Cold War - Indirect Conflicts & Canadian Foreign Policy

1. Cold War - Indirect Conflicts& Canadian Foreign Policy

2. Foreign Policy - definition • a government’s policy governing international relations with other countries • Foreign policies generally are designed to help protect a country's: • national interests • national security • ideological goals • economic prosperity • This can occur as a result of peaceful cooperation with other nations (diplomacy), or through aggression, war, and exploitation

3. Canada as Middle Power • The threat of nuclear annihilation kept superpowers (USA and USSR) from open war – • both sides had allies in the developing world, where wars did occur • Canada emerged as a leading "middle power," • peacekeeper and negotiator in international disputes • Prime ministers remained prominent in international affairs • Canada also became an active member of the UN, supporting and promoting peace

4. Creation of the United Nations • formed in 1945 • 51 countries including Canada • Now 192 members • based on idea of collective security • to prevent another global conflict. • basic goals: peace and social and economic progress. • The four main goals were: • Keeping world peace and preventing new wars • Encouraging cooperation among nations • Defending human rights and helping to promote equality • Improving the standard of living for all nations

5. Canada and the United Nations • Canada has been an active and committed participant in the United Nations since its founding in 1945 • Individual Canadians have played vital roles within the UN • Examples include: • 1948 John Peters Humphrey was the principal author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

6. Structure – General Assembly • Forum in which members given a seat and right to vote on issues. • All UN members are representing in the General Assembly. • Each state has one vote and a majority of two-thirds is enough to make a decision. • The assembly discusses matters affecting world peace, supervises special agencies and controls the budget.

7. Structure - The Security Council • responsible for maintaining peace and security • consists of five permanent members, Britain, France, the U.S., Russia and China (the “Big Five”), and ten non-permanent members serving two year terms • Decisions require the consent of nine members, however each of the “Big Five” have veto power (the right to reject any decision) • Veto power has often prevented the UN from taking decisive action. • During the Cold War veto was used 78 times, 75 of them by the Soviet Union

8. Security Council – cont’ • In the event of a conflict pitting one or more countries against another, the Council can order economic sanctions against the aggressor, and all other UN members are obliged to comply with these.

9. Security Council Role – cont’ • If the sanctions fail to stop the aggression, the Security Council can authorize member states to launch joint military action. • The Council authorizes such operations only as a last resort, when all peaceful means of resolving a dispute have failed. • In most cases, the Council tries to facilitate a cease-fire between th combatants.

10. Cold War Indirect Conflicts

11. a. The Korean War 1950-53 • WWII left Korea divided into: • Communist North, supported by the USSR and China • Democratic South, supported by the U.S.A. • In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea • a UN force under American command tried to force the invaders to retreat

12. Korean War – cont’ • Canada sent thousands of troops (27,000) to fight in Korea as part of the UN • Canada’s Minister of External Affair Lester Pearson urged all sides to agree to a cease fire Canadian soldiers in Korea

13. Korean war – con’t • From July 1951-July, 1953 – a stalemate developed – no side made great advances *See animation -http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/korea.htm • In July 1953 both sides agreed to an armistice • Korea remained divided and tensions increased between the West and the communist nations. • The Korean War demonstrated that the UN was willing to take action

14. b. The Suez Crisis -1956 • Suez canal in Egypt – links Mediterranean Sea with Red Sea • provides shortest sea route from Europe to the Indian Ocean • built in 1800s and privately owned by British and French investors • 1956 – Egypt’s president, Nasser, & gov. took over canal and wanted to nationalize it (to be owned and run by the government)

15. Suez Crisis – cont’ • Israel frightened of Egyptian aggression – Egypt threatened to bar ships to and from Israel from using the canal • Britain and France backed Israel; USSR backed Egypt

16. Suez Crisis – cont’ • Lester Pearson – went to UN to try and work out solution • proposed a UN Emergency Force (UNEF) (later became peacekeeping forces) be sent to Suez Canal to separate and mediate Canadians at Suez

17. Suez Crisis – cont’ • 1957 - Pearson awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in defusing the crisis Lester Pearson accepting Prize

18. c. The Cuban Missile Crisis -1962 • 1959 - Cuban communist rebels under Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s pro-US leader in a revolution • US reacted by imposing trade economic sanctions on Cuba • 1961 – US backed an invasion of Cuba by anti-Castro Cubans • failed (Bay of Pigs) • this encouraged Cuba to turn to the USSR (Khrushchev) for support Castro & Khrushchev

