Foreign Policy 1970-79 Flashcards
Give an argument that Heath strengthened the special relationship
Heath got on well with President Richard Nixon and supported his fight in Vietnam more than Wilson had done
Give an argument that Heath weakened strengthened the special relationship
Heath rejected Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s attempts to use Britain as a link to Europe - led Kissinger to say “Heath dealt with us an unsentimentality””
Give an argument that Heath weakened strengthened the special relationship
Heath rejected Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s attempts to use Britain as a link to Europe - led Kissinger to say “Heath dealt with us an unsentimentality”
Give an overarching argument that the special relationship was strong
Britain and America remained a united front against the spread of communism during the Cold War
Give some evidence that Britain had a better relationship with the USSR in this period
The 1970s was known as a ‘detente’ (a thawing of relations) after the near disastrous Cuban Missile Crisis where meetings were held and arms limits drawn up.
Were there still tensions between the West and the USSR?
Yes, for example the George Makrov Affair where after George defected to the West and was subsequently assassinated by the KGB shooting him with poison from an umbrella in 1978.
Give examples of positive relations between Britain and China
Heath took many visits to China in 1974 - calling it the People’s Friendship Envoy.
At the end of the decade Chinese Premier Hua Guofeng visited for the first time since the communist revolution
What are the 3 factors that explain why Heath successfully joined the EEC?
Political
Economic
Heath himself
What date did Britain join the EEC?
New Year’s Day 1973
Give 3 political reasons why Heath was able to enter the EEC
De Gaulle resigned in 1969 and the new French president Pompadou was much more favourable
69 Labour rebels went against party lines and supported the European Communities Act 1972
Negotiations were already completed by 1972 - it was by then a formality that they would officially join
Give 3 economic reasons why Heath was able to enter the EEC
Britain’s economy had been poor due to imports being up 11% in 1973 and unemployment at 899,000 in 1972
Membership in the EEC would stop Britain being seen as the ‘sick man of Europe’ as it would be a tariff-free trading zone
Without the EEC the economy was unable to deal with shocks like the 1973 oil crisis and miners strike
Give 3 reasons why Heath personally was the right person to enter the EEC
Heath was more pro-European than MacMillan or Wilson - studied in 1930s Germany
Europe had been the focus of Heath’s career - his first speech in parliament had been on the Schuman Plan (French and German industry co-operation)
Heath was an experienced negotiator - had been chief negotiator for MacMillan in 1961
What were the impacts of the EEC entry on Labour?
The left was hostile as they saw the free market as damaging for workers rights and Tony Benn worried about a loss of sovereignty in parliament. Wilson didn’t have a strong view, opposing in parliament but losing due to rebels.
What were the impacts of the EEC entry on the Tories?
Enoch Powell was so opposed he resigned and urged people to vote Labour in 1974. Many in the party also were firm defenders of the Commonwealth and sovereignty in parliament.
Why was it decided a european referendum should be held?
When Wilson had finished renegotiating the terms of entry he brought the package to parliament. However when Labour voted on whether to proceed they were split 137 to 145 with 33 abstentions. A referendum would decide once and for all and Wilson abandoned party lines letting them vote with their conscience.
Name 2 groups in society supported the Vote Yes campaign?
Business owners - in a survey 419 wanted to join while only 4 wanted to stay out
The press was largely supportive
Give 3 reasons the vote yes campaign was strong
An economic upturn in 1973 had already given the impression that the EEC had a good effect on Britain
Business owners offered a lot of finance to the campaign
The campaign was led by Labour’s Roy Jenkins, Ted Heath and Jeremy Thorpe from the Lib Dems - these were very heavyweight figures that the public already knew
What were the 2 camps of the Vote No campaign?
Those who thought it was bad for workers - many of the Labour left like Barbara Castle and Michael Foot who thought cheap foreign labour would effect trade unions’ bargaining power and rights.
Those worried about British independence - Enoch Powell, Tony Benn and Ian Paisley of the DUP
What date was the european referendum held?
5th of June 1975
What were the results of the referendum?
17 million voted yes (68.3%) and only 8 million voted no (32.5%) - a decisive victory.
