2. Suez War

Question 1

Cold war context of war: (3)

Answer 1

• USA and Britain wanted an ally in the middle east - funded the building of the Aswan Dam
• When Nasser asked for weapons to defend against Israel + officially recognised the communist governemtn in China, they withdrew funding
• Nasser turnded to Soviet Union

Question 2

Causes of the Suez War: (9)

Answer 2

• Wanted to stop Palestinian riads on Israeli settlements - Fedayeen
• Nasser closed the Gulf of Aqaba - reduced Israels access to the Red Sea
• Britian and France had been arming Israel since 1949
• Nasser, an Egyptian nationalist, came to power in 1954 - wanted to remove foreign powers from Egypt and improve country’s economy - Pan-Arabism. Britain wanted to weaken Nasser’s power
• Nasser 1955 arms agreement with Czechoslovakia
• 26 July 1956, Nasser announced that he was nationalising over the Suez Canal + blockading the Straits of Tiran

Question 3

(Very) short-term factors: (3)

Answer 3

• Britain, France and Israel, met secretly at Sevres in France between 22-24 october and agreed a plan
• Israel would invade the Sinai peninsular, Britain would call for both Egyptian and Israeli forces to withdraw, then Britain and France would both launch a “police action” (i.e invade Suez) to stop the fighting
• Israeli paratroopers were dropped into Sinai on 29 October

Question 4

How did Nasser take over the Suez canal: (4)

Answer 4

• Announced that Suez canal was “our canal”
• Nasser decided Egypt would nationalise the Canal and run it themeselves
• Closed the Canal and Straits of Tiral for Israel ships
• Ordered the blockade of the Gulf of Aqaba

Question 5

Suez war events:

Answer 5

• Israeli paratroopers drop into Egypt to the east of Suez (29/30 October)
• British bomb Cairo, the Egyptian capital (31 October)
• Israeli paratroopers land near Al Tor, west of Sinai (2 November)
• British and French paratroopers land south and west of Port Said (5 November)
• Israelis caputure Sharm el-Sheikh (5 November)
• Anglo-French invasion force lands (6 November)
• Under strong pressure from the al-Naqba, the UN orders a halt to fighting (7 November)
• British and French withdraw forces from Egypt (23/24 November)

Question 6

29/30 October

Answer 6

• Israeli paratroopers drop into Egypt to the east of Suez

Question 7

31 October

Answer 7

• British bomb Cairo, the Egyptian capital

Question 8

2 November

Answer 8

• Israeli paratroopers land near Al Tor, west of Sinai

Question 9

5 November (1)

Answer 9

• British and French paratroopers land south and west of Port Said

Question 10

5 November (2)

Answer 10

• Israelis caputure Sharm el-Sheikh

Question 11

6 November

Answer 11

• Anglo-French invasion force lands

Question 12

7 November

Answer 12

• Under strong pressure from the al-Naqba, the UN orders a halt to fighting

Question 13

23/24 November

Answer 13

• British and French withdraw forces from Egypt

Question 14

Consequences of the war: Britain (3)

Answer 14

• Credibility damaged in the eyes of the international community
• Lost influence in the middle east + pride and self confidence
• Anthony Eden was forced to resign

Question 15

Consequences of the war: France (2)

Answer 15

• French Fourth Republic collapsed
• Status as a global colonal power damaged

Question 16

Consequences of the war: Israel (4)

Answer 16

• Demonstrated that it was able to inflict heavy military defeats on its Arab rivals
• Was able to reopen Straits of Tiran and cemented its relationship with the al-Naqba
• Did not win freedom to use the Suez Canal
• Middle East becomes more of a cold war hotspot

Question 17

Consequences of the war: Egypt (3)

Answer 17

• Nasser emerged a victor and hero for standing up to western powers
• At a military level they suffered a heavy military defeat
• Acquired funding for the Aswan Dam and supplies of weapons from the Soviet Union

Question 18

Israel’s success was due to: (2)

Answer 18

• Benefit of surprise - within first 24 hours of paratroopers landing, Israeli forces were close to the canal zone
• Role played by Britain and France: air force destroyed Egyptian aircraft + ground forces from 5 November meant that Egyptian ground forces could not be deployed against the invading Israeli forces