20. Cuban Missile Crisis – cont’ • 1962 - US planes took photos showing that the USSR was installing offensive nuclear missile bases in Cuba – direct threat to US security

21. Cuban Missile Crisis – cont’ • President Kennedy announced a naval and air blockade of Cuba • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W50RNAbmy3M&feature=related

22. Cuban Missile Crisis – cont’ • Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev – at first refused to remove missiles • world on brink of nuclear war

23. Cuban Missile Crisis – cont’ • at last minute, Krushchev agreed to remove missiles with US agreement that would not invade Cuba

24. Canada & the Cuban Missile Crisis • the U.S. expected full support from Canada (its NORAD partner) • however PM Diefenbaker was reluctant to have Canada drawn into the conflict and at first refused to put Canadian NORAD forces on red alert and allow U.S. planes with atomic weapons to land in Canada

25. Canada & the Cuban Missile Crisis • Canadian troops were eventually put on alert; however Canada-U.S. relations were already damaged Fog of War Lesson One – Empathize with your Enemy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-jirVqT3jg Kennedy Assassination Conspiracy – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSBXW1-VGmM

26. d. The Vietnam War 1954-1975 a) The U.S. in Vietnam: • major conflict in Cold War • North – communist-controlled – backed by USSR • South – although more dictatorship than democracy – was supported by USA

27. Vietnam

28. Vietnam & Domino Theory • USA feared that if south fell to communism – all Asian countries could fall – by 1960’s USA sent troops • first war recorded by television cameras • Americans watched Vietnamese villages being bombed, own young men returning home disabled or in body bags – some began questioning involvement Letters Home From Vietnam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7N-aCtlLo

29. Vietnam – cont’ • 1968 – learned that US soldiers had massacred women and children in the village of My Lai • ended in 1973 under President Richard Nixon – lost war – BADLY • Term “Vietnam” has negative connotations to this day • Canada, especially Lester Pearson, critical of US involvement in Vietnam

30. Vietnam – cont’ b) Canada’s reaction to the Vietnam War: • PM Pearson did not support American involvement in the war – Canadian government officially NOT INVOLVED • Canada welcomed American “Draft Dodgers” • Some Canadian citizens enlisted in American military and fought in war (approx 40,000 between 1959-1975)

31. e. Cyprus - 1964 • Civil war broke out on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus • Between Greek majority & Turkish minority • Canadian UN troops initially sent in 1964 • Last of troops not withdrawn until 1993 • Now Cyprus is in relative harmony CBC Archives – Cyprus Pullout http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-71-1290-7540/conflict_war/blue_berets/

32. Détente -1960-1979 • Literally means relaxation of tensions • In terms of Cold War, refers to the period between 1960-1979 when there was a relaxation of tensions between the USA and USSR • SALT Treaties attempt to limit nuclear proliferation during this time

33. Trudeau’s Foreign Policy 1. Canada-U.S. Relations • In 1968 the Liberals, lead by Pierre Elliot Trudeau were elected • Trudeau wanted to steer foreign policy away from dependence on the U.S. • Trudeau realized Canada should consider the U.S. government to some extent when it came to foreign affairs, as he explained in a famous speech: “Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.” (March, 1969)

34. Trudeau & USA • Trudeau wanted to ease Cold War tensions and scale back Canada’s participation in the nuclear arms race • Nuclear missiles were removed from Canadian NATO forces in Europe (1970-1972) • Bomarc missile sites were dismantled • The last nuclear warheads were removed from Canada by 1984. • Trudeau cut the national defence budget

35. Recognizing Communist China • In 1970, Canada officially recognized the communist government of the People’s Republic of China (even though the U.S. was pressuring to withhold the recognition)

36. Canada & China – History • In 1949 – communists led by Mao Zedong took over the government of China • The UN, under pressure of the USA, refused to recognize the communist government • Instead recognized the former government, now located in Taiwan, which held one of the 5 permanent seats on the Security Council • 1971 – USA finally allowed “Red China” to replace Taiwan on the Security Council Mao Zedong & Trudeau

37. Cuba • When Cuba became communist in 1959 – the USA: • established an embargo (A government order imposing trade barriers) on Cuba in October 1960 • Broke diplomatic ties following January • Tensions peaked during the Bay of Pigs invasion (1961) and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) • Trudeau (and PMs after him) did not cut diplomatic ties, and ignored the embargo

38. Trudeau – Nuclear Weapons • In early 1970’s – tensions between US and USSR eased – agreed to reduce the number of nuclear weapons • signed SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) in 1972

