Transcript Defending North America

Defending North
America
Ch. 6 (p. 135-136, 140-144)
North American Defence
► When
the Cold War began, it seemed that
Europe would be where the action was
 Iron Curtain, Soviet buffer zone
► New
technology made North America
vulnerable too
 Long-range bombers, long-range missiles
 Shortest path from USSR to USA is over North
Pole and Canada (p. 133)
► USA
and Canada start to build up defences
to prevent or warn against a possible
nuclear attack
Long-Range Bombers
Long-Range Missiles
North American Defence
► USA
constructs three lines of radar stations
across Canada, Alaska, Arctic in 1950s, each
getting further north (p. 134)
 Pinetree Line, Mid-Canada Line, Distant Early
Warning (DEW) Line
 To detect a surprise Soviet attack, give USA time
to intercept attack, launch counterattack
 USA military personnel stationed in Canada
►Reduced
Canada’s independence?
►Possible loss of independence worth greater security?
DEW Line
North American Defence
► North
American Air Defence (NORAD) – 1957
 Canadian-American organization to share
responsibility for air defence of North America
 Command station in Cheyenne Mountain,
Colorado, USA
►Designed
to withstand a nuclear attack
►Controls fighter jets, missile bases, radar
 Canadian command post underground at North
Bay, Ontario
NORAD
NORAD
North American Defence
► Civil
Defence
 Fearing a nuclear attack, some Canadian cities
dug nuclear fallout shelters
 Warning sirens, people go to shelters
 School drills – “duck and cover”
 In reality, shelters and “duck and cover” were
practically useless in a nuclear attack, but good
for public morale
 Constant tension, fear, and anxiety
North American Defence
► http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
2kdpAGDu8s
Cuban Missile Crisis
► Communists,
led by Fidel Castro, seize power
in Cuba in 1959
► USA attempted to invade Cuba, overthrow
communists, but failed
 Cuba forms close relationship with USSR
► Oct.
1962: USA discovers USSR installing
nuclear missile launch sites in Cuba, huge
threat to USA and Canada (p. 140)
► USA imposes blockade on Cuba, ready for war
 NORAD on high alert
Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
► Canada’s
Response
 President Kennedy expected Canadian support
 PM Diefenbaker wanted United Nations to
investigate in Cuba, did not believe USA
►Delayed
placing Canadian NORAD forces on alert
►Did not allow US military planes to land in Canada
►PM Diefenbaker believed that he was protecting
Canadian independence, but 80% of Canadians
disapprove of his actions
►Hurt Canadian-American relations
Cuban Missile Crisis
► USSR
refuses to remove the missiles,
readies for war
► Soviet ships heading towards blockaded
Cuba, US waiting for them
► USSR decides at last minute to turn ships
around, remove missiles, US promises not
to invade Cuba
► Closest USA and USSR got to nuclear war,
whole world fearing destruction for 13 days
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Avro Arrow
► To
help defend Canada from a Soviet attack,
the Avro Arrow supersonic jet was
developed in the 1950s
 Most advanced fighter jet in the world
► Development
costs skyrocketed
 From $2 million to $12.5 million per plane
► Missiles
become better defense than jets
► PM Diefenbaker cancelled the Avro Arrow
project on 1959
The Avro Arrow
The Avro Arrow
► Popular
Belief
 US military jealous of advanced Arrow, convince
PM Diefenbaker to cancel project
► Historians
 Arrow was way too costly, Canada could not
afford it, other countries didn’t want to buy it
The Nuclear Issue in Canada
► After
Arrow cancelled, Canada considers
buying Bomarc missiles from the US
 Would be located at Canadian military bases
 Defence shield, intercept Soviet missiles
 Meant to carry nuclear warheads, were of little
use without them
► Should
Canada have nuclear weapons?
 USA thought so: help protect Canada and USA,
Canada’s obligation as part of NORAD and NATO
 Many Canadians disagreed: made Canada a
target, contributed to possible nuclear war
Bomarc Missiles
The Nuclear Issue in Canada
► Conservative
Party divided over Bomarc missiles
► Liberal Party leader Lester Pearson initially against
missiles, then changes mind
► 1963 Election: Liberals win minority gov.
 Lester Pearson becomes Prime Minister
 Country not fully sure about Pearson & Liberals, but
believe poor US-Canada relationship because of
Diefenbaker bad for Canada
► Pearson
accepts nuclear Bomarc missiles
► Trudeau is elected PM in 1968, phases out the
Bomarc missiles by 1971