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Formation of the United Nations
The United Nations was formed to keep countries at peac. The five major nations; the Republic of China, French Republic, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and the United States were all expected to work together to act against threats and keep the peace. But, as the Cold War developed, countries found themselves picking one of the two sides; The Communist powers (the Soviet side) or the Western powers (United States side). This caused more tension between the communists and non-communists. -
Use of the Atomic Bomb
The first atomic bomb was produced by the Americans during the Second World War and was dropped in Hiroshima, Japan on August 6th, 1945. They did this not only to stop World War II, but to show the Soviet Union that they had atomic bombs and were more powerful, therefore triggering the Cold War. -
Gouzenko Affair
Igor Gouzenko was a cipher clerk for the Soviet Embassy to Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. On September 5th, 1945, he left the Soviet Embassy to Canada with 109 documents on Soviet espionage activity in the West. In the documents were Joseph Stalin's efforts to steal nuclear information. Because of this, Mackenzie King investigated espionage in Canada. This is considered one of the major events that triggered the Cold War. -
The Formation of NATO
The formation of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) occurred during the rise of communism. NATO drew Canada, the United States and 10 other nations closer together for protection and to show the Soviet Union that all of these 12 major nations did not support communism. -
The Korean War
China was part of NATO, although fell into communism. This worried the United States as they feared the expansion of communism in Asia. So as tension grew, the United States tried to secure South Korea. When North Korea, a communist country, attacked South Korea, the United Nations fought back, this included Canada. -
Formation of the Warsaw Pact
As a sign of communist domincance, the Warsaw Pact was signed by a large number of European countries. This pact was made to show the countries part of NATO, particularly the United States, that they were more powerful. A lot of countries in the Warsaw Pact only chose to join because they feared the Soviet Union. -
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War started when North Vietnam and the Viet Cong wanted to reunify Vietnam under communist rule. The Soviet Union was involved with the Vietnam War as they worked with North Vietnam to try to spread communism. As the United States were extremely opposed to communism, they fought North Vietnam and Viet Cong. Canada fought alongside the United States. Once again the Soviet Union and the United States were fighting against each other. -
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis occurred when the Israelis invaded Egypt to try to take the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal was wanted by many nations including Britain, France, the United States and the Soviet Union. So when Britain and France joined Isreal to take the canal, the United States, Soviet Union, and other countries in the United Nations fought against them. This included Canada. This fight intensified the 'competition' between the Soviet Union and the United States as they both wanted the Suez Canal. -
The Formation of NORAD
The North American Air Defence was signed by Canada and the United States to provide protection to North America. NORAD was made in response to threats from the Soviet Union. -
The Cancellation of the Avro Arrow
The Avro Arrow was a jet made by Canada that was supposed to be Canada's best defense against the Soviet Union's bomb threats. Instead, Canada's new Prime Minister at the time, John Diefenbacker, stopped the operation. It is still unknown exactly why he stopped it, but an important factor was that it became too expensive to develop them. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
For two weeks, the world was on the brink of a nuclear war. Tension between the Soviet Union and the United States intensified when the United States found out that the Soviet Union was secretly storing nuclear weapons in Cuba. -
SALT Treaty
For the first time, on May 26th, 1972, the United States and the Soviet Union signed a treaty limiting the amount of nuclear missiles they could produce. This treaty was called the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT). The agreement expired December 31st, 1985 and was never renewed. It is said that they signed the treaty for closer diplomatic relations. The United States were hoping for help in the Vietnam War as it was expensive, and the Soviet Union was having border disputes with China. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a program made by President Ronald Reagan of the United States. It was issued on MArch 23rd 1983 and was developed to prevent possible nuclear attacks from the Soviet Union. Canada declined the invitation from the United States to join SDI because they thought it would upset the balance between the Soviet Union and the United States. Eventually, the Strategic Defense Initiative was abandoned. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
On August 13th, 1961, the German Democratic Republic built a wall they called the Berlin Wall to seperate West Germany from East Germany. Anyone who tried to pass this wall was killed by the soldiers patrolling the Berlin Wall. Then, on November 9th, 1989, East Germany's Communist Party announced that their relationship with the West was changing and that the wall was coming down. This was considered an end to the Cold War for Germany. -
The Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union fell apart after Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan announced that they were becoming independent from the Soviet Union. On the night of the 26th of December, 1991, the Soviet flag came down and the pre-revolutionary Russian flag went up. At last, the Cold War was over as the Soviet Union came apart.
