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V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day — known as V-E Day is the date when World War II Allies formally accepted the surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. In Holland, Paris, and London, Canadians joined people in the streets in an outpouring of emotion. -
V-J Day
Victory over Japan Day (also known as Victory in the Pacific Day, V-J Day, or V-P Day) is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II. Japan surrendered after the United States dropped atom bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Canada's involvement in the Far East numbered more than 10,000 serving on land, at sea, and in the air by the time of Japan's surrender. -
The United Nations is Created
the United Nations was established to replace the flawed League of Nations in 1945 in order to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories including Canada. -
Creation of NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. Canada has been a member of the NATO since its inception in 1949.Canada was not only a member but one of the principal initiators of the alliance. -
Communists take control of China
On October 1, 1949, Mao proclaimed the birth of the People's Republic of China—with the statement “The central government of the People’s republic of China is established!” When Mao and the Communists took over China in 1949, after decades of civil war and Japanese occupation, the country was in terrible shape. Roads, railways, farms and factories where in a shocking state of disrepair and treasury was bankrupt after its entire gold reserves were taken away to Taiwan by the Nationalists. -
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The Korean War
The Korean War was a war between the Republic of Korea (supported by the United States, with contributions from allied nations under the aegis of the United Nations) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (supported by the People's Republic of China, and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The Korean War was the result of the political division of Korea (North and South) by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. -
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
On 14 May 1955, the USSR established the Warsaw Pact in response to the integration of the Federal Republic of Germany into NATO in October 1954 – nine years after the defeat of Nazi Germany that ended only with the Soviet and Allied invasion of Germany in during World War II in Europe. Countries of the Warsaw Pact pledged the mutual defense of any member who would be attacked. -
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war was fought between North Vietnam, supported by communist allies, and the government of South Vietnam, supported by the United States and anti-communist countries. Canada did not participate in the Vietnam war. Canada deployed troops to Vietnam were small number in 1973 to help enforce the Paris Peace Accords. -
Lester B. Pearson diffuses the Suez Crisis
Lester B. Pearson, a Canadia politician, organized the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal crisis in 1956. He is later awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for his role of difusses the Suez Crisis. -
Berlin Wall is built
In 1945, following World War II, Germany was divided into two countries - East Germany and West Germany. East Germany was controlled by the communist Soviet Union while West Germany became a democracy supported by the United States. Berlin, the former capital city, although entirely within East German borders, was also split into two by the Berlin wall. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a thirteen-day confrontation between the Soviet Union and Cuba on one side and the United States during the Cold war. On 15 October, 1962, an American spy plane revealed missile installed in Cuba. President of the U.S., Kennedy, negotiated with Premier of Russia, Khrushchev, to resolve the crisis. The two negotiated before the crisis escalated to a dangerous level. John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister of Canada, put Canadian troops on alert if an attack occured. -
USSR invades Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year war during the Cold war, fought between the forces of the Soviet Union, and Islamic tribes of Afghanistan who were against the Communist government set up by the Soviets. The installation of a undemocratic regime in Afghanistan led Canada to severe diplomatic ties. Even after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan the two countries did not re-establish full diplomatic relations, and contact was minimal. -
Berlin Wall is torn down
For thirty years, the Berlin Wall stood between West Germany and East Germany. The fall of the Berlin Wall met with significant anxiety throughout the rest of Europe. Fears were that the reunification of Germany would lead back towards war, as it had in 1939. Over the next year, steps were taken to reunite East and West Germany after over 31 years of being separated.
