1. Canada and the Cold War

2. Tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union (USSR)
The tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union became known as the Cold War because the conflict never erupted into an open war.
It lasted over forty years.

3. Wartime Conferences Tehran, 1943 Yalta, Feb. 1945 Potsdam, July 1945
Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin meet for the first time
Yalta, Feb. 1945
Ger. Divided into zones of occupation
War crimes court to be established
Stalin promised to hold elections in the countries he was liberating from the NAZIS
Potsdam, July 1945
Roosevelt had been replaced by Truman
Churchill had been replaced by Atlee
Democratic and communist leaders no longer trust each other
Stage set for the Cold War

4. Post-World War Two Tensions
The U.S. and the Soviet Union were allies in WWII, however the only commonality between them was opposition of the Axis powers
As tensions grew both countries used espionage (spies) and assisted their allies during small conflicts (wars)
Both countries stockpiled arms including nuclear weapons, and became known as superpowers
The super powers did not fight directly with one another (= nuclear annihilation), but competed for political influence over smaller countries
The tensions between the superpowers began through political and economic differences: the Soviet Union was communist and the U.S. capitalist

5. Policy of Containment
Western countries feared that the goal of communists was to overthrow all societies
the American strategy was to ‘contain’ communism by preventing it from spreading to other countries
The U.S. therefore provided economic aid and military support to those countries threatened by communism

6. Containment – cont’
In 1947 the U.S. passed the Marshall Plan, which gave aid (billions) to European economies to re-build after WWII

7. Policy of Containment

8. Containment – Domino Theory
The Domino Theory: the Americans developed this metaphor to describe the fear of countries falling one by one to the Soviets and communism
Stalin had quickly created communist regimes in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia after WWII

9. McCarthyism
In the U.S. anyone suspected of being a communist could be persecuted, fired or black listed; this became known as “witch hunting” or McCarthyism because it was led by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the “Committee of Un-American Activities”

10. Post WWII – The Division of Germany
At the end of WWII Germany was split into four zones of occupation
Britain, France, the U.S. joined their three zones to form West Germany and the Soviet Union created East Germany (German Democratic Republic)
Although Berlin was located in East Germany, it also was divided into four zones. Western nations were permitted access through specific highways, railways and air corridors.

11. Berlin Blockade
When the West introduced new currency into West Germany, the Soviet Union refused to accept it in Berlin and blocked transportation routes which the West used to supply West Berlin.
This was considered a direct act of confrontation by Stalin, and the Western nations did not want to give up Berlin (due to the domino theory).
For 15 months (June 24, 1948 to May 11, 1949) West Berlin got supplies through massive airlifts by the Western Nations.
The Soviets realized the blockade was not working and the dispute ended with two separate governments for Berlin.

12. Berlin Blockade - Airlifts

13. Berlin Blockade
Western Allies decided to form NATO (1948) after the Berlin Blockade Crisis
The Berlin Blockade became one of the first major crises of the new Cold War
The crisis abated after the Soviet Union did not act to stop American, British and French humanitarian airlifts of food and other provisions to the Western-held sectors of Berlin; referred to as Operation Vittles.
The Berlin Blockade was one of the largest blockades in history.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Flag members: USA, Canada, Britain and France

14. Germany – The Berlin Wall
In August 1961 the Berlin Wall began construction, closing the border between East and West Berlin (for 28 years).
Professionals and skilled workers were migrating to West Berlin, damaging the East economically and Soviet leader Khrushchev approved the building of a wall to stop emigration.
The Berlin Wall became a major symbol of the Cold War
“an iron curtain has descended across the Continent”
Winston Churchill - March 5, 1946

15. Berlin Wall
East German construction workers building the Berlin Wall, 20 November 1961.

16. Berlin Wall - view from West Berlin - death strip & graffiti;
In the last phase of the wall's development, the "death strip" between fence and concrete wall gave guards a clear shot at hundreds of would-be escapees from the East.

17. Canada and the Cold War- Concerns and Suspicions
a) The Gouzenko Affair
In September 1945 a Russian clerk at the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, Igor Gouzenko took documents proving a Soviet spy ring was operating in Canada to the Ottawa Journal.
At first no one paid him any attention, so Gouzenko fearing for his life and his family’s he went to the RCMP, the department of justice, and the PM’s office.

18. a) The Gouzenko Affair – cont’
it wasn’t until Soviet agents broke into Gouzenko’s apartment that the police listened to his story.
In February 1946 the RCMP arrested several people suspected of being Soviet spies; eighteen were brought to trial and eight were found guilty.
The spy ring was likely trying to discover the secrets of the atomic bomb
The threat of communism and the Cold War now hit home for Canadians

19. The Red Scare
The massive fear of communism became known as the Red Scare
The RCMP began inquiries of potential communists in Canada
PM Louis St. Laurent refused to outlaw communism, believing doing do was a dictatorship tactic not a democratic
Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis introduced the Padlock law to shut down suspected communist organizations

20. Main concerns for world politicians at this time*:
1. Defense and Security
Encouraging Peace – The United Nations
*See separate Slideshows
3. Indirect Conflicts