https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/f458b0558e6e6cfd3533b94a368d86cd.pdf 665a08ddf82ee039f255146a74370418 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Be&WefledikHg^Sj^erUd/M S0 3ZZ- +> June 10, 1955. •B--R-A F T A Uvi. MEMORANDUM FOR THE MINISTER :^Y 0 Canadian Defence Commitments in North America and in Europe <£o*^K£ - ^Y* l~anr •coii-curiibiU., aa I know you araif about tfhe s i t u a t i o n which i s a r i s i n g out of the c o n f l i c t i n g demands on our defence r e s o u r c e s . 'On the o n ^ h a n d , the thermonuclear t h r e a t to North America i s obliging*us to devote ever l a r g e r sums of money and numbers of mejr to c o n t i n e n t al defence, and we have now reached the Bjpint where, unless we a r e p r e pared to obtain a d d i t i o n a l j r e s o u r c es of men and money from some other source, we shaiQj. have to accept the n e c e s s i t y of handing over in i n c r e a s i n g measure to the United S t a t e s forces the e f f e c t i v e c o n t r a b a n d manning of defences, in our t e r r i t o r y . Early warning l i n e g f a r e only the f i r s t and by no means t h e most d i f f i c u l t ofjffthese new c o n t i n e n t a l requirements. We a r e daily learning /If new p r o j e c t s which w i l l involve the e s t a b lishment and operation by the United S t a t e s of a d d i t i o n a l defence f a c u l t i e s in Canada. 'i 2. Qji the other hand, there is mounting evidence that the Soviet Government has embarked upon a determined campaign. to brinafabout the withdrawal of North American forces from WesternJEurope, or from Germany initially, as the price for German!reunification. The disruption of the Atlantic alliance wouldf be the probable result of Soviet success in this campaign, accompanied by renewed agitation for "Popular Front" governments in franee and Italy. 3.; I nnjp^r, hplrp-""-? that the present German Government would accept reunification on such terms; but it may be that I anlpffer of reunification will be linked with some Soviet scheme for European "security" and disarmament. The proposals for a European Collective Security Pact made by Mr. Molotov 000287 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Ltg-gfiyga/ges a I'information -2- at the last Four Power meeting in February 1954 were flatly rejected by the Western ministers on the ground that they involved the dissolution of the Western security system while leaving intact the military power of the Soviet bloc in Europe. In the milder atmosphere induced by the new Soviet tactics, however, it may be difficult for European public opinion, and indeed for North American public opinion, to weigh such proposals dispassionately&*.<•& tc /to-. JidL O-^H &<-U>-**-CJ!* of 4». f. (L CO C^J&^y^ r^- X ^ i ^ ^ ^ i - -^-' *-e **4 AJ»*..'C(O~£*^J£ c^*^t-i(L In •-saS^^a situation^any major reduction in our defence i^BF-\_-e * * - • J L * A * C A ^ I c y < ~ commitments irr Europe would be likely T O have political consequences out of all proportion to the size of the forces involved. By the Europeans it would be taken to signify a lessening interest on our part in the security of Western Europe; for the Americans it might provide an excuse to reduce their own forces overseas; from the point of view of NATO as a whole the withdrawal of any A North American forces would entail the very weakening of the alliance which it is a major objective of Soviet policy to achieve. 5. Moreover, if there were to be a withdrawal of United States forces from Europe, this would not (in the absence of an international agreement radically changing and effectively controlling Soviet military capabilities) diminish the apprehension of a possible surprise atomic attack on North America. Indeed, the greater the North American withdrawal from Europe, the more Canada would represent /'the only buffer area between the United A A States and the Soviet Union; and in this continental isolation, \ American apprehensions would tend to lead to ever-increasing A. demands upon us for further measures of defence. We would find ourselves locked in the embrace of the United States in a continental fortress of North America, bristling with atomic Tf .o ^LZ~LZ~ *- —•*"* f-*n ***** armament as its main means of defence. 6. In handling specific current requests from the United States Government for facilities in or over Canadian territory 000288 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de laJL^Lsy^ftfcces a Finformation -3or for Canadian participation in joint defence measures, we have been taking the position that Canada should at least have some part in continental defence measures, and should reserve the right in all cases to assume responsibilities for defence activities on our soil. If this approach to the handling of Specific U.S. requests were pressed to the point where it would necessitate a substantial withdrawal of Canadian forces from Western Europe, it would be essential to examine very carefully the effects of such a course not only on Canada but on Western security as a whole. 7» It was precisely in order to/try to formulate cri- teria of policy upon which judgments pf this nature might be based that this Department suggested/that the Department of National Defence should be asked to/co-operate with us in a comprehensive study of national security policy. You have written to Mr. Campney four times /on the subject without receiving a reply (November 25, 1&54; February 11, March 4 and April 4, 1955). However, wrf have since learned informally from several sources, including Mr. Bryce, that a paper is being prepared in the Office df the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff, reviewing Canadian defence commitments. We do not know what this study will amount/to and there is no indication yet of any intention to co-ordinate this study with -other Departments concerned, 3. I believe thai the formulation of such criteria is now more necessary than ever. If you agree, you might wish to propose to the Pnime Minister that he discuss the whole question of a review of national security policy jointly with you and Mr. Camp/ey. ^ ute t^b J . ^ —ct u-uz* o~*-~ -TJ^ c ^ - ^ U - t o — "L-—f*» • / ] _ ^ ^ ^ _U. <*. ~ — f~l~~> ,** - « «=• * ~~ ^L^h^ t ^ ZZ1 1A~~* y 000289 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW00108 Title A name given to the resource Draft Memorandum for the Minister, "Canadian Defence Commitments in North America and in Europe" Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 6/10/1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Study on Canadian National Security Policy, RG25, file 50333-40, LAC. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Early Cold War, Canadian National Security Description An account of the resource Defence Liaison (1) Division Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en