Foreign Affairs Flashcards
What was Britain’s relationship with the USA
Wilson himself was a pro American and a keen supporter of the Atlantic alliance. However the relationship between Britain and the United game under strain of the Vietnam war. In the Vietnam war Britain could not afford military involvement but Wilson needed the support of the United States to support the value of sterling and to avoid evaluation so he could not afford to alienate the United States. In the end the policy can be summed up as given moral support without military support. This annoyed not only the United States he wanted to create a backing but also a number of labour MPs and supporters who wanted a Labour government to condemn the United States.
What are vents happened between Britain and the world from 1964 to 1970
1964-escalation of the Vietnam War
1964-independent granted to Zambia and Malawi
1965 -declaration of independence proclaimed for Southern Rhodesia
1966 the second is the application agreed by Wilson:
1966 Wilson and Smith talk on HMS
1967-Britain pull back from east of suez
1968 Hungarian rising crushed by Soviet forces
1968 Wilson and Smith talk on HMS
What were political opinions towards the EEC
Gaitskell had Fat passionately against Britain’s first application he told the Labour Party conference that it would be the end of 1000 years of history. Many on the Labour left such as Barbara Castle and the trade union were equally hostile. They sort the EEC as a club for Capitalists which would prevent Britain from following socialist policies. Harold Wilson himself preferred the Atlanta alliance and stronger links with the Commonwealth but he could also see the strengths of the EEC for economic or reasons.
Application to the EEC under Harold Wilson
Wilson became more convinced on the economic argument for EEC membership. The British bid was dangerous because of the dance within the Labour Party. Furthermore De Gaulle was still President of France and there was little chance he changed his mind. Wilson and George brown went to Paris for a meeting with DenGaulle they then toured the other 5EEC countries trying to gain support. De Gaulle put the Wilson on the spot demanding assurance that Britain with detach itself from the special relationship. There was no way Wilson would do this. So at their membership to the EEC was rejected
What was withdrawal from east of Suez
Deliver government knew from 1964 that they would have to be a reduction in Britain’s military committee for economic reason. Dennis Healey started the process of spending cuts designed to bring the defence budget below 2,000,000,000 by 1970. Healeys defence white paper in 1967 set a timetable for troops withdrawal from Aden, the Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore.
Some argued that these cuts did not go far enough or fast enough. But Wilson believed in Bath that at Lantic alliance and in Britain continuing to have a world role.
There was no serious debate about giving up the nuclear deterrent despite its expense, Wilson announced that they would contribute to deploy US Polaris missiles.
All this changed in 1968, with the drastic spending cut introduced by Roy Jenkins after the 1960 7D valuation crisis, withdrawal from east of Suez was rapidly accelerated. Troops were being pulled out by the end of 1971. The development of the new high-tech floor plane was abandoned because it was too costly.
What were the issues in Rhodesia
Mcmilan had chosen Cape Town as the place to make his wind of change speech because he’s target was the white-minority regimes who thought they could resist reform rather than the people who wanted independence. But the white minority regimes were not persuaded. In Southern Africa his speech was seen as a challenge and a threat.
1963, the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland had been broken up into three separate entitles.
In 1964 northern Rhodesia became the new independent state of Zambia. Nyasaland became independent Malawi. Southern Rhodesia hoped for independence but Britain made it clear that this could not happen until majority rule replaced the political domination by the white population. A political round blowup when Ian Smith became prime minister. In 1965 smith issues a unilateral Declaration of Independence for Rhodesia without excepting majority rule.
Smith’s actions was a direct challenge to deliver government. But Wilson hot he could reach a solution in weeks rather than months either through oil sanctions or by any go she ate it solution. Wilson Matt Smith for face-to-face talks on board HSM in 1966. This meeting seem to make progress but Smith then went back on everything he had said as soon as he got home.
