North American Aerospace Defense Command
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a joint operational command established on August 1, 1957, between Canada and the United States to ensure the air defense of both nations. Its origins trace back to World War II when Canada sought U.S. assistance for defense amid fears of a potential Nazi invasion. The collaboration evolved significantly during the Cold War, driven by concerns over Soviet air attacks that could threaten the continent, necessitating a robust defense strategy involving both nations.
As tensions with the Soviet Union escalated, U.S. military officials advocated for deeper integration of defense efforts, leading to the establishment of an integrated command structure that would allow for coordinated responses to any threats. This culminated in the formalization of NORAD, which featured shared command posts located in strategic sites in both countries. While NORAD did not encounter any attacks during the Cold War, it became a vital component of North American military cooperation and remains operational today, focusing on aerospace detection and monitoring. This enduring alliance highlights the significance of collaborative defense in the context of evolving security challenges in North America.
North American Aerospace Defense Command
Identification Defense alliance between Canada and the United States
Date Founded in August, 1957, as the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD)
The NORAD alliance represented the growing integration of the Canadian and American militaries in the defense of North America in the face of perceived Soviet aggression during the Cold War.
On August 1, 1957, the Canadian government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker announced that for the first time, Canada and the United States had formed a new “integrated operational control” for the air defense of both nations.
The first step toward NORAD began in 1940, when the Canadian government, fearful that its prime ally, Great Britian, would be conquered by Nazi Germany, sought the assistance of the administration of U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt in its defense. The result was the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, which coordinated the defense of the northern half of North America. Although it was never publicly debated, the arrangement marked the beginning of a much closer Canadian relationship with Canada’s southern neighbor, and, as such, the arrangement was popularly received by Canadians.
The military relationship between Canada and the United States became even more important after the end of World War II. With the onset of the Cold War, the United States had a new military rival in the form of the Soviet Union. War with that enemy would likely involve a Soviet air attack, possibly with nuclear weapons, against the continental United States. The route of Soviet aircraft to their intended targets would carry them over Canada. Accordingly, the extent of Canadian military preparation had a direct bearing on American security.
The U.S. government repeatedly pressed several Canadian governments for stronger military ties. In 1951, the first Royal Canadian Air Force officers began liaison assignments at the U.S. Air Force’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This closer cooperation involved the use of American money to erect on Canadian soil a series of radar defense lines designed to provide warning of an impending Soviet air assault. Should that assault materialize, Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent’s government gave permission to the U.S. military to attack incoming Soviet aircraft in Canadian airspace. Diefenbaker’s government went one step further and gave approval to the United States to use missiles to shoot down Soviet planes over Canada.
Integrated Command
From the perspective of U.S. military planners, even more integration was desired, although they remained conscious of offending the strong nationalist sensibilities of Canadians. Instead, subtle pressure was applied through the Canadian armed forces. In December of 1956, a committee formed from the two nations’ militaries recommended an integrated command with a single overall commander for the air defense of North America. In March, 1957, the Eisenhower administration added its support to the plan.
In Canada, a federal election interrupted before Ottawa’s final approval could be given. With little consultation, newly elected Prime Minister John Diefenbaker signed his approval to the agreement, falsely portraying it to the Canadian public as being merely an extension of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). A Canadian officer was appointed as second in command to his American superior, and NORAD command posts (in the side of a mountain in Colorado Springs and down a mineshaft in North Bay, Ontario) were established in both nations.
Impact
NORAD represented a significant and long-lasting 1950’s development in the military and political relationship between Canada and the United States and showcased the importance of allied defense in the Cold War era. Although it never faced an attack during the Cold War, the defense system remained in place into the twenty-first century, by which time it was officially known as the North American Aerospace Defense Command—a name that refleted NORAD’s role in space detection and tracking.
Bibliography
Crosby, Ann Denholm. Dilemmas in Defence Decision-Making: Constructing Canada’s Role in NORAD, 1958-96. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998. Systematic look at Canadian participation in NORAD.
Granatstein, J. L., and Norman Hillmer. For Better or for Worse: Canada and the United States to the 1990’s. Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 1991. Detailed examination of Canada’s relationship with the United States.