A “New Look” at Cold War Maritime Defense—The Royal Canadian Navy’s Seaward Defence Report and the Threat of the Missile-Firing Submarine, 1955

Authors

Michael Whitby, Directorate of History and Heritage, National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada

Number

8

Abstract

The Soviets’ development in the mid-1950s of the capability to launch nuclear-armed missiles from conventional submarines constituted a significant challenge to Allied antisubmarine forces during the Cold War, impacting the U.S. Navy and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) most. The RCN’s 1955 Seaward Defence Report reveals how a midsize navy with comparatively limited resources charged with defending a long coastline and valuable strategic targets proposed to cope with dramatically changing circumstances.

Recommended Citation

Whitby, Michael (2020) "A “New Look” at Cold War Maritime Defense—The Royal Canadian Navy’s Seaward Defence Report and the Threat of the Missile-Firing Submarine, 1955," Naval War College Review: Vol. 73: No. 4, Article 8.
Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol73/iss4/8