Chapter 6 - Canada Post War Flashcards
Who was Igor Gouzenko and what happend w/ him?
- soviet embassy clerk in Ottawa
- in Sept. 1945 he left work w/ several documents hidden.
- documents proved that a Soviet spy ring was operating within the canadian gov
What did Igor do with these documents?
- took them to the Ottawa Journal - no attention was paid
- went to RCMP
- only when agents broke into his apartment did canadian officials listen to him
What happened in Sept 1945 with the suspected soviet spies?
- trial
- guilty were imprisoned
Instead of fighting a direct war what did the Soviet Union and the USA do?
compete for political influence in other parts of the world especially developing nations that were poorer and less politically stable
Why was in called the Cold War?
- Approx how long did it last?
because it did not errupt into an open war
- lasted over 40yrs
What were the roots of the Cold War?
the differing views that the 2 countries had on political and economic systems
- Soviet Union - communist
US - capitalist
Define: Communist
Capitalist
Communist: gov controlled all industry and commerce, no political oppisition tolerated
Capitalist: economies based on private enterprise - citizens had basic freedoms
How did the Soviets create a buffer between the UUS and western europe?
they took over the countries of eastern europe and made them all communist
- then communists took over china (former gov fled to Taiwan)
What was the Committee on Un-American Activites
A US response to root out communists from all areas of public life
- anyone suspected of being a communist could be persecuted, fired and blacklisted
Cold War in Canada (7)
- shocked to learn about communist ring that had operated in canada during war
- 1949 - conservatives tried to make communism an issue - accused gov of harbouring communists
- some Canadians feared spread of communism
- union leaders who fought for better conditions came under suspicsion, workers w/ communist sympathies got fired
- RCMP Special Branch - watched people who might be a security risk
- office and home raids for “revoluntiary material”
- Padlock Law
Padlock Law
- used to shut down suspected organizations and newspapers
NATO
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- an alliance founded by the US with other countries including Canada, Great Britain & other western european nations
- military alliance
- aimed a protecting western countries from the threat of invasion by the Soviet Union
- attack on any one NATO member was to be treated as an attack on all
- members agreed if conventional weapons were not enough they would use nuclear weapons as a last resort
Warsaw Pact
- created by the Soviet Union as it felt threatend by NATO countries
- alliance made up of eastern european countries
- was to protect these countries and the SU from attack
When was the Berlin wall built? And what happened just before that?
1961 East germany built the berlin wall
Just before: SU troops brutally crushed a revolution in Hungary
Canada’s Committment to NATO
- PM King defended Canada’s desision to join a military alliance in a time of peace
- agreed to keep a full army brigade and several air squadrons in Europe, built & supplied military bases overseas
- Canadian ships and aircraft tracked the movements of Soviet submarines
- Canadian forces participated regularly in military exercies w/ canada’s allies
- most IMPORTANTLY had to adapt its defence policy to those of its allies
North American Defense
- at first it seemed like if war broke out europe would be the battle ground when long range bombers were developed North America became vunerable
- to protect against SU attack from the air US built 3 lines of radar stations across Canada
- first time US military was stationed on Canadian soil
- some canadians felt ^ compromised our indepedence, others liked the added security
- Soon superpowers had developed intercontinental missiles that could reach North American cities within 30 min
- to meet possible SU attack threat on North America, Canada and the US established NORAD
What were the 3 lines of radar stations across canada
- Pinetree Line
- Mid-Canada Line
DEW (Distant Early Warning) in the Arctic
NORAD
- North american air defence agreement
- included fighter forces, missiles bases, air defense radar
- controlled in colorado
- had force of 1000 bombers at its disposal at one time
Civil Defense: the home front in the cold war
- we feared that a open war between USSR and Us would result in a rain of nuclear bombs and missiles on our citites
- fed gov developed civil defense plans
- some cities had nuclear shelters in deep basements or subway lines,
- if attack- sirens, people find sheter, duck & cover
- fear
UNITED NATIONS
- @ the end of WWII world leaders began making plans for an international agency that would prevent another global conflict
- based on the idea of collective security as the League of Nations before it had been (this time nations of the world were in support)
- General assembly provides a forum for member nations of vote on issues (3 possible options) that have had limited succcess
- founders also pledged to abolish disease and famine and to protect human rights - to achieve these goals agencies like World Health Organization & Unicef created & International monetary fund
- canada has been a strong supporter of the UN since its creation - through a variety of UN agencies Canada has aided refugees from war or natural disasters and worked on development projects
what are the 3 possible powers a member nation can use when discussing an issue against an aggressor nation
- condemm the aggressor through speeches and resolutions
- use economic sanctions, urging members not to trade with the aggressor
- respond militarily by sending in an armed force
