This thesis deals with the question of whether the Canadian government was a partner or an onlooker in the diplomatic process of German unification at the end of the Cold War. Rather than focusing on the major powers that were directly involved in determining the external aspects of German unity, Canada’s involvement as a middle power is explored. Canadian participation in ending the Cold War can be traced back to Trudeau’s efforts to further détente. Canada facilitated the international relaxing of tensions until the election of the Mulroney government. The shift in foreign policy revealed the reluctance of the new government to soften hostilities. As a result, the Mulroney government endorsed the American and West German agenda for German unification since it positioned a united Germany as a security and economic partner in the western alliance against the Soviet Union and strengthened Canadian security in the post-Cold War period.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MANITOBA/oai:mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca:1993/30210 |
| Date | 13 January 2015 |
| Creators | Brglez, Karen |
| Contributors | Freund, Alexander (History, U of W), Werner, Hans (History, U of W) Ferguson, Barry (History) Jaeger, Stephan (German and Slavic Studies) |
| Source Sets | University of Manitoba Canada |
| Detected Language | English |
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