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Quebec's Padlock Law
This law was introduced by Maurice Duplessis, the Premier of Quebec at the time, and was inacted to protect Quebec against Communist propaganda. The law was inspired by the amendment to the criminal code, section 98, which empowered the federal government to deport non-citizens and charge individuals who were promoting a revolution. This law aloud local sheriffs, under the authority of the Attorney-General, to close down buildings of suspected communist promotion and Bolshevism. -
Spies in Canada: Gouzenko Affair
Igor Gouzenko was a Soviet assigned to the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa in 1943. During his time in Canada he exposed Soviet spies in the Canadian government in exchange for his family being abke to stay in Canada and to have protection from the Soviets. This was very importants as the spies were attempting to steal the secrets of the nuclear bomb. -
Berlin Blockade
The Soviet Uniion attempted to force their former allies out of western Berlin by blocking their supply lines. This was an unsuccessful attempt as the allies developed air drop systems to deliver their supplies. This resulted in the tension between the Soviet Union and their former allies to only increase. -
International Alliances: NATO
With the Soviet Union spreading communism, countires such as Canada and the United States, along with many western European countries began to worry about their national security. 12 nations founded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization which was a pledge to defend each other. This was to deter military aggression. The founding courtries included Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States. -
"The Forgotten War"/The Korean War
This war was started by communitst North Koreans aided by communist China trying to overtake capitalist South Korea, who was aided by the Americans and soon the United Nations. 16 countries of the UN aided South Korea, Canada was ranked 3rd in total aid to South Korea, sending nearly 25 000 soldiers. The war continued to 1953, and Canadian soldiers stayed in Korea to help protect South Korea till 1955. -
The Avro Arrow
The Idea of the Arrow had been shot around at the beginning of the 1950's and was finally given government authorization to create two prototypes in December of 1953. The Avro Arrow was a very advanced supersonic interceptor jet which was a crowning achievement of the Canadian aerospace industry. -
Warsaw Pact
In fear of being attacked by NATO, the Soviet Union decided to organize the countries behind the iron curtain in a rival miliatry alliance to combat NATO. The 9 founding nations included Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia. Now that both sides had a big enough fighting force this led to the arms race. -
Draft Dodgers in Canada
Canada did not contribute to the fighting force in Vietnam, but did provide a safe haven for those who were against the war. Those who were conscripted and did not choose to do their service were called draft dodgers. Many draft dodgers migrated to Canada, as they would have been prosecuted as a criminal for treason by the United States Government. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was very similar to the Korean war in the sense that the northern part of the country was aiming to spread their communist ideals, with the help of communist China, through the country. France first aided the southern capitalist Vietnamese, followed by the United States. This war was like no other as the enemies did not necessarily wear uniforms so everyday looking people could have the potential of killing you which brought on great post traumatic stress. -
UN Peacekeeping: The Suez Crisis
The Suez Canal was a British and French run sea way which was a sorce of power and wealth for the nations in that region. The Egyption leader, General Nasser, decided to take back the canal. France and Britain secretly agreed to take back control of the land by aiding Israel in an invasion. This got the soviets to threatend to help the Egyptions and once again it was communism vs. capitalism. -
UN Peacekeeping: The Suez Crisis continued I
The NORAD partener found themselves in a tough position as they were allied to Britain and France, but did not agree with their actions. Lester Pearson Canada's secretary of state for external affairs came up with a solution. He proposed to the UN General Assembly, that the UN create an international peacekeeping forece to withdraw invading forces and to patrol bording areas of conflict. The plan was accepted and the United Nations Emergency Force or UNEF was created. -
UN Peacekeeping: The Suez Crisis continued II
Canada contributed 800 soldiers, the single largest sum from any country, the total being over 6000 troops. This force kept the peace in the area until they were asked to leave by the Egyptian government in 1967. -
Sputnik and Canada's Space Program
Sputnik was the first man made object to orbit the earth. The satellite by itself was not a concern, however the rocket that sent it into space had the potential to launch nuclear warheads to anywhere in North America. Thinking the Soviets had now gained the military high ground, the Americans began to relace their fleet of long-range bomber aircrafts with long-range missiles, known as intercontinental ballistic missiles or ICBMs. This is what began the arms race. -
UN Peacekeeping: Pearson wins the Nobel Prize
For his idea of creating the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), Lester Pearson was awarded the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. -
Continental Alliances: NORAD and DEW line
With miliatary technology advancing so rapidly, like the creation of long-ranged missiles, North Anerica need better defence. This agreement, later named North American Aerospace Defense Command in 1981, allowed for the US to put defense installations in the Northwest Territories to create the Distanat Early Warning system know as the DEW line. High-powered radar antennae were located at the stations along the DEW line to pick up on approaching enemy aircrafts and missiles from 4800 km away. -
The Avro Arrow's Cancellation
John Diefenbaker, Canada's Prime Minister at the time, scrapped the Arrow project to purchase American Bomarc Missiles and 66 American Voodoo fighter jets. This resulted in the 470 million dollar project to be for nothing, as well as took a great shot to the economy, as over 14 000 skilled workers were now unemployed. All plans or records of the Arrow were destroyed and perminently lost. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis Continued
The Soviet ships did not pass the line which the Americans drew in the water, and the war was once again overted. The Canadians at the time were against the blockade and instead wanted for the sites to be examined by professionals instead. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
American spy plains photographed Soviet missile sites in communist Cuba. From Cuba missiles could be launched accurately to any major city in North America. On October 15, the photos revield the sites and on October 22 Presedent Kennedy addressed the nation. Kennedy put a blockade to prevent ships from delivering missiles and warheads in place around the enterance to Cuban waters. If boats crossed the line it was a declaration of war. -
Diefenbaker, Bombarc Missiles and Nuclear Warheads in Canada
John Diefenbaker was a great public speaker and promised Canada economic prosperity and an increase of employment. He manage to get the biggest majority ever given in Canadian politics. He did many great things such as passing the Canadian Bill of rights, help develop the northern areas of Canada... etc. His downfall was the cancellation of the Avro Arrow which crippled employment and the Canadian economy. -
Diefenbaker, Bombarc Missiles and Nuclear Warheads in Canada Continued
He went on to purchase Bomarc missiles from the United States, yet refused the neclear warheads, which render the missiles virtually useless. Hist political career ended when he was voted out on a vote of non-confidence in 1963. -
Canada-Soviet Hockey Series
The Summet Series was a series of best of 7 hockey games against the top Canadian players composed of mostly NHL players and the top Russian players. The Canadians thought they would dominate so it was a suprise that the series was tied 3-3 after game 6. In the last minute of the last game Paul Henderson scored the game winning goal to give Canada the victory, which boosted Canadian nation pride way up. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
This happened nearly as suddenly as it had risen. As communism began to fail in Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, in 1988-89 East Germany saw this as an opportunity as they wanted to flee to the west. On the evening of November 9, 1989 an East German government official Günter Schabowski told the East German people that they could migrate to the west of Berlin through the checkpoints in the wall. People were shocked the guards would allow them to cross. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall Continued
People from both sides came to see friends and family they had been separated from for 28 years, while others came to chip at the wall with hammers and other tools. East and West Germany reunified into a single German state on October 3, 1990. -
The Fall of the Soviet Union
Capitalism had finally won and now the Soviet Union had collapsed into 15 separate countries. The Soviets economy was failing and in a decline, which resulted in their undoing. This was the end of the Cold War with capitalism on top.
