The Early Cold War
Anti-Submarine Warfare

The Canadian navy's main Cold War mission was anti-submarine warfare against the naval forces of the Soviet Union and its allies. Canada's navy operated within a framework of alliances, especially the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), created in 1949.

Plotting Room, Halifax

Two members of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service work in a Halifax plotting room used to track the movement of aircraft, ships and submarines.

The central map shows the North Atlantic Ocean, while other areas cover the Arctic (left) and record the location of ships in Halifax Harbour (right). Much as they had during the Second World War, such large-scale plots helped Canadian commanders and their allies assess the locations of friendly and enemy vessels and aircraft, and make decisions about appropriate courses of action.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19870211-154