Canada and the Cold War Overview PDF

Canada and the Cold War Overview of the Cold War Timeframe: 1945–1991. Key players: The West (United States, Canada, Britain, France, and allies) vs. the Soviet Union. Cause: Conflict between two opposing economic systems: ○ Capitalism (United States): Resources...

Canada and the Cold War Overview of the Cold War Timeframe: 1945–1991. Key players: The West (United States, Canada, Britain, France, and allies) vs. the Soviet Union. Cause: Conflict between two opposing economic systems: ○ Capitalism (United States): Resources owned by a few individuals to generate profit; majority work for these owners. ○ Socialism/Communism (Soviet Union): Resources owned by the government on behalf of the people; aims to meet people’s needs rather than generate profit. Goal: Each side aimed to turn the other to its system, creating a tense, competitive atmosphere. Specific Incidences of the Cold War 1. Truman Doctrine (1947): ○ U.S. policy to prevent countries from breaking away from capitalism. ○ Military and economic support offered to pro-American governments. ○ Viewed by the Soviet Union as interference in other nations’ independence. 2. Marshall Plan (1947): ○ $12.2 billion in U.S. aid to rebuild European economies. ○ Aid restricted to countries that severed trade with the Soviet Union and purchased U.S. goods. ○ Soviet Union saw it as an attempt to weaken its economy. 3. Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON, 1949): ○ Soviet counterpart to the Marshall Plan. ○ Focused on coordinating economic reconstruction and trade among Eastern Bloc countries. ○ U.S. imposed sanctions, deepening division between the blocs. 4. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, 1949): ○ Military alliance of 12 countries (including Canada). ○ Expanded to include Greece and Turkey (1952), West Germany (1955), and Spain (1982). ○ Perceived by the Soviet Union as an aggressive, encircling move. 5. Warsaw Pact (1955): ○ Soviet response to NATO. ○ Included the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Albania. ○ Dissolved in 1991 after the Soviet Union’s collapse. Canada’s Role in the Cold War  1. Foreign Policy: ○ Initially aligned with U.S. and British Cold War policies due to its limited strength as a former British colony. ○ Member of NATO, NORAD, and participant in the Korean War (1950–1953). ○ Under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1970s–1980s), Canada pursued peace between the U.S. and the Soviet Union but faced rejection from the U.S. 2. Domestic Impact: ○ Anti-communist purges in trade unions and civil services in the 1950s. ○ Left-leaning unions replaced with pro-American leadership. ○ Targeting of homosexuals, similar to Britain and other NATO countries. 3. Peacekeeping Efforts: ○ Following the Suez Crisis (1956), Canada engaged in multiple UN peacekeeping missions: Lebanon, Congo, Cyprus, India-Pakistan border, and more. Sometimes served as observers, trainers, or ceasefire barriers. The Korean War (1950–1953) Background: ○ Korea under Japanese occupation (1910–1945). ○ After WWII, Korea was divided: North: Soviet-occupied. South: U.S.-occupied. ○ Planned election in 1950 was rejected by the U.S., leading to Korea’s partition. War: ○ North Korea invaded South Korea to unify the country. ○ U.S. mobilized 21 countries (including Canada) to invade North Korea. ○ Extensive bombing by the U.S. led to 1 million civilian deaths in North Korea. Outcome: ○ War ended in 1953 without a formal peace treaty. ○ Korea remains divided into North and South. The Vietnam War (1955–1975) Background: ○ Vietnam divided into North (communist) and South (U.S.-dominated). ○ U.S. rejected a planned election, leading to war. Canada’s Role: ○ Did not send troops but supplied $2.5 billion worth of war materials to the U.S., including ammunition, napalm, Agent Orange, and military supplies. ○ Exported food, raw materials, and equipment worth $10 billion to support U.S. forces. ○ Contributed peacekeeping forces in 1973 for the Paris Peace Accords. Outcome: ○ U.S. defeated; Vietnam unified.  ○ Over 2 million Vietnamese civilians, 1 million North Vietnamese fighters, and 58,000 Americans killed. Key Differences Between Korean and Vietnam Wars Korea remained divided; Vietnam was unified. Both wars stemmed from U.S. rejection of elections that favored communists. The Cold War Overview Timeframe: Began: Shortly after World War II (1945). Ended: 1991 (collapse of the Soviet Union). Key Players: United States (U.S.): Capitalist superpower. Soviet Union (USSR): Communist superpower. Background: Both were part of the Allied Powers during WWII but lacked mutual trust. Concerns about: ○ Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. ○ Spread of communism. Why It’s Called the “Cold War”: No direct military conflict between the U.S. and the USSR. Fought through proxy wars: other countries fought with superpower support. ○ Examples: Korean War, Vietnam War, Yom Kippur War, Soviet-Afghanistan War. Major Competitions Between Superpowers: 1. Arms Race: ○ Both sides developed and stockpiled weapons to deter attacks. 2. Space Race: ○ Competition for technological superiority in space exploration. ○ Milestone: U.S. landed the first humans on the Moon (Apollo 11, July 20, 1969). End of the Cold War: Late 1980s: Soviet Union began to collapse. 1991: Soviet Union dissolved into 15 independent states, ending the Cold War. The Arms Race Overview Definition: The Arms Race was a Cold War competition where the U.S. and the Soviet Union stockpiled nuclear weapons. Key Facts About Nuclear Weapons: Nuclear weapons: Powerful enough to destroy entire cities and kill tens of thousands of people. Manhattan Project: U.S. program during WWII to develop nuclear weapons. Historical Use: The U.S. ended WWII by dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only time nuclear weapons have been used in war. Timeline of the Arms Race: 1. 