Canada and the United States share the longest non‑militarized border on Earth, stretching more than 5,500 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Today the two countries are known for friendly tourism, shared hockey players, and the occasional debate about who invented what food. It is hard to imagine the border as anything other than peaceful. Yet there was a time when both nations quietly prepared for the possibility of invading each other.
Not because they wanted to, but because military planners are paid to imagine the worst.
War Plan Red: America’s Hypothetical War With Britain
In the early twentieth century, the United States created a series of color coded war plans. These were not predictions of future conflict. They were academic exercises designed to keep the War Department sharp during a relatively quiet era.
One of the most elaborate was War Plan Red, written in 1934. In this scenario, the United States (Blue) found itself in a global conflict with the British Empire (Red). Since Canada was part of the Commonwealth, it was labeled Crimson and treated as a potential staging ground for British attacks.
American planners assumed that if Britain ever went to war with the United States, Canadian territory would be used for troop movements, naval access, and air operations. The Army even studied which beaches along the American coastline might be suitable for British landings.
To counter this imagined threat, the United States drafted a detailed plan for a preemptive strike into Canada. The ninety four page document outlined a rapid takeover of key locations. The Navy would blockade Canadian ports on both coasts and seize control of the Great Lakes. The Army would capture Halifax to cut off British reinforcements, then move to secure the hydroelectric plants at Niagara Falls.
From there, American forces would advance on three major fronts. One force would push from North Dakota toward Winnipeg. Another would move from Vermont to take Montreal and Quebec. A third would sweep into Ontario to seize valuable nickel mines. The plan even included a convoy traveling up Route 99 to Vancouver and a proposal to capture British colonies in the Caribbean.
The goal was not simply to defeat Canada. The document stated that any captured territory would be held permanently and prepared for admission into the United States.
War Plan Red remained classified until 1974, when it was discovered in the National Archives. By then it was a historical curiosity, a reminder of how seriously military planners once took hypothetical scenarios.
Defense Scheme Number One: Canada’s Counterplan
Canada had not been idle either. In 1921, Canadian military planners created their own strategy for a possible American invasion. It was called Defense Scheme Number One, and it was far more daring than its name suggests.
Canadian officials knew they could not defeat the United States in a prolonged conflict. Their plan was to strike first, move quickly, and buy time for British reinforcements. Canadian troops would cross the border and advance toward Albany, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Great Falls. They would destroy infrastructure, disrupt transportation, and then retreat before American forces could respond in full.
The entire operation was designed to slow the United States long enough for help to arrive from overseas.
The department responsible for the plan had an annual budget of only twelve hundred dollars. During reconnaissance missions, staff members crossed into the United States to take photographs and gather free maps from gas stations. It was a shoestring operation, but it was taken seriously at the time.
Real Conflicts Between the Two Nations
Although War Plan Red and Defense Scheme Number One were theoretical, the United States and Canada have clashed before. During the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold led a failed invasion of Quebec. In the War of 1812, American troops attacked Canadian settlements several times but were pushed back.
There were also smaller, stranger incidents. In 1839, a border dispute escalated into a confrontation that resulted in the death of one American cow and one Canadian pig. In 1866, the Fenian Brotherhood, a group of Irish American nationalists, crossed into Ontario hoping to pressure Britain by attacking its colony. They won a brief skirmish, then retreated and were arrested.
A Modern Friendship With Old Ghosts
Even today, a few Canadians remain wary of American intentions. Several border disputes still exist, mostly involving remote islands or maritime boundaries. In 2003, the Canadian Army hosted an online forum where citizens could discuss military issues. One of the most active topics was whether the United States might invade Canada for its natural resources. Some participants suggested a scorched earth strategy similar to Russia’s tactics during World War II.
Despite these lingering anxieties, the two nations became close allies soon after War Plan Red was written. They fought together in World War II, developed joint defense strategies for North America, and helped found NATO. The border now has more legal crossings than any other in the world.
Do Modern Plans Exist
When asked whether a twenty first century version of War Plan Red exists, a Pentagon spokesperson replied, “We do not acknowledge which countries we have contingency plans for. We do not acknowledge any of our contingency plans.”
That is not exactly a denial.
So Canada, if you are reading this, do not try anything sneaky. The United States might still have a binder somewhere with your name on it. Probably filed under C for Crimson.
Be the first to comment