l
Cold War Defences
NATG
In 1949, Canada
and the United States joined with ten western European countries to forrn
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Q.{ATO). Its purpose was to defend Europe and the
North Atlantic from Soviet aggression. Although primarily a defensive alliance, NATO had
an economic advantage for Canada as well, since such an arrangement binds together all of
Canada's trading partners.
to the Soviets. irl 1955, they formed their own alliance, the
Warsaw Pact, with the Soviet satellite countries of Eastern Europe. In the event of attack by
NATO countries, the Warsaw Pact members agreed to come to each other's defence.
NATO was
a real threat
NORAD
North American Air
Defence System (I{ORAD). Aimed at protecting North American from Soviet attack NORAD joined Canadians and American fighter, missile and radar units under a single
command center. NORAD headquarters are located deep inside a mountain in Coiorado.
The commander in chief is an American general. A Canadian general serves a deputy
commander. Both are always in direct contact with the American president and the
Canadian prime minister, whose approval would be necessary for an attack or
In 1957 , Canada signed atreaty with the United
Sates that created the
counterattack.
DEW
Canada's geographical position between the United States and the Soviet Union makes it
vital to North American's defence. Canada worked closely with the U.S. to monitor
northern airspace and warn off aircraft that intruded there. In 1957, the United States and
Canada built a line of long-range warning stations, known as Distant Early Warning
(DEW) stations, to monitor airspace activity. If any station - there were fifty in total detected missiles or aircraft of unknown origin, it sent a message to NORAD headquarters
in Colorado. Although both Canada and the United States were involved in the creation of
DEW stations, the $250 million cost of building these radar stations was paid for solely by
the United States.
The Debate of Nuclear Warheads
After the NORAD agreement, the United States moved to station 56 Bomarc B anti-aircraft missiles at
Canadian NORAD sites. The missiles were equipped with nuclear warheads. ln 1960, when Canadians
became aware that there were nuclear warheads in the country, there was an uproar; should Canada
adopt nuclear weapons and was this a result of the United States' domination of Canadian defence
policy?
Both the Canadian and American govemments had to agree to put the armed forces on any alert,
however the NORAD forces were ciearly under an American commander. The atmospheri became
even more tense when federal Civil Defence authorities distributed pamphlets with plans for making
underground shelters. These shelters were to protect people from nuclear fallout. Wtriie experts
debated on whether these shelters would serve any purpose, about2400 were built in Toronto alone, at
a cost ofabout $4000 each.
Anti-nuclear protesters were convi:rced that the arms build-up would not stop the Soviets from
attacking the West. People understood that a nuclear war could mean complete and utter destruction.
The controversy over nuclear weapons in Canada led John Diefenbaker, who had become prime
minister in 1957, to refuse arming nuclear warheads for the Bomarc missiles. He felt that arming the
Bomarcs with nuclear warheads would set back the hopes for nuclear disarmament in the world. He
preferred storing nuclear warheads south of the border until they were needed. His opponents argued
that Bomarc missiles without nuciear warheads were useless.
Canada and the Cuban Missile Crisis
The question became critical dunng the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when the world came dangerously close to nuclear
war' Cuba was a communist country and the Soviet Union had installed missiles in Cuba. From the Cuban launch sites,
missiles could attack most major Americana and Canadians cities. The United States demanded the Soviet missiles be
removed and blockaded the shipment of Soviet military equipment to Cuba.
The United States asked Canada, as its defence parher, to put all Canadian forces on alert as war could be on the horizon.
Yet Canada hesitated to put its forces on alert, causing deep rift between the American and Canadian governments.
Canada's Bomarc missiles were still not armed with nuclear warheads. Prime Minister Diefenbaker accused *re United
States ofpressuring Canada. He also accused Liberal leader Pearson offlip-flopping on the issue ofnuclear anns. pearson
had opposed nuclear missiles in Canada, but in 1963 decided that Canada had an obligation to accept them. After pearson
was elected as Prime Minister in 1963, the Bomarc missiles were armed with nuclear warheads. Ttre issue highlights the
controversy in Canada over fears ofnuclear attack on the one hand, and the desire for a strong anti-nuclear policy on the
other.
1. Why was NATO formed?
2. Why was NATO advantageous for Canada?
3. Why was NORAD formed?
4. How do Canadians take part inNORAD?
5. What exactly is the DEW?
6. Give the reasons why many Canadians so opposed
7.
Canadian soil?
What happened in Cuba that almost caused WWIU
to Nuclear weapons on
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION
Even though Canada encouraged the U.S. to oppose the Soviet Union, it still
wanted to avoid being drawn into future U.S. wars without consultation.
Canadian diplomats decided to propose an ailiance of democratic nations in
the North Atlantic region. They hoped that the new alliance would give
Canada greater influence over American defence policy.
Although Canadian hopes for having major influence on American military
policy were never realized, Canada did persuade the U.S. to join Canada,
Britain, France and eight other nations in signing a joint treaty in 1949. The
treaty contained clauses about trade and cultural exchanges among member
nations; but it was primarily a pact to create an organization for mutual
defence, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Each membernation agreed to contribute army, navy, and air force nits to a new NATO
defence force. The combined strength of the NATO alliance membership
was intended to discourage the Soviet Union from an attempted takeover of
western Europe.
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION
Even though Canada encouraged the U.S. to oppose the Soviet Union, it still wanted to
avoid being drawn into future U.S. wars without consultation. Canadian diplomats
decided to propose an alliance of democratic nations in the North Atlantic region. They
hoped that the new alliance would give Canada greater influence over American defence
policy.
Although Canadian hopes for having major influence on American military policy were
never reahzed, Canada did persuade the U.S. to join Canada, Britain, France and eight
other nations in signing a joint treaty in 1949. The treaty contained clauses about trade
and cultural exchanges among member nations, but it was primarily a pact to create an
organization for mutual defence, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Q.JATO). Each
member-nation agreed to contribute arrny, navy, and air force nits to a new NATO
defence force. The combined strength of the NATO alliance membership was intended
to discourage the Soviet Union from an attempted takeover of western Europe.