10 April 1951: Limits of Consultation

Following a meeting with the State Department, Wrong writes to update Ottawa. He was told that the Truman administration’s only consultative commitment to Canada and the United Kingdom relates to “the developing international situation and the military measures called for,” not the actual use of the bomb. This adds further confusion, adding to the issues which have complicated the Canadian discussions with the United States for months. While Wrong notably claims that Canada cannot allow “unrestricted use in peacetime of the facilities in Canadian territory,” he concedes that a clear Soviet air attack on North America would mean that US action could be immediately taken from a Canadian base, likely Goose Bay, without consultation.