39. Trudeau Era: SALT II • SALT II was delayed due to several events led to each side accusing the other of provoking war: 1. 1979 – USSR invaded Afghanistan & moved medium-range missiles into Eastern Europe – so NATO announced that it would move similar missiles into Western Europe – SALT talks called off 2. 1983 (Sept.) – Soviet jets shot down a Korean passenger jet that had strayed into Soviet airspace 3. 1983 - USA –invaded Grenada (in Caribbean) and deposed a Soviet government 4. USA carried out a covert (secret) war against left-wing Sandinista regime in Nicaragua • Trudeau – appealed to both sides to show more restraint – conducted “peace tour” to enlist support of countries around the world • However - 1984 – Trudeau decided to leave politics

40. Foreign Aid - CIDA While the Cold War politically split the world between the East and West, an economic gap separated the rich North from the poorSouth. • The Trudeau government aimed to promote world peace • North should be helping countries struck with poverty in the South to develop their economies and improve living conditions. • This became known as a policy of “Trade and Aid” • In 1968 the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was formed to boost foreign aid to less industrialized countries

41. Commonwealth & Francophonie • The Commonwealth was made of countries of the former British Empire • la Francophonie was an organization of French-speaking states (many were former colonies of France) • Canada is a member of both organizations, which discusses solutions for the North-South gap. • 1950 the Commonwealth countries created the Colombo Planto provide money and aid to less developed countries in the organization in SE Asia (most of the Canadian aid went to India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan)

42. Group of Eight (G8) • Formerly Group of 7 (G7) – Canada joined in 1976 • Member countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States • an international forum for the member governments to meet annually to discuss political and economic issues of mutual concern

43. G8 con’t • Together, these countries represent about: • 65% of the world economy • only about 14% of the world population, • the majority of global military power (7 of the top 8 positions for military expenditure, and almost all of the world's active nuclear weapons)

44. G8 – cont’ • The group's activities include year-round conferences and policy research, culminating with an annual summit meeting attended by the heads of government of the member states. The European Commission is also represented at the meetings. • The ministerial meetings bring together ministers responsible for various portfolios to discuss issues of mutual or global concern.

45. G8 cont’ • topics include: • health, law enforcement, labour, economic and social development, energy, environment, foreign affairs, justice and interior, terrorism and trade. • Many people are critical of the G8 because they feel their policies negatively affect developed countries • common criticism: • they only look out for their own interests rather that what is best for the world as a whole http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9IwOEeEQj8

46. Middle East • Ongoing conflicts in Middle East between Israel (est. 1949) and Arab states • 1973 – Yom Kippur War took place • Few years later - Anwar Sadat – leader of Egypt – initiated peace talks with Israelis • USA – tends to back Israel, USSR backs Arab nations

47. Middle East – cont’ • Camp David accords – signed in 1979 • Egyptians agreed to recognize Israeli’s right to exist • In turn – Israelis agreed to negotiate the occupied territories (i.e. Gaza Strip) • By late 1990s –agreement seemed close, but Intifadas (Palestinian uprisings) started in 2001 – no resolution • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZY8m0cm1oY • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW5EhSYOYCQ

48. Afghanistan – 1979-1988 • Cold war “heated up” again when: • USSR placed 350 missiles in Eastern Europe • USSR invaded Afghanistan • Installed a new dictator, Karmal, as President • The West, China, and India were alarmed because the Soviets appeared to be attempting to take control of the Persian Gulf • Result – USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics • From 1980-1988 – viscous warin Afghanistan • created refugee problem for neighbouringstates like Pakistan • 1988 – Soviets agreed to withdraw

49. USA invaded Grenada - 1983 • US justification for invasion – to depose a Soviet government that had assassinated the Prime Minister • Grenada was part of the Commonwealth of Nations • invasion was opposed by the United Kingdom, Trinidad & Tobago and Canada, among others. • British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher personally opposed the U.S. invasion

50. Grenada – cont’ • Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, assured her that an invasion was not contemplated. Reagan later said, • "She was very adamant and continued to insist that we cancel our landings on Grenada. I couldn't tell her that it had already begun." • After the invasion, Prime Minister Thatcher wrote to President Reagan: This action will be seen as intervention by a Western country in the internal affairs of a small independent nation, however unattractive its regime. I ask you to consider this in the context of our wider East-West relations and of the fact that we will be having in the next few days to present to our Parliament and people the siting of Cruise missiles in this country...I cannot conceal that I am deeply disturbed by your latest communication. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71wmvM0FENI