1949: Soviet Union successfully tests its first atomic bomb, surprising the world. 2. 1952: U.S. tests the first hydrogen bomb (more powerful than atomic bombs). 3. 1953: Soviet Union detonates its first hydrogen bomb. 4. 1950s: Both nations develop Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), capable of launching attacks from thousands of miles away. Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD): Concept: Fear of total annihilation prevented either side from attacking. How it worked: ○ Technology could detect a nuclear attack. ○ The attacked country would have time to launch a counterattack. ○ Result: Both countries would be destroyed. MAD prevented direct military conflict between the U.S. and the USSR. Economic Impact: The Arms Race was extremely expensive. By the end of the Cold War, about 27% of the Soviet Union's gross national product was spent on the military. This heavy military spending weakened the Soviet economy and contributed to the Cold War's end. The Cold War 1945 - 1991 / 1991 - Current During the Second World War, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union worked together to defeat fascist Germany, Italy, and Japan. However, after the war, relations between the United States and Britain on one side and the Soviet Union on the other worsened, leading to the Cold War. From 1945 to 1991, the threat of nuclear war between these two sides was very real. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 ended the first phase of the Cold War. However, a new phase started almost immediately, with the United States continuing cold war-like policies toward countries like China, Russia, Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela, and others. Types of Relationships Among Countries 1. War: Countries in conflict engage in active fighting. Trade, travel, and communication stop completely. Hostile propaganda is spread by both sides (e.g., Syria and the United States). 2. Peace: Countries maintain friendly relations, trade, travel, and cooperate on global issues (e.g., the United States and Canada). 3. Cold War (No War / No Peace): Countries don't fight directly but don't maintain friendly relations. There are sanctions, restrictions on trade, limited travel, hostile propaganda, and disagreements in global forums (e.g., the United States and China). 1. Why is there a Cold War today instead of peace? The Cold War continues today because of the following reasons: The United States imposes sanctions and trade restrictions on Russia, China, Venezuela, North Korea, and Cuba. The U.S. tries to overthrow the governments of these countries through military and political means (e.g., coup attempts in Venezuela). These countries aim to maintain independence in their political and economic systems, resisting U.S. influence. 2. Comparing the Post-WWII Cold War and the Current Cold War Post-WWII Cold War (1945-1991): Focused on the rivalry between capitalist (U.S.) and communist (Soviet Union) ideologies. Threats of nuclear war were high, and both sides engaged in military buildups. Ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Current Cold War (1991-Present):  Involves the U.S. and countries like Russia, China, and others. Economic sanctions and propaganda are the primary tools instead of direct military confrontations. Centers around balancing power and influence globally. In both periods, the United States seeks global dominance, while other nations resist this influence. 3. Examples of Peace, War, and Cold War Peace - United States and Canada: They have strong trade ties, travel freely between each other, and cooperate on global issues like climate change. They are allies in NATO and often support each other in international organizations like the UN. War - Syria and the United States: They are in active conflict, with no trade, travel, or diplomatic relations. Hostile propaganda from both sides, along with significant civilian and infrastructure damage, characterizes their relationship. Cold War - United States and China: Relations are tense but not openly violent. There are restrictions on trade (e.g., tariffs), limited cooperation, and mutual accusations in the media. Both countries take opposing stances in global matters, such as technology and territorial disputes. Causes of the Cold War (Post-WWII and Current) 1. Post-WWII Cold War Causes (1945-1991): Ideological Differences: The United States supported capitalism and democracy, while the Soviet Union promoted socialism and communism. These opposing ideologies created global tension. Power Struggle: Both nations wanted to expand their influence, leading to competition for control over Europe, Asia, and other regions. Military Rivalry: The arms race and the buildup of nuclear weapons heightened the risk of conflict. Mistrust: Both sides distrusted each other’s motives, fearing domination by the opposing system. 2. Current Cold War Causes (1991-Present): Economic Independence: Countries like Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela want to maintain their economic and political independence, resisting U.S. influence. Sanctions and Trade Restrictions: The United States imposes sanctions, bans trade, and restricts economic growth for these nations. Government Overthrow Attempts: The U.S. supports coups or military actions to replace governments it opposes (e.g., Venezuela). Propaganda and Hostility: Mutual accusations and hostile rhetoric keep relations strained. Global Power Balance: The United States seeks to maintain global dominance, while these nations act as counterbalances to its power.