The Cold WarThe USSR vs. The USA

Canada and The Cold War• The Cold War was a war of words,

propaganda, espionage and economic pressure between western democracies and the USSR

• Lasted from 1945-1991 when the Soviet Union Collapsed

• After WWII the Soviet Union felt they should get control of European countries to help them rebuild

• U.S. Disagreed. Did not want European countries to become Communist

Atomic (Nuclear) Weapons• The Americans and Soviets raced to

develop new weapons of mass destruction

• In 1952, the U.S exploded the first hydrogen bomb

• 1957, Soviets successfully launched the world’s first rocket to leave the earth’s atmosphere

• U.S. does the same and creates intercontinental missiles with nuclear warheads

Atomic (Nuclear) Weapons

• Prime Minister Diefenbaker had a lot of pressure from American President Kennedy to have nuclear weapons on Bomarc missiles

• Prime Minister Diefenbaker refused to have nuclear weapons on Canadian soil

Fears• Fear was created since both countries had

the technology of nuclear weapons and the means to send missiles from great distances

• People were fearful of Soviet spies infiltrating the Canadian Government

• The Americans arrested Ethel and Julius Rosenburg for supposedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviets – they were executed– While Julius likely was guilty there is still little

evidence to prove Ethel guilty– 1st case of executing civilians for espionage in

U.S. history

Igor Gouzenko• Was a cipher clerk at the Soviet

embassy in Ottawa in 1943• He discovered that Soviet intelligence

operated several spy rings in Canada• Took documents showing this activity• Canadian officials arrested 12 suspects

and others were taken following this– He has to be protected for the rest of his

life and was given a fake identity

Korean War• The Soviet controlled North Korea invaded

the American-supported South Korea in 1950

• The Canadian government was originally reluctant to send troops but eventually sided with the Americans

• The was lasted until 1953• Canadian Statistics

– 22,000 Canadian Soldiers fought– 309 were killed– 1,202 were injured– 32 became POWs

The Berlin Wall• East (Russian Controlled) and West Germany

(Democratically Controlled) had split opinions about the creation of a Communist Germany

• East Germany claimed they erected the wall in 1961 to protect themselves from the “fascist” elements of the west

• Actually, the Wall was erected in 1961 because more than 2.6 million East Germans escaped to West Berlin or West Germany from 1949-1961

• The barrier included barbed wire placed along large concrete walls, which restricted a wide area that contained anti-vehicle trenches, and other defences

The Avro Arrow• The Avro Arrow was a twin engine,

supersonic jut – the most advanced jet airplane ever built at its time

• In 1949 the Canadian government paid 2 million dollars for each of these jets

• They were created because of fears of Soviet bombers over the Canadian North

• In 1957 the first Avro Arrow was unveiled to the public

The Avro Arrow• Diefenbaker cancelled all orders in

1959 for more jets– Felt that Soviet bombers were no longer

a threat– The cost for each jet was too high

• A.V. Rowe the plane’s manufacturer, fires all employees, destroys all existing planes, all plans, drawings, photographs, and films associated with the planes because of orders from the government