1970s Foreign Affairs Flashcards
How did Britain gain entry into the EEC in (1971)?
-Edward heath was pro-European, encouraged to cooperate with Europe and arranged the details to join since (1962) from his team of negotiators
-Charles de Gaulle was no longer French president ,instead it was George Pompidou who viewed Britain as integral for the EEC
Why was there struggle in British politics to accept the EEC entry once it had been obtained?
-doubts in the Conservative Party that Britain would lose there power (Enoch pow was a big critic)
-labour divided on the issue. Opposed heaths plans but they could t as too many politician’s supported the entry. So they agreed to do a referendum when they were back in power
What occurred in the (1975) referendum campaign for entry into the EEC?
• Wilson used anti-European cabinet members to campaign whilst they (Wilson and ministers) remained neutral
There was an “no” campaign which involved the belief
-that it was bad for British workers (babrs castle, micheal foot)
-Britain would lose its independence (Ian paisley, Enoch Powell)
There was an “yes” campaign financed by bussines supporters. Roy Jenkins, Edward heath Jeremy Thorpe (liberal leader supported the idea
What were the results of the European referendum?
17 million voted yes and 8 million voted no
Roy Jenkins became European Commissioner
What was the special relation with the US like when heath was prime minister?
-he rejected attempts by US to use Britain as a link with Europe
-had good relations with US presidant Richard Nixon & supported US policy in Vietnam
(1973) Britain and European states refused the use of NATO bases to airlift supplies to Isreal
[could put supply of oil at risk]
[response to Yom kipper war]
What was the special relation with the US like when labour was in government in the 1970s?
-(1979) Callaghan negotiated replacement of Polaris missile with trident with president jimmy carter
-labour completed withdrawal from east suez
What was attitudes like with the USSR in Britain in the 1970s?
An détente occurred (was meeting & agreeing limitations to build up of arms
-the Georgi markov affair
What was the georgi markov affair?
(1969) markov defected west who had criticized the Bulgarian communist regime..
Had been assassinated in London in (1979) with the KGB (main security agency for Soviet Union ) and Russian secret services being heavily suspected for the murder
What was attitudes like with China for Britain in the 1970s?
• Britain agreed an exchange of ambassadors with China
• heath made visits to China from (1974) was awarded ‘poeples friendship envoy’ highest honour an foreigner can get in China
• (1979) premier Hua Guofeng visited Britain as part of his European tour
