Canada-U.S. Relations Between 1956 And 1963 Analytical Essay by Top Papers

The paper relates that in terms of the history of Canada-U.S. relations, the years between 1956 and 1963 were a time a particularly great turmoil. This paper discusses the key factors contributing to this state of affairs, including: the anti-nuclear movement and Canadian distrust of American power; American imperial interests; and Canadian nationalism. However, as this paper argues, the key factor shaping Canada-U.S. relations during this period was the personality of Canada's new Conservative Prime Minister Diefenbaker, and his tortured relationship with what he termed the "Pearsonalities" in the Department of External Affairs. As is seen, it was Diefenbaker's dominant role in determining Canada's relations with the United States during this period - with his deep suspicion of Ottawa's professional diplomats combined with his maverick personality traits - that contributed to a steadily worsening relationship with the United States on a variety of fronts in the late 1950s and early 1960s.