Canada’s Involvement in Post-WWII Wars

Ch. 6 (p. 138-139, 144-145, 153-155)

Korean War

     Korea divided in two after WWII   Soviet Union controlled North – communist  Supported by China USA controlled South - democratic 1950: North Korea invades South Korea United Nations condemns invasion, approves UN military force to help South Korea  UN force from 15 countries, including Canada, but mostly from the USA Minister of External Affairs Lester Pearson tried to negotiate a ceasefire USA considered using atomic bomb

Korean War

 1953: Stalemate, ceasefire, Korea remained divided in two   Increased tensions between Western countries and communist countries First example of “proxy war”  War fought indirectly between USA and USSR  Approx. 300 Canadians killed, 1200 injured

Korean War

Korean War

Korean War

Vietnam War

 Like Korea, Vietnam divided in two  Communist North, Democratic-ish South  USA believed that if South became communist, then many countries in region would follow – “domino theory”  1960s: USA sends increasing amount of troops to South to prevent communist takeover  1965: President Johnson orders bombing of North Vietnam, keeps sending more troops  USSR and China supplying N. Vietnamese army

Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Vietnam War

 Canada’s Reaction  Opinion divided, became increasingly anti-war  First televised war, images on news weakened support  My Lai Massacre – several hundred women, children, elderly killed  Anti-war protests/demonstrations across US & Canada  PM Pearson against Canadian involvement  Criticized Vietnam War in speech at US university  President Johnson furious, let Pearson know it  No Canadian troops fought in the Vietnam War  Many American “draft dodgers” fled to Canada  Canadian companies sold equipment to US military

Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Vietnam War

 US unable to defeat North Vietnamese  1969: President Nixon promises to end war  All US troops out of Vietnam by 1973  South Vietnam taken over by North, country unified under communist rule  Many Vietnamese refugees flee country, thousands immigrate to Canada

Vietnam War

First Gulf War

 August 1990: Iraq invades Kuwait, declared it a province of Iraq  Kuwait invaded because of its oil  United Nations tries to convince Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, to leave Kuwait, given deadline  Resolutions and economic sanctions  Jan. 1991: deadline passes without Iraq withdrawal  UN forces, led by USA, begin Operation Desert Storm  Canada contributes 4000 troops, military personnel  First time Canadian women fought in a war  Iraq troops bombed, pushed back to Iraq by March 1991

Yugoslav Civil Wars

 1980s: rising ethnic tensions in Yugoslavia  1991: Croatia declares its independence from Yugoslavia, attacked by Yugoslavian army  War spreads to other areas of country, acts of “ethnic cleansing” committed  UN sends in peacekeepers  Canadian peacekeepers first to arrive in Bosnia Herzegovina (region in Yugoslavia)  Unable to keep peace, prevent ethnic cleansing

Yugoslav Civil War

Yugoslav Civil Wars

Yugoslav Civil Wars

Yugoslav Civil Wars

 1995: NATO frustrated with ineffectiveness of UN, launches air strikes against Yugoslav army  Canada contributes as member of NATO  Ceasefire eventually agreed to, US troops join UN peacekeepers   1998: Yugoslav forces move into Kosovo region to make sure it didn’t become independent 1999: NATO’s attempts to convince Yugoslav military to leave Kosovo fail, begins bombing of Yugoslavia  Trying to force Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to stop persecuting and killing people of Kosovo

Yugoslav Civil Wars

Yugoslav Civil Wars

 Controversy over Canada’s participation in NATO bombings  For: NATO job to prevent war spreading, mistreatment of people of Kosovo  Against: NATO should not interfere in another country’s affairs, bombing made things worse  What was NATO’s role after the Cold War?

 What role should Canada play in US-dominated organizations after the Cold War?

Second Gulf War

 After First Gulf War, UN placed economic sanctions on Saddam Hussein and Iraq, sends inspectors to make sure weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) destroyed  Hussein repeatedly refused to cooperate with UN weapons inspectors  2002: President Bush pushes for military action against Iraq, believes Hussein developing WMDs  UN Security Council refuses to authorize military action

Second Gulf War

 March 2003: US invades Iraq without UN support   Joined by “Coalition of the Willing”: Britain, Australia, Poland, Denmark, and smaller countries PM Jean Chrétien and most Canadians against attack, supported further inspections  Canada does not participate in Second Gulf War  April 2003: Iraq defeated, Saddam Hussein eventually captured and executed, US and coalition forces occupy country

Second Gulf War

War in Afghanistan

 2001: Sept. 11 terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, on United States  Leaders of Afghanistan, the Taliban, accused of protecting Al-Qaeda   Afghanistan invaded by US to destroy Taliban and Al-Qaeda, find Osama bin Laden PM Chrétien pledges full Canadian support to US  2002: Taliban no longer in control, Canada sends troops to Kandahar region to find Al-Qaeda and Taliban, help Afghan people

War in Afghanistan

War in Afghanistan

War in Afghanistan

 Canadian troops continue to serve in Afghanistan  Still very dangerous (133 Canadians killed, 2 in the past month)  Progress is slow, still many insurgents (violent rebels)  Controversy over possible torture connections  Allegations that Canadian officials handed Afghan detainees (prisoners) over to Afghan authorities knowing they would be tortured  Debate in Canada about future participation in Afghanistan continues  For: rebuilding of Afghanistan not finished, no troops in Afghanistan would mean more violence and worse conditions  Against: little progress being made, too many Canadians dying, not Canada’s responsibility