DEFENDING NORTH AMERICA

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DEFENDING NORTH AMERICA by Mind Map: DEFENDING NORTH AMERICA

1. Canada's Acceptance of Nuclear Weapons in 1963

1.1. Established a solid alliance and a united front with the United States with both of the countries using nuclear weapons

1.2. Because the Avro Arrow was too expensive, the Canadian government started buying Bomarc missiles from the United States to maintain their security. Since the Bomarc missiles wouldn't work without nuclear warheads, Canada had to accept nuclear weapons.

1.3. The acceptance of nuclear weapons reassured Canadians that Canada was doing its best to protect them and it gave them a sense of security

1.4. If Canada had not accepted nuclear weapons, the Bomarc missiles would have been placed near the border, and if it had to intercept any missiles, there would be unsuspecting civilians below. By accepting nuclear weapons, the Bomarc missiles can be placed far north so that it wouldn't affect civilians.

1.5. The acceptance of nuclear weapons meant the introduction of CANDU reactors, and it meant that some parts of Canada would have to remain isolated at all costs in fear of radiation

1.6. Many Canadian citizens felt that allowing nuclear weapons would be hypocritical as Canadians were known for their peacekeepers

1.7. Other Canadian citizens felt that by accepting nuclear weapons, if a nuclear war were to break out, it would essentially be global suicide.

1.8. Many civilians thought that after destroying the Avro Arrow project and accepting the nuclear weapons and the Bomarc missiles; they were abandoning Canadian innovation and design in favor for the United States'

2. Canada's Role in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

2.1. It was smart for Diefenbaker to continue pressuring Kennedy to let independent United Nations Forces to survey the sites because rash actions would have repercussions

2.2. Canada not joining Kennedy with his support and his belief exercised Canadian caution and for Canadians to look at all the facts before making a decision

2.3. Canada only told its troops to be on alert after the climax of the crisis was over; it was a wise idea because the USSR could have come for Canada, knowing that Canada meant a lot to the United States

2.4. Diefenbaker and Kennedy already had an uneasy relationship, so why immediately support the United States when there is a slight tension between them

2.5. Because Canada did not immediately join the United States and offer its support, the was a seed of doubt planted in Kennedy as to if the Canadians were trustworthy or not

2.6. If a nuclear war did occur then Canada would be left out of the loop and the United States would not have Canadian troops fighting alongside them

2.7. It is understood that the reason for Canada's hesitance was because Canada wanted to maintain independence, but hesitation for that long meant that Canada may have been a bit too independent and not assisting its neighboring countries immediately

2.8. Canada, by putting its troops on high alert early, could have shown the Soviet Union how strong and ready for war they are and could have shown them that Canada and USA combined is a force to be reckoned with.

3. The Scrapping Of The Avro Arrow

3.1. The Avro Arrow was way to expensive, costing the Canadian government over millions of dollars to make each one

3.2. Why have the Avro Arrow when Sputnick and atmospheric/intercontinental ballistic missiles could be developed

3.3. The United States was afraid that Canada was going to surpass them in airplane technology and ordered it to be scrapped

3.4. Because the Avro Arrow was so expensive, the United States did not want to buy them; Canada would run out of money making the airplanes

3.5. The Avro project opened more jobs for unemployed men who needed money to sustain themselves or their families

3.6. It symbolized the pure potential of Canadian craftsmanship and Canadian innovation

3.7. The Avro Arrow opened up many more possibilities such as an AvroCar or a supersonic rail

3.8. The Avro Arrow was by far the best airplane that the world had seen at that time and it was leaps and bounds away from its nearest competition