Truman's Speech: Informed or Consulted?

President Truman’s 30 November 1950 speech provoked Canadian anxiety over the possible use of the atomic bomb. Truman argued that conventional and atomic weapons were one and the same, but the Canadian government understood the significance of atomic weapons to be earth-shattering. The Department of External Affairs (DEA) took a hard stance on Canada’s right to be consulted prior to use, but the United States only conceded to keeping Canada informed of when it would be used. The DEA was well aware of the weight of public opinion. If the bomb were to be used, the Canadian people would demand rationale and answers from their government which, if not consulted, would be backed into a corner.