gained independence in 1960, Hutus won the election and turned the tables leading to civil war. Ultimately, a small group of Hutus used propaganda (mostly through radio) and machetes to systematically murder 1,000,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus..

The UN in Rwanda

• The UN sent 3000 peacekeepers under Canadian general Romeo Delaire. He could see the genocide coming and asked for 2000 more men telling the UN what would happen if he didn’t have a stronger force. Instead after 10 Belgian peacekeepers were killed, the force was cut to 500 This was an extreme failure of the international community to protect innocent people. The UN, the US, Belgium and the Anglican Church have even apologized for their failure to stop the genocide in Rwanda.

RWANDA

What happened in Rwanda in 1994 and what was Canada’s role?

Land Mines

When wars end, often the terror continues because Anti-personal land mines are left in the ground. They’re hard to remove and over 100,000,000 are buried in former war zones.

• In 1996, Canada hosted an international conference which lead to the 1997 Anti-Personnel Land Mines Treaty. 120 countries signed on to ban the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of land mines. The world’s biggest producers of land mines, the US, China and Russia didn’t sign the treaty.

1945-2000

How Ready Are You?

1. To what extent has the UN been successful in meeting its mandate?

2. Evaluate Canada’s contributions to the UN and its record on Human rights.

3. To what extent was Canada’s relationship with the US positive from 1945-2000?

Canadian Culture 1. To what extent was Canada’s

relationship with the US positive from 1945-2000?

Canadian Culture

1951 – Massey Commission – found that Canadian culture needed to be protected from the US

This led to • The strengthening of the National Film Board (NFB

which produces Canadian documentaries)• The creation of the Canada Council which funded

writers, artists and theatres• The creation of CBC TV• And later (1968) the creation of the CRTC (Canadian

Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission which regulates the amount of foreign content on TV and radio.

29. What is the purpose of the United Nations Security Council?A. to offer disaster relief to all regions of the world

B. to maintain peace and safety throughout the worldC. to provide interest-free loans to countries that have been affected by warD. to ensure the health and well-being of countries during the outbreak of disease

30. What resulted from the creation of NATO?

A. the creation of the United NationsB. the establishment of the Warsaw PactC. a decrease in global military spendingD. a reduction of tension during the Cold

War

31. Which of the following reflects Canada’s attempt to establish independence from the United States

during the post-war period?A. establishing NORADB. joining the United NationsC. becoming a member of NATOD. creating the Massey Commission

32. What was Canada’s solution to the Suez Crisis?A. It suggested sending foreign aid to preserve the

peace.B. It proposed the creation of an international

peacekeeping force.C. It encouraged the combatants to take their

disagreements to the United Nations.D. It recommended that international sanctions be

placed on the countries involved.

36. To which conflict did Canada refuse to send its military forces?

A. Gulf WarB. YugoslaviaC. Korean WarD. Vietnam War

30. Why was Canada viewed as a “middle power” after World War Two?

A. It was a member of the Commonwealth.B. Its nuclear weapon program was

developing.C. Its economy was based on primary

resources.D. It was becoming influential in

international affairs.

What two ideologies were in conflict during the Cold War?

A. anarchy and socialismB. democracy and fascismC. communism and democracyD. communism and totalitarianism

“Most Canadians favour American shows.” Massey Commission, 1951 32. How did the Canadian government

respond to the commission’s findings?A. The National Film Board was created.B. CBC became the national television

station.C. Tariffs were imposed on foreign

broadcasts.D. Hockey Night in Canada was broadcast

live on radio.

“Our trip is called off…they’re only sending ‘peacekeeping units.’” 1956

36. To what conflict is the cartoon referring?A. Korean WarB. Vietnam WarC. Suez Canal CrisisD. Cuban Missile Crisis

“Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered the beast…one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau40. To what is this quotation referring?A. American domination of NORADB. American economic influence in CanadaC. the elimination of the Avro Arrow projectD. the United States taking a lead role in NATO

There are two battlefields today, one of war and one of ideology. We do not convert people to think our way by pouring bombs upon them, day after day and week after week. John Diefenbaker

37. Of which country’s wartime policy is Diefenbaker critical?A. EgyptB. United StatesC. East GermanyD. United Kingdom

Percentage of Military spending in 2003

Relative Manpower in Armed Forces During WWII