CDKW00071 - The Home Front

In this cable, the High Commissioner for Canada warned that recent news articles indicated a distinct lack of public support for the Korean conflict, in contrast to strong support in Ottawa. In particular, the High Commissioner was worried about an article in The Economist which indicated that Canadians believe the Americans should take the first hits for their inaction at the start of the Second World War and fears about involvement with Formosa. The High Commissioner also was concerned about a piece in the Manchester Guardian, which drew upon a number of French-Canadian news sources and argued that Quebec was effectively against the Korean War. Although infrequently addressed in the document series as a whole, due to the nature of diplomatic cables, it is worth remembering that the Canadian government was mindful of the home front, not just the ongoing fighting in Asia.