Friday, February 04, 2011

The Cold War Begins in Ottawa

The Cold War Begins in Ottawa --- In September 1945, Igor Gouzenko, a cipher clerk working at the Soviet embassy in Ottawa, defected. Canada had its first genuine international scandal. This had many ramifications at the International Service, where Eric Koch was working at the time. The resulting "witch hunt" threatened the organization and changed the atmosphere considerably. Of particular interest is the story of Henning Sorenson, the head of the Danish section, who had helped Norman Bethune set up blood banks in Spain.
(Feb 2011 Contact/Alan Roe)