How Did John Diefenbaker Contribute To The Cuban Missile Crisis

“I am not anti-American. But I am strongly pro-Canadian” (Brainy Quote), said by Canada’s thirteenth Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker, in 1958. This statement represents John Diefenbaker’s intentions for Canada’s contribution to a critical crisis known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban Missile Crisis led Americans the urgency to panic. The crisis was initiated on October 16th of 1962, the United States’ President, John F. Kennedy, announced the existence of missiles that were being assembled in Cuba by the Soviet Union (USSR). The missiles were being assembled nearly ninety kilometres from the south shores of Florida, which created a major threat of great danger for the United States and Canada as well. Every North American citizen was

Once Diefenbaker was notified of the missiles, he was skeptical of Kennedy’s accusation of the situation. For example, he asked for more evidence and told Kennedy to send a team of United Nation (UN) members to inspect Cuba and report any suspicious actions and behaviours of the Soviet Union (Stairs). Diefenbaker evidently would only take full support and movement until he heard the UN’s confirmation of the Soviet Union’s missiles (Ghent 167). If Canada was entirely supporting the United States, they would have taken action the day of Kennedy’s announcement of the missiles, however, they took action on October 22nd for the naval blockade and the announcement was on October 16th (Glass). Canada’s desire to have the UN members involved and conciliate with the actions of the Soviet Union had postponed their initiation to help a little for the United States only. Canada did not take only one side of the two major countries involved in the crisis, specifically the United States’ side, and Canada interceded between the two major countries to confirm the actions of them. This example resulted in Canada to look more of a deceptive ally to the United

The online definition of an ally is: “to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage… to enter into an alliance; join; unite” (Dictionary.com). Canada did not define the term “ally” nor “unify” at all during the Cuban Missile Crisis because firstly, Diefenbaker made delayed responses to display Canada’s little support to the United States during the significant and tense time. Secondly, Canada had a motive to not initially partake in taking sides with only the United States. And thirdly, Diefenbaker made abominable choices for Canada from his grudge on his negative views of Kennedy. In 1962, Canada should have strongly defended their country with the United States to show maturity and respect. If Diefenbaker and Canada acted as a dependable ally to the United States, the relationship between the two allies would have benefitted both countries. Kennedy quotes his expectation of the relationship between the United States and Canada: “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder” (IZ Quotes). Considering the two countries were and still are physical “neighbours”, Canada and the United States were expected to act and defend strongly together against the Soviet