The Need for NORAD

Defence sharing between Canada and the United States goes back to the First World War with an agreement that allowed munitions sharing.  The first official agreement was the 1940 Ogdensburg Declaration followed by the Hyde Park Agreement in April 1941 agreeing to cooperate together.

Despite these and other committees, after the Second World War there was less interest in defence sharing, until 1947 when it became obvious again.  The two countries came up with the Joint Industrial Mobilization Committee in 1949 and both governments shared ideas.  This involved technology sharing and trade.  There was also the Canada/United States Permanent Joint Board on Defence which thought about various projects, including the radar lines.  There was an American and Canadian chairman, each responsible to their own government.

Not all of Canada recognized the need for combined air defence right away.  Canada did not always hold their defence as high as other countries.  They had always been safe with either Britain or the United States, and before the 1950s it was improbable that anyone would come through the north.  However, the United States came up with a bomber during the Second World War that could make it across the arctic and back with one refueling, making the north a more likely route.  Canada came around especially after the hydrogen bomb was tested by the Soviet Union.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) became involved early with air defence as it was a good way to approach war, because they were shown to be doing something to support the Americans, but it did not involve many people.  It was also popular because it was defensive rather than offensive.

The Army was a bit slower to accept the idea of a united North American defence because they felt connected to Britain, but the Air Force and Navy both saw the potential of sharing technology with the Americans.

CONAD, or the Continental Air Defense Command, was an American command for air defense.  The United States Air Force, or the USAF had the majority in CONAD over the Navy and Army, and wanted to come together with the RCAF as early as the mid-1950s. 

There were people in Canada and the American Army who doubted this could work.  Some in the United States thought that Canada would favour NATO which included more allies.  Many in Canada also originally thought NATO would be more beneficial than the idea of a dual partnership. 

However, with the move under Eisenhower after Korea to deterrence rather than traditional forces, the need became more visible.  The threat to Canada was too great and they had the north, two coasts, and lots of land and not enough resources to defend it all.