Following the American lead: Canada’s Cuba policy, 1945–1951

Abstract

ABSTRACTDrawing on correspondence between Canada’s Department of External Affairs (DEA) and the Canadian legation in Havana, this article examines the evolution of Canada’s Cuba policy from 1945 to 1951 within the context of shifting international realities, Canadian–US relations, and the changing dynamics of Canadian diplomatic personnel. The preponderant necessities of the Cold War, specifically Canada’s alliance with the United States against the threat of Soviet expansion, persuaded senior DEA officials, as well as Canadian diplomats on the ground in Havana, to support the US-led status quo in Cuba. Far from being forced into supporting the US line, Canadian diplomats – both in Havana and Ottawa – shared the same fundamental Cold War ideology as their US counterparts. Moreover, Canada’s policy toward Cuba – which differed substantially from the United States after 1959 – was barely distinguishable from that of the United States during the pre-revolutionary period. In this way, rather than showcasing Canada and Cuba’s shared refusal to “exist merely as the satellite” of the United States – a trait that has distinguished Canada and Cuba’s bilateral relationship during the Castro years – relations between 1945 and 1951 show that Canada was satisfied to follow the US lead.