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The Padlock Law
The Padlock Law passed on March 24, 1937, by the Union Nationale government Maurice Duplessis. This law prohibited the handling or making of any communist propaganda. The Soviet Union's goal at the time was to spread communism across the world, and this law was a great way to stay strong and resist the attempts from the Soviets to adopt communism. -
Igor Gouzenko
VideoIgor Gouzenko was a Soviet spy whose goal was to discover the secret to the atom bomb. On September 5, 1945, the Soviet Union tried to deport him to Russia, but he refused. He made a pact with Canada that they would protect him from the Soviets that might try to find him in return for secret documents exposing the work of the Soviet spies. Canada respected him and thought of him as a courageous person who put freedom over dictatorship, who exposed to Canada the dangers of Soviet Communism. -
Berlin Blockade
Soviet Union claimed that they needed a communist government to protect themselves from Germany. USA, Canada, France, and Britain began to think they were spreading this influence over Europe and when they found spies in Ottawa and Washington they got more suspicious. Shortly later, the Soviets tried to block off supplies to West Berlin to get them to concede to them, but it failed because the allies supported them with airlift supplies. -
NATO
Video The Soviet Union trying to spread communism around the world made Canada+US nervous about national security. In 1949, several nations formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a defense pact intended to defend each other from enemy attacks. -
The Korean War
In 1950, communist North Korea along with communist China attacked South Korea. The United Nations claimed that all members should protect South Korea. Only 16 nations did, with Canada ranking 3rd with 25,000 Canadians seeing action. In 1953 a truce was made to end the Korean war. -
Part 1: The Suez Crisis
The Arabs claimed that they deserved Israel's land because it was historic land to them. They engaged in comat and Israel won. Tension started rising between them and countries started taking sides. In 1956, Egypt decided to take full control over the Suez Canal, costing the French and British economically. They, along with Israel and Canada teamed up to attack Egypt to take the canal, and for Israel to get revenge. The Soviets took the side of Egypt. To find out how it ends check out Part 2 -
Vietnam War
At the beginning of the vietnam war, Canada attempted to remain neutral. However, Canada supported USA with medical equipment, weapons, and technical assisstance. Although Canada did not have their own military for this war, thousands of Canadian citizens joined the American army, at least 40,000 of them. Many American men did not want to join the war and avoided conscription. These men were called draft dodgers. -
Sputnik
VideoDuring the cold war between the Soviets and USA, there was a little competition between them about who could get to space first. The Soviets won the race with the launch of Sputnik, a satellite that could potentially nuke any place on earth. Not only was this a minor victory for the Soviets, but it also demonstrated to the world the advanced nuclear power they possessed.It was the Sputnik launch that triggered John Diefenbaker to cancel the development of the Canadian Avro. -
Part 2: Lester B Pearson wins Nobel Peace Prize
With great amounts of tenion between France, Britain, Israel and Egypt and the Soviets, things looked like they would get out of hand. Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson saved the day with a peacekeeping force to patrol the border areas and monitor the withdrawal of invading forces. Out of all the countries involved in the UN, Canada provided the most men out of the total 6,000. Pearson was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1957 for his resolution to the Suez Crisis. -
Diefenbaker, Bomarc Missiles and nuclear warheads in Canada
September 1958, government announced an agreement with the US to deploy two squadrons of ramjet-powered Bomarc missiles in Canada to replace the Avro Arrow. They would be placed in North Bay, Ontario, and LaMacanza, Quebec. Canadian citizens were unaware that they were loaded with nuclear warheads. When they found out, they protested and nuclear warheads were disallowed for Bomarcs. In 1963 Pearson became Prime Minister of Canada and allowed the nuclear warheads. -
NORAD and DEW line
videoThe North American Air Defense (Norad) agreement was signed in 1958. The terms stated Canada and USA would defend each other. Canada allowed the US to build many defense installations in the Northwest Territories to create the Distant Early Warning System, or the DEW line. The DEW line contained high powered radar antannae that could pick up enemy aircraft and missiles from up to 4800 km away. -
Diefenbaker and the Avro Arrow
VideoCanada had developed a super jet called the Avro Arrow, a weapon that would devaatate the world. It was a ton of money but it created alot of jobs for Canada. It was a shock to all of Canada when Prime Minister John Diefenbaker announced to Canada the cancellation of the super jet. Many disagreed with this decision and turned against Diefenbaker because of this. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
VideoUS President John Kennedy set up a naval blockade around the island to stop Soviet ships. American school children practiced drills in case of an attack. Canadian government suggested instead of blockade, they are examined. In the end the Soviet ships turned back. -
The Summit Series
VideoHockey was growing and Canada, and was becoming a huge sport for our nation. We had never really been able to beat the top European countries, specifically Russia. In 1972, a series was organized between the top Russian and top Canadian team, which was composed of NHL players. After seven games, the series was tied at three, and in the eighth game, with only minutes remaining, Paul Henderson scored for Canada giving them the 6-5 lead and a win in the series. -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
At the end of WWII, the Soviet Union and USA were engaged in a cold war. USA started developing nuclear weapons. Tension was rising as both sides kept building more advanced weaponry to intimidate the opposing side. The Soviets realized that they were loosing money and their militarization was pointless compared to USA, so they tried to come to an agreement with the USA. In 1989, Soviets Mikhail Gorbachev came to an agreement to end the cold war, ending communism. -
The Fall Of The Berlin Wall
VideoCommunists had been in control of the wall for fourty years. No one saw it coming that Germany would declare democracy, it was completely ironic. With tension from Hungary and West Germany, East Germany conceded and declared democracy.
