Friday, December 16, 2022

A New Conflict

 The end of the war, with the strong bonds that formed between the Canadians and the Dutch, would have a generational effect, with many of the Dutch immigrating to Canada after the war.


The end of the war in Europe was a time of jubilation for the Allies.


But there was more yet to be done. Canada had put much of its emphasis in the European theatre, but had been involved in the Pacific theatre as well throughout the war.


The surrender of Japan came down to the use of two atomic bombs by the United States to settle the matter.


A piece of a tile from Hiroshima is a chilling but effective artifact.


And what would come after the victory in the Second World War?

The Cold War.


One of the incidents that started it was the Gouzenko Affair. Igor Gouzenko was a Soviet clerk at the embassy here in Ottawa, who stole documents proving the Soviets were spying on their western allies and brought them to the attention of the Canadian authorities. The small, nondescript apartment building where he and his family had been living at the time is one I pass nearly every day, with plaques in the park across the street explaining its significance in history. Gouzenko would live out his life under protection, writing books, and when he appeared in public, he would always be masked.

42 comments:

  1. No one really gets to win in a war especially when so many lives are being sacrificed.

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  2. So weird to need to wear a mask whenever going out in public. What a life.

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  3. Being in spy must have been so dangerous, and such an awful thing to do to fellow humans, plotting and scheming. War is dreadful, so many innocents lost by the decisions made by those in comfortable offices too cowardly to go to fight these horrendous battles themselves.

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  4. And now the Reichsbürger are back, it´s so sick.
    The cold war. Reckon I am "too young". We lived near the border and let helium balloons fly over once with our addresses and hobbies and an elderly couple really sent me gifts (and certainly wanted Jacob´s Krönung coffee in exchange - it was like West-money).
    Ingo had relatives over there. To us it was separation, rather then war.

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  5. I don't know if I could've been a spy, so many hidden dangers and enemies.

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  6. The end of the war and the months before and after were horrible times for my parents and grandparents ! The prisoners came back and the cities had to be built up again and the worst was hunger we all lived under occupation and I remember well this time we lived under American occupation and were rather lucky. The Russians were the worst behaving worse then animals and raped all females they could get nuns included.

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  7. The bond between The Netherlands and Canada continues strong to this day.

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  8. The spies put their lives in danger, they were brave. It would be nice if there were no more wars.
    Take care, enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Igor certainly did. And in doing so, he earned the life long protection.

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  9. ...conflicts seem to never end.

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  10. There were quite a few Dutch where we used to live — Sarnia and Lambton County. I think the boggy clay soils suited them well initially.

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  11. If our TV programming choices are an indicator, humans love a conflict, even if it's virtual.

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  12. It seems to be one war after another.

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  13. Such an interesting connection with the Dutch.

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  14. The Gousenko affair went on for years.

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  15. The end of one conflict leads to a beginning of a new one so it seems.

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  16. Yes many Dutch people emigrated to Canada after the war ended. A niece of my mother did so and married a Canadien.

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  17. your winter header photo is awesome ~

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  18. There was significant immigration to this island by the Dutch.

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  19. That's a nice new header between two wars.

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