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Quebec's Padlock Law
In 1937, the Canadian government instilled an act in Quebec to protect the province from communist propaganda. -
Gouzenko Affair
In 1943, Igor Gouzenko was assigned work in the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa. In 1945, whilst at work in Canada, he gained intelligence of spy's and secrets of the atomic bomb. The Canadian government protected Gouzenko and his family in return for the information that he had gained. -
The Berlin Blockade
The USSR attempted to force its allies to give up their rights and freedoms in order to occupy Berlin, Germany. This ended as a failure because the allies of the USSR decided to airlift supplies and weapons into Berlin to protect the citizens. Canada and the United States made plans together as to how to defend themselves from the Soviets if need be. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
In 1949, a group of countries, including Canada, allied together to create an organized treaty assembly in order to maintain security against the Soviets. -
The Korean War
North Korea was supported by Communist China, when it declared war to spread communism to South Korea, who was supported by the USA. The Korean War lasted until the sieze fire on July 27th, 1953, but never officially ended. Canada sent troops into South Korea until the 1953 sieze fire. -
Nuclear Warheads in Canada
The Bomarc Missile Crisis was a controversial defense decision made by Prime Minster Diefenbaker's Conservative government to deploy 2 American ramjet-powered "Bomarc" antiaircraft missiles on Canadian soil. The part that they government and population didn't know was that the missiles would be fitted with nuclear weapons, and this didn't go over well. So even though 56 weapons were put in Canada, there were no nuclear weapons. -
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War began when French and Japanese forces invaded Vietnam in wishes to spread communism throughout the country. This war lasted for over 19 years total. Canada helped in the war by allowing US citizens into the country if they didn't want to join the conscription drafting happening at the time. -
The Suez Crisis
Lester B. Peason Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech
Israel, France and Britain all tried to obtain the Suez Canal, located in Egypt. The Canadian Secretary of State resolved the matter and let Egypt keep their land. At the end of this crisis in 1957, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson accepted his Nobel Peace Prize. -
Sputnik & The Canadian Space Program
The USSR launched their first satellite into orbit on October 4th, 1957 at 7:53 pm. The US feared this satellied because it could also be sused to deliver nuclear warhead to North America.
Soviet Sputnik 1 Lauch Video -
The Avro Arrow
Avro Arrow Fact & Fiction News Video
Built in 1957, The Avro Arrow was created as protection to Canada by Canadian engineers and was a breakthrough super sonic fighting jet. Still held as one of the greatest jets of all time, it still remains a mystery and government as conspiracy to why Prime Minister John Diefenbaker had it destroyed. -
Continental Alliance
Formed in the time of the Cold War, the North American Air Defence (NORAD) was, and still is, used to inform North America of any incoming warhead attacks as an alert mechanism. The Distant Early Warning line (DEW), was set up by the American and Canadian government as a series of weapon detection radars that stretch from the Northern most areas of the globe, from Alaska to Greenland. -
Berlin Wall Goes Up
The Berlin wall goes up in 1961, to separate East Germant from West Germany. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
When Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro and refused to comply with the USA's wishes, an embargo was posed on Cuba. Castro then retreated to Nikita Khrushchev, the president of Russia. When all was going well, Khrushchev asked to locate nuclear missiles in Cuba, which resulted with the US finding out and preparing to defend themselves in a nuclear manor. -
Canada-Soviet Summit Series
In 1972 a historical event in Canadian nationalism occured. At the end of the 8th game in the 1972 Summit Series, with Canada down 2 points, Paul Henderson scored the winning goal in double overtime. This is a monumental sporting moment that gives Canada and it's citizens an astonishing sense of nationalism. Paul Henderson winning goal video -
The Cold War In A Nutshell Song
Song LyricsWe Didn't Start The Fire A song written by Billy Joel just before the fall of the Berlin wall on September 27th, 1989. This song is a really great representation of the timeline of events in the cold war because it outlines most of the key events. "We Didn't Start The Fire" is Billy Joels way of saying that there has always been war in the world, and this was but a part of that cycle. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The wall separatin East Germany from West Germany was finally demolished in the winter of 1989. There had been substantial protest against the separation the country, but not until 20 years later, did the the country finally see the other half. Berlin Wall destruction video -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
In 1991, the United Soviet Socialist Republic was no more. Soviet leadership had been depeting in the past decade and events such as the open-critisism that communism allowed, the loss of citizens respect and the fall pof the Berlin Wall lead to the fall of communism in the USSR. The country was divided into 15 smaller countries, but the bulk is now called Russia.
