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During the Cold War, most of the world was divided into two camps. The "West" was led by the US and the "East" was led by the Soviet Union. Canada sided with the West. The Cold War started after the Second World War. It ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed. There was no direct or "hot" war between the two superpowers. But tensions were high, and people were afraid of nuclear war. Some smaller wars were fought, like the Korean War.
(This article is a plain-language summary of the Cold War. If you are interested in reading about this topic in more depth, please see our full-length entry, Canada and the Cold War.)
Background
The US and Soviet Union were allies in the Second World War. But they didn't trust each other. During the war, the Soviet Union freed many countries in Eastern Europe. Then it put communist governments in power in those countries. It wanted an "iron curtain" between it and the capitalist west. This worried the US, Britain, and other Western countries, including Canada. They were afraid communism would spread.
NATO and Warsaw Pact
Western allies formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. The treaty stated that an attack against one of the allies would be "considered an attack against them all.” NATO was Canada’s first peacetime military alliance. By 1955, NATO included the United States, Canada, Iceland, Britain, France, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey and West Germany.
The Soviet Union established the Warsaw Pact in 1955, soon after West Germany joined NATO. It included the Soviet Union and seven satellite states in Central and Eastern Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania.
NORAD
Canada and the US feared a long-range Soviet attack. They built early warning radar networks across Canada to detect Soviet bombers. There were three lines of radar stations: the Pine Tree Line, the Mid-Canada Line and the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line.
In 1957, Canada and the US integrated their air-defence forces. They created the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). The Canadian air force and United States air force worked together to protect North America.
Bomarc Missile Crisis
In 1958, the Canadian government announced there would be American “Bomarc” antiaircraft missiles in Canada. The missiles were supposed to stop any Soviet attacks before they reached Canada’s industrial heartland. The missiles would replace the Avro Arrow. But the government didn’t tell Canadians that the missiles would have nuclear warheads. When people realized this, they were upset. The missiles were approved, but they were phased out of service by 1972. (See Bomarc Missile Crisis.)
Cuban Missile Crisis
On 15 October 1962, an American plane spied Soviet missiles being installed in Cuba. This was seen as a threat to the US and Canada. Canadian forces were placed on high alert. The crisis brought the world to the edge of nuclear war. It ended on 28 October 1962, when the Soviets agreed to dismantle and remove their missiles. In return, the US promised not to invade Cuba. (See Cuban Missile Crisis.)
Canadian Military Commitments
A Canadian army brigade group was stationed in West Germany during the Cold War. Canada also had fighter jets in France and West Germany. (See Canadian Forces in Europe During the Cold War.) The Canadian navy patrolled and monitored the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for submarines. (See Canada and Antisubmarine Warfare during the Cold War.)
The Korean War (1950–53) was the first major conflict of the Cold War. The United States led a United Nations force (including Canada) that supported South Korea. The Soviet Union supported communist North Korean and Chinese forces. More than 26,000 Canadians served in Korea: 516 died and more than 1,000 were wounded.
Canadians were also involved in peacekeeping operations throughout the world. This included areas divided between communist and anti-communist factions.
Cold War in Canada
The Cold War affected people in Canada as well. Many people feared nuclear war. Canada conducted nuclear drills (like the Tocsin Exercises) and built fallout shelters and underground bunkers (see Diefenbunker).
There were also communist “witch hunts” in Canada. People were accused of communism and lost their jobs. Communists were purged from trade unions. LGBTQ people were also purged from the federal public service and the armed forces. The government thought they could be blackmailed.
End of the Cold War
The Cold War began winding down in the late 1980s. Soviet leaders introduced several reforms and more openness. In 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down, reuniting West and East Germany. In 1991, the Warsaw Pact was dissolved. That year, the Soviet Union broke into separate countries. Democratic governments were elected in former communist regimes. The Cold War was over.
