Panel 4
COLD WAR
1950-1990
CANADA'S MOST IMPORTANT ACTIVITY SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II WAS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO) AND THE NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE UNIFIED COMMAND (NORAD) DURING THE COLD WAR.
IT WAS A MASSIVE COMMITMENT.
SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND CANADIAN MILITARY MEMBERS SERVED IN THE VITAL CAUSE OF DETERRING SOVIET AGGRESSION, THEREBY JOINING CANADA'S ALLIES IN PREVENTING THE OUTBREAK OF A THIRD WORLD WAR AND THE NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST THAT WOULD HAVE ENSUED.
IN ADDITION TO UPHOLDING CANADA'S INTERNATIONAL TREATY RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE COLD WAR , THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY PATROLLED CANADA'S SHORES ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SOVIET. SUBMARINES AND LONG-RANGE AIRCRAFT THAT WERE PROBING OUR DEFENCES.
THE STAKES WERE HIGH WHEN THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS ERUPTED IN 1962, ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY SHIPS PUT TO SEA WHEN THE WORLD SEEMED TO BE ON THE BRINK OF NUCLEAR •WAR.
THE COLD WAR WAS NOT A SHOOTING WAR. THE JOB OF CANADIANS WAS DETERRENCE AND DETERRENCE WORKED.
CANADIAN SAILORS, SOLDIERS, AIRMEN AND AIRWOMEN TRAINED FOR WAR SO THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO FIGHT A WAR AND THEY SET THE STANDARD FOR NATO.
THEY WERE WELL TRAINED, WELL EQUIPPED AND SUPERBLY MOTIVATED AND EARNED THE RESPECT OF OUR ALLIES.
IN ALL, 570 MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES WERE LOST DURING THE COLD WAR MOST DUE TO OPERATIONAL ACCIDENTS.
AS WE PAUSE TO COMMEMORATE THE MANY SACRIFICES THAT OUR VETERANS HAVE MADE THROUGH THE YEARS, WE REMEMBER THOSE WHOSE SERVICE AS COLD WARRIORS, ALTHOUGH UNHERALDED, MADE A DIFFERENCE.