Foreign Policy after the War Flashcards
How did communism affect Britain’s policy in Greece?
GB troops helped liberate Greece from G’s in 1944 + restored monarchy. -> strain of supporting king against communist guerrilas. Bevan’s view only GB stood between R control of e. Mediterranean, Dardanelles + Middle East
Why was the Marshall Plan introduced?
Economic extension of Truman Doctrine. As a part of the European Recovery Programme -> promote economic recovery of Europe to ensure markets for American exports + communism was less likely to gain control of prosperous W. Europe
What were the results of the Berlin Blockade?
- Relations with Russia to an even worst point
- Western powers co-ordinate their defence through formation of NATO
- G divided for foreseeable future
What was the significance of NATO?
Am’s had abandoned traditional policy of ‘no entangling alliances’ and pledged themselves in advance to military action
How was Bevan involved in foreign policy?
Contributed to formation of Truman Doctrine, lead in planning for Marshall Aid, played important part in preparations for Brussels Treaty and supported Truman in Berlin airlift -> climax = NATO
How many GB casualties in the Korean war?
4k casualties with almost 700 killed -> 2nd largest contingent of troops
What effect did the Korean war have on GB?
- Difficult to defend the commitment to the K war in terms of GB interests, Am’s tended to take decisions without consultation
- Set back economic recovery
- increase in armaments spending forced gov to economise in other areas
e. g. NHS prescription charges -> split Lab party -> defeat 1951
How did GB and Am relations begin to deteriorate before Suez?
GB officially recognised new Communist gov. of China 1950 -> U.S. refused + resented GB attempts to follow an independent line so rejected their request to join ANZUS pact with Australia + NZ
How did GB partake in the arms race?
Attlee + Bevin authorised manufacture of a bomb. -> successfully tested in 1952 -> 1954 Churchill announces GB would go ahead with manufacturing of H.bomb by 1957 first successful H.bomb but GB spending as much on defence as WW2 which ruined economic progress made since 1948
Blue Streak abandoned 1960 -> too expensive
How did the public feel about nuclear armament?
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament started -> GB should withdraw from nuclear arms race -> unilateral disarmament can occur to encourage R + USA to disarm but no GB gov risked unilateral disarmament
What was Macmillan’s foreign policy?
International statesman -> special relationship with USA -> good relationships with Eisenhower + Kennedy -> eased cold war tensions + liquidated empire + rejected from EEC
How did USA respond to the Suez Crisis?
USA refused to support GB in the war against Egypt. At the UN both Am’s + Russians condemned GB and FR action and UN accused them of aggression + demanded ceasefire
What was the outcome of the war against Egypt?
- Failed to overthrow Nasser -> diplomatic disaster
- Egyptians blocked canal
- Arabs reduced oil supplies to W. Europe, where petrol rationing was introduced for a time
- USA withdrew support for the pound + blocked GB’s access to international Monetary Fund until troops were withdrawn
- Disastrous fall in GB gold reserves -> 1/4 of its entire gold + dollar reserves lost in Nov 1956 alone
- Showed that GB incapable of taking action independent from USA
- sped up decolonisation by encouraging independence movements in Africa
How did relations with France deteriorate after the war in Egypt?
French blamed GB for backing out before whole of Canal Zone was captured -> main reason why de Gaulle rejected GB’s application to join the Common Market 1963
How was the war a personal disaster for Eden?
Seemed as though Eden’s aims were not thought through -> GB’s war aims were vague + Lied to the H of C denying that GB had planned to attack Egypt or had known in advance of the Israeli invasion
