2.8 Foreign affairs, 1964-70 Flashcards
By 1964, how many New Commonwealth states were there, having achieved independence?
18
Harold Wilson attitude towards America
pro-American, keen supporter of the Atlantic Alliance
What caused the relationship between Britain and the USA to come under strain?
Vietnam War - Wilson resisted any direct military involvement, despite his good relationship with LBJ
Balancing act of Vietnam War for Wilson
wanted to maintain Atlantic Alliance, but Vietnam War was hugely unpopular in Britain (esp. with the Left)
economic + financial considerations:
- Britain could not afford military involvement
- needed support of USA to support value of sterling + avoid devaluation
Extent of support of Labour government 1964 for entry to EEC
not very
Gaitskell had fought passionately against the first application - ‘end of a thousand years of history’ (first step towards federal union)
many on Labour Left (Michael Foot, Barbara Castle) + TUs equally hostile - saw it as capitalist club
(However several Europhiles in cabinet - Roy Jenkins + George Brown (FS from 1966))
When did Wilson’s cabinet agree to back a new application for EEC membership?
October 1966 (Wilson had become more convinced of economic arguments)
Prospects of British EEC bid 1966
- danger of seeming half-hearted (doubts in Labour)
- de Gaulle still President of France
When was Wilson’s second meeting with de Gaulle? What did de Gaulle demand?
June 1967, Paris - de Gaulle demanded assurances that Britain would remove itself from ‘special relationship’.
When did de Gaulle again use his veto against British entry to the EEC?
November 1967
Why did there have to be a reduction in Britain’s military commitments?
economic reasons
Who was the minister of defence? What did he do?
Denis Healey - started spending cuts, designed to bring the defence budget below £2 billion by 1970
What did Healey’s defence white paper in 19.. set out?
1967 white paper - set a timetable for troop withdrawals from Aden, the Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore
When was withdrawal from East of Suez rapidly accelerated?
January 1968 - drastic spending cuts introduced by Chancellor Roy Jenkins after 1967 devaluation crisis
What was the timetable for pulling out of troops, after Jenkins’ January 1968 budget?
Troops to be pulled out of Aden, the Arabian Gulf, Malaysia and Singapore by the end of 1971
When did Ian Smith issue Rhodesia’s independence? What was the declaration’s name?
Unilateral Declaration of Independence for Rhodesia, 1965
