Canada's Role in the Cold War

By 1breendil

  • Quebec Padlock Law

    This was when a Newspaper building in Quebec had propaganda on it and it was closed. It was significant because it was Canada's first stand against Communisim.

  • Burlin Blockade

    This was a wall that blocked movement of information, products, and people between Western and Eastern Europe. The wall didn't end up being so successful, however, it built suspicion of the allies and some raising tensions. This was major because if the plan had gone well then things could have become messy and perhaps war would have broken loose.

  • UN Peacekeeping: The Suez Crises and Pearson wins Nobel Prize.

    Arabs planned an attack on Isreal - determined to destroy it for their non-recognition. Many issues then broke out until Lester B. Pearson came up with a solution and was later rewarded for it. This was a huge problem avoided and a mile-stone of respect and recognition for Lester B. Pearson.

  • NATO

    This was the North Atlantic Treaty Organiztion formed because of concern of Russian Communism. It scared away enemy attacking with the numbers and power.

  • The Korean War

    When Communist North Korea decided to attack South Korea. The United Nations Condemned the attack and protected South Korea. If this hand't of happened North Korea could have gained a lot of power and South Korea could've been destroyed which is why this event is so significant.

  • Spies in Canada: Gouzenko affair

    A russian man named Igor Gouzenko was in the Soviet Embassy and he figured out that he would soon be sent back to Russia. To prevent this he offered secrets to Canada, revealing Russian documents to Canada which included the information of several Russian spy networks in Canada. This was a very signifiact event for Canada because ended the spying where as if it continued, multiple things could go wrong such as private information being revealed.

  • Sputnik and Canada's Space Program

    Soviets made a satellite that they launched in 1957, however, it could also be used to deliver a nuclear warhead to any spot in North America. This built some tension and confilict, Canada suggested all suspected Soviet missile based should be examined.

  • NORAD and DEW line.

    With technology booming, America feared missile attacks so a agreement called NORAD was made between Canada and the US (saying they would defend each other). This allowed the US to build a high-powered radar antennae all along the Northwest Terriotories, this was called the DEW line. It picked up any aircraft or missile from 4800 km away. This was very significant because it protected Canada from perhaps vicious missile attacks.

  • The Avro Arrow and it Cancellation

    The Avro Arrow was a technically advanced fighter jet developed and built by Canadians. The project was later cancelled by Diefenbaker. This put a hault to Canadian tech. growth and limited American control of Canadian missile launching.

  • Diefenbaker, Bomarc Missiles and nuclear warheads in Canada

    In 1957, NORAD deployed 56 American-made Bomarc missiles in Ontairo and Quebec. In 1960, a fact that the missiles included nuclear weapons was learned. This broke out a controversy on whether Nuclear weapons should be on Canadian soil or not. Diefenbaker's government wavered on the installation of such weapons. If this had not been done then it could've shown us to be a threat that needed to be removed.

  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    This was when Russia put missiles in Cuba which upset America and led them to threatening Russia of an attack. It came very close to becoming a Nuclear war which is why it is so significant.

  • Canada-Soviet Hockey Series

    This was a hockey series between team Canada and Team Russia, Canada was shocked with the Soviets when they won the first game 7-2. The rest of the series was a close battle and ended with Canada on top. This got Hockey a lot more popular and loved.

  • Vietnam War and Draft Dodgers in Canada

    The Northern part of Vietnam, which was communist, attacked the Southern part of Vietnam. The US wanted to support Vietnam and get involved in the fighting. So when the Vietnam war started, people in the US didn't want to get involved in it so they went to Canada to avoid being consripted into the US army. This was yet another thing that could have gone a lot worse then it did.

  • The fall of the Berlin Wall

    The two parts of the city were physically divided in 1961 with the construction of the Berlin Wall, the most visible expression of the Cold War. When the Berlin Wall was opened on November 9, 1989 it marked for many the symbolic end of that war.

  • The fall of the Soviet Union

    This was the Soviet Union had lost in The Cold War and had to back down. They were no longer a threat which was a huge relief to Canada and the US.