US-Canada Relations Under Kennedy

Paper Summary:

This paper studies the tumultuous relationship between President John F. Kennedy and Canadian Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker during their mutual years in power between 1960 and 1963. The paper demonstrates how the animosity between them made this period the lowest point in U.S.-Canadian relations since the War of 1812. The paper analyzes the complex issues that were the foundations for their personal disdain of each other: (1) Diefenbaker was an old-fashioned prairie populist with a deep distrust of Americans and Kennedy personified the wealthy American establishment; (2) The two had fundamental differences over the handling of key events during their times in office, including a 1961 meeting in Ottawa, trade policy, the debate on nuclear arms, the Cuban Missile Crisis and a disastrous Sate Department Press release. After a detailed analysis of these issues, the paper concludes that their differences were irreconcilable and their clash inevitable.

From the Paper:

"Diefenbaker was born in Neustadt, Ontario on September 18, 1895 and moved first to Fort Calton in the North West Territories in 1903 and then to Saskachewan in 1910 while Kennedy was born in Brookline, Mass. on May 29, 1917, with a silver spoon in his mouth. Diefenbaker's studies at the University of Saskachewan were interrupted by World War I where he was injured in training camp. After attending Harvard University, Kennedy became a war hero in World War II, winning the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for bravery. Diefenbaker, after deciding that his future lay in politics rather than law, began a slow rise in the government, losing several times municipally, provincially and federally. Kennedy however, began his political career in 1946 by being elected to Congress in 1947 and to the Senate in 1952, both by landslide victories. Diefenbaker was nominated as the Conservative party leader in 1956 and became Canada's thirteenth Prime Minister in 1957 while Kennedy defeated Nixon in the 1960 election to become America's thirty-fifth President. A motion of non-confidence was eventually passed on Diefenbaker's government by the Liberals in 1963, and Diefenbaker resigned on April 22, quietly dying on August 16, 1979. Kennedy's end as President was more dramatic; he was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963, shocking the world and creating much controversy and speculation."

More papers on US-Canada Relations Under Kennedy:

• Research Paper # 42774 : "U.S.-Canada Relations"
• Essay # 89035 : "US-Canadian Relations"
• Research Paper # 57334 : "U.S.-Canada Relations and the Cold War"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: