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CHAPTER V
STRATEGIC FACTORS AFFECTING US SECURITY
Canada is of vital importance to US secu-
defense planners face the consideration of
rity, primarily because of its situation on or
joint security measures. The lodgment of an
adjacent to the principal lines of communi-
enemy on most points of Canadian soil would
cation between the US and the Eurasian con-
constitute a threat to US security as real as
tinent, and between the US and Alaska. In
would its lodgment in the US itself.
time of war it would be practically impossible
Political stability in Canada is such that no
to protect shipping lanes in the North At-
internal threat to US security interests is to
lantic and Pacific oceans, and northern aerial
be expected. Canadian democratic processes
routes, without the use of naval bases and
are in consonance with those in the US, and
airfields in Canada. Conversely, the denial
the well-developed two-party political system
of these routes to an aggressor against the
does not appear to be endangered by the ex-
US would be extremely difficult without de-
istence of the new political parties which have
fensive bases in Canada.
developed from time to time during the past
Matching the importance of the already
twenty years. The Labor Progressive Party,
established commercial routes is the yet un-
overt national organization of the outlawed
exploited trans-Arctic approach to the North
Communist International Party in Canada,
American continent. Defense against attack
has become an increasingly impotent and in-
from this direction can be most readily ef-
effective force as Communism has grown in-
fected through the use of an "intercept zone"
creasingly unpopular. It is not considered
which stretches across Canada and Alaska be-
that the Communist movement in Canada is
tween the 55th and 70th parallels of latitude.
of such strength as in any way to compromise
In the event of future hostilities between the
the present relationship between the US and
US and any Eurasian power, attack by spo-
Canada or to interfere with the attainment
radic air raids, guided missile weapons, or
of US national objectives.
aerial invasion through this northern route
Progress over the past several decades in
is most certain to be attempted. Only
the development of a positive and energetic
through the employment of this intercept area
foreign policy has earned for Canada a place
for the location of defensive bases and for the
of prominence as a leading middle power, and
launching of offensive retaliatory attacks can
through membership in and support of the
the industrial regions of the US and Canada
UN and the North Atlantic Treaty it con-
be adequately protected.
tributes appreciably to US security interests.
The land mass of Canada, comprising an
Canada has a stable and prosperous economy,
area of 3,842,000 square miles, or slightly more
an industrial potential which could con-
than half the North American continent, is
tribute greatly to war production, and numer-
strategically vulnerable in much the same
ous critical and strategic raw materials.
way as the United States but to a greater
Militarily, Canada's lack of sufficient
degree. This identity of strategic interests
strength to defend itself against a major at-
has caused defense planning to transcend
tack and its dependence upon the US or other
political boundaries; the whole North Ameri-
outside sources for military aid in time of
can continent is considered as one unit, no
emergency is not considered a serious threat
part of which can be encroached upon with-
to US security interests. But with the par-
out endangering all the remainder of it.
tial disappearance of the protection formerly
With this concept in view, US and Canadian
afforded by the natural barriers between the
SECRET
55
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"ocrText": "CRET\nCHAPTER V\nSTRATEGIC FACTORS AFFECTING US SECURITY\nCanada is of vital importance to US secu-\ndefense planners face the consideration of\nrity, primarily because of its situation on or\njoint security measures. The lodgment of an\nadjacent to the principal lines of communi-\nenemy on most points of Canadian soil would\ncation between the US and the Eurasian con-\nconstitute a threat to US security as real as\ntinent, and between the US and Alaska. In\nwould its lodgment in the US itself.\ntime of war it would be practically impossible\nPolitical stability in Canada is such that no\nto protect shipping lanes in the North At-\ninternal threat to US security interests is to\nlantic and Pacific oceans, and northern aerial\nbe expected. Canadian democratic processes\nroutes, without the use of naval bases and\nare in consonance with those in the US, and\nairfields in Canada. Conversely, the denial\nthe well-developed two-party political system\nof these routes to an aggressor against the\ndoes not appear to be endangered by the ex-\nUS would be extremely difficult without de-\nistence of the new political parties which have\nfensive bases in Canada.\ndeveloped from time to time during the past\nMatching the importance of the already\ntwenty years. The Labor Progressive Party,\nestablished commercial routes is the yet un-\novert national organization of the outlawed\nexploited trans-Arctic approach to the North\nCommunist International Party in Canada,\nAmerican continent. Defense against attack\nhas become an increasingly impotent and in-\nfrom this direction can be most readily ef-\neffective force as Communism has grown in-\nfected through the use of an \"intercept zone\"\ncreasingly unpopular. It is not considered\nwhich stretches across Canada and Alaska be-\nthat the Communist movement in Canada is\ntween the 55th and 70th parallels of latitude.\nof such strength as in any way to compromise\nIn the event of future hostilities between the\nthe present relationship between the US and\nUS and any Eurasian power, attack by spo-\nCanada or to interfere with the attainment\nradic air raids, guided missile weapons, or\nof US national objectives.\naerial invasion through this northern route\nProgress over the past several decades in\nis most certain to be attempted. Only\nthe development of a positive and energetic\nthrough the employment of this intercept area\nforeign policy has earned for Canada a place\nfor the location of defensive bases and for the\nof prominence as a leading middle power, and\nlaunching of offensive retaliatory attacks can\nthrough membership in and support of the\nthe industrial regions of the US and Canada\nUN and the North Atlantic Treaty it con-\nbe adequately protected.\ntributes appreciably to US security interests.\nThe land mass of Canada, comprising an\nCanada has a stable and prosperous economy,\narea of 3,842,000 square miles, or slightly more\nan industrial potential which could con-\nthan half the North American continent, is\ntribute greatly to war production, and numer-\nstrategically vulnerable in much the same\nous critical and strategic raw materials.\nway as the United States but to a greater\nMilitarily, Canada's lack of sufficient\ndegree. This identity of strategic interests\nstrength to defend itself against a major at-\nhas caused defense planning to transcend\ntack and its dependence upon the US or other\npolitical boundaries; the whole North Ameri-\noutside sources for military aid in time of\ncan continent is considered as one unit, no\nemergency is not considered a serious threat\npart of which can be encroached upon with-\nto US security interests. But with the par-\nout endangering all the remainder of it.\ntial disappearance of the protection formerly\nWith this concept in view, US and Canadian\nafforded by the natural barriers between the\nSECRET\n55"
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