Susie Colbourn
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susancolbourn.net
Susie Colbourn
@susancolbourn.net
3.5K followers 1.5K following 410 posts
Historian at Duke. Archive enthusiast. Still writing about NATO and the politics of postwar European security.
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susancolbourn.net
The Access to Information Act is a complete shambles and suffocating Canadian history, exhibit 3007.

It is wild – and tragic – that a briefing on the general contours of Canada's foreign policy regarding Europe from 1951 are still closed.
Screenshot of Library and Archives Canada catalogue of closed records on "Some Aspects of Canadian Policy in Europe: The post war situation" from 1951.
November 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
susancolbourn.net
A Thanksgiving tradition. (Happy Thanksgiving, Canadians!)
October 13, 2025 at 9:02 PM
susancolbourn.net
📍University of Toronto (aka, some old stomping grounds)
October 12, 2025 at 12:59 AM
susancolbourn.net
A fixture of the NATO literature: the Canadian caveat.
Screenshot of footnote that reads: "* This discussion will not deal with the U.S.-Canadian and Canadian-European alliance relationships."
September 7, 2025 at 7:39 PM
susancolbourn.net
American alliance management, 1978.

history.state.gov/historicaldo...
Screenshot of document that reads: "Getting the psychology right also means, of course, learning to live with the new frustrations of actually having to listen to the Allies during 'consultations' on issues like grey areas and ERW–and having to respond to them on economic questions–whereas before we had the relative power and position simply to get our way. A new experience for us: but one that will become more demanding on our patience and ability to adapt, not less."
August 22, 2025 at 5:57 PM
susancolbourn.net
A prime candidate right here!

history.state.gov/historicaldo...
August 22, 2025 at 2:35 PM
susancolbourn.net
Appreciated the chance to be part of two days of interesting, wide-ranging conversation about the future security order in Europe, thanks to @bridgingthegap.bsky.social and @aueuropecenter.bsky.social.
June 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM
susancolbourn.net
Light purple echinacea blooms.
June 11, 2025 at 12:29 AM
susancolbourn.net
📍 The Diefenbunker (aka, the Canadian continuity of government site in case of nuclear attack)
May 23, 2025 at 10:50 AM
susancolbourn.net
Evergreen commentary.
Newspaper headline from January 16, 1953: “NATO Is In a Crisis Despite Its Success.”
May 15, 2025 at 4:58 PM
susancolbourn.net
Turns out the Americans weren't the only ones flirting with buying Greenland in the 1940s. At least one Canadian official hoped to beat them to the punch!

🗃️ "Ambassador in Argentina to Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs," November 13, 1947, DCER 1947, doc. 239.
Photograph of text: "4. The local papers are, in dispatches from Washington, resurrecting the possibility of a United States purchase of Greenland. I would hope that if Greenland were on the market, it would be Canada that would buy it, otherwise we are condemned to the perpetual position of a satellite."
April 23, 2025 at 1:09 PM
susancolbourn.net
This feels rather on the nose today for remarks delivered in 1951.

🗃️ Louis St. Laurent, Northwestern University, June 11, 1951, gac.canadiana.ca/view/ooe.sas...
Photograph of printed text: "I am sure there are many Americans who would cheerfully sacrifice this new position of leadership in world affairs for the comfortable isolation of the years between your Civil War and the First World War. But, as a nation you have no such choice. The only choice before you and before us is a choice between wise, patient and intelligent leadership of the free world by the United States, or a rapid shrinkage of the circumferences of free peoples, as your own and our lights of freedom grow dimmer and dimmer."
April 20, 2025 at 1:27 PM
susancolbourn.net
Americans on Canadians, according to Hume Wrong.

🗃️ Wrong remarks, Jan. 30, 1948, Canadian Society of New York, gac.canadiana.ca/view/ooe.sas...
Picture of text: "A large number of citizens of the United States when they happen to think of Canada, have hazy visions of great snowfields (partly encouraged by the habit of the weather bureau in describing cold waves in terms such as "a mass of Arctic air moving south from Canada"), and, in summer, of a land of lake and forest, full of fish and game, a land inhabited largely by mounted policemen, hockey players, wheat farmers, whiskey distillers and quintuplets. These distortions have some slight foundation in fact, of course, and the ignorance which they reveal is disconcerting rather than dangerous. Canadians would like to be known for what they are and what they do; but behind the misconceptions there appears to me to be a general assumption that Canadians are a friendly, stable, reliable and unspectacular people."
April 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
susancolbourn.net
After hoarding documents about LIVE OAK and Berlin contingency planning over the years, it was such a pleasure to be part of this CIENS workshop dedicated to the subject.

Leaving with lots of ideas and inspiration to finally write something with all these archival materials I’ve squirreled away.
April 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
susancolbourn.net
📍 Paris, France
Fountain Canal lock flanked by green trees Empty cobblestone laneway The banks of the Seine, people sitting on left overlooking river on right with bridge in the background
April 8, 2025 at 8:43 AM
susancolbourn.net
Hello, old friend.
April 4, 2025 at 12:28 PM
susancolbourn.net
Live footage from today:
April 2, 2025 at 10:26 PM
susancolbourn.net
NC’s best* season is in full swing: the Pollening.

* if you like a green haze and sneezing a lot
March 31, 2025 at 8:01 PM
susancolbourn.net
📍 Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima, Japan
Skeleton of building and dome destroyed by atomic blast in Hiroshima Peace Memorial
March 14, 2025 at 6:51 AM
susancolbourn.net
📍 Ie Shima
Rocky coast with clear blue water Rocky beach Cliff view Bird mascot with hat, peanut pants, holding flag
March 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM
susancolbourn.net
Things I didn't think I would write in 2025:
Transcript of chat: well the president is trying to annex our country so yeah it's pretty shit
March 5, 2025 at 2:52 PM
susancolbourn.net
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Screenshot of S. Res. 91 text: Resolved, That the Senate— (1) expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of tens of thousands of Ukrainian people to Russian aggression; (2) rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign territory in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe; (3) reaffirms the support of the United States for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; (4) commends NATO, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and the international community for their continued efforts to support Ukraine’s defense and the protection of human rights on its territory; (5) supports Ukraine’s aspirations to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures; (6) recognizes Ukraine's efforts to strengthen its democracy during wartime; (7) encourages the transatlantic community to continue to denounce Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war in Ukraine and counter Russian aggression; and (8) emphasizes that Ukraine must be a participant in discussions with the Russian Federation about Ukraine’s future.
March 1, 2025 at 10:47 PM
susancolbourn.net
📍 Rome, Italy
Domed church and column in Piazza Navonna, Rome Fountain in cobblestone square (Piazza Testaccio, Rome) River at sunset from Ponte Sisto, Rome Market view
February 27, 2025 at 8:38 PM
susancolbourn.net
Had the chance to spend today at the NATO Defense College talking about the alliance since 1989, its enlargement, and the allies’ relations with Russia.

As always, teaching is a great way to learn and the conversations about where the alliance is and where it might be headed were fascinating.
February 25, 2025 at 3:18 PM
susancolbourn.net
John F. Kennedy, Address Before the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, May 17, 1961.

www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/ad...
February 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM