North Africa 1947-67

Question 1

what was the suex crisis

Answer 1

……

Question 2

How did the suez crisis impact politics in Britain?

Answer 2

• growing realisation across the political spectrum in Britain that Empire’s days were numbered
• Suez crisis portrayed as ‘Britain’s last fling of the imperial dice’

Question 3

Britains diminished independence as a result of suez crisis?

Answer 3

• Britain wouldn’t act again in an imperial or international excursion alone nor without the approval and close communication of the United States
• Britain becoming a major independent power wouldn’t happen and dreams of this were quelled

Question 4

Nationalist movement as a consequence of suez crisis?

Answer 4

• Suggested nationalist movements seeking to achieve independence should push harder to force Britain to surrender
• Made Britain’s task of containing independence movements increasingly difficult

Question 5

MacMillan’s ‘Winds of change’ speech/ questioning Britain’s credibility as consequence of suez crisis?

Answer 5

• called into question the whole credibility of plans to hold onto formal colonies in Africa and elsewhere, encouraging British politicians that it was best to acceded to nationalist demands soon.

Question 6

How did suez crisis show Britain as powerless?

Answer 6

• dispelled the notion that Britain could ‘control’ imperial retreat in ways that would preserve British power

Question 7

Effect of crisis on Britains position in the Middle East?

Answer 7

• Britains position in the Middle East only declined further
• Iraq left the Baghdad Pact in 1959, Cyprus was granted independence in 1959 after years of terrorism and violence between Turkish and Greek communities
• by the mid 1960s, Britain only controlled air bases in Libya and retained protectorate over a few sheikhdoms in Persian Gulf, Aden and South Arabian Federation (but Britain lost Aden in 1967 due to nationalist uprisings)

Question 8

How did the suez crisis damage Britains ‘special relationship’ with the USA?

Answer 8

• Eisenhower refused to provide billions of dollars to save the sterling so long as Britain remained stationed in Egypt
• However, relations were quickly repaired after this and the UK adopted the US’ Polaris missile system by 1962 as well as signing a Mutual Defence Agreement in 1958