Section Four-Suez Crisis and Its Impact

Question 1

What happened on 16th July 1956?

Answer 1

Nasser announced the nationalisation of the Suez Canal Company- this was a direct blow to the British government, which held approximately 44% of the shares in the company

Question 2

What countries joined as an alliance to oppose Nasser?

Answer 2

The French were also outraged by the nationalisation, and invited Britain to join France in a joint assault on Egypt, in alliance with Israel who were also affected by Nasser’s hard-line attitude towards their state

Question 3

What conclusion did Anthony Eden end up coming to about Nasser?

Answer 3

That only the removal of Nasser from power would ensure the security of British and French interests in the Middle East

Question 4

What was the plan that the trio alliance created?

Answer 4

Israel would attack Egypt on 29th October- on the following day, France and Britain would demand that both sides cease fighting and withdraw troops from the canal; followed by a Franco-British invasion of Canal Zone on 31st October to ‘defend’ it

Question 5

What actually occurred?

Answer 5

The Israelis routed the Egyptians forced and forced them towards the canal, at which point Britain and France intervened in ‘police’ action- Anglo-French force knocked out the Egyptian Air Force but Egyptians but up solid resistance and blocked the canal with sunken ships

Question 6

What happened after the event?

Answer 6

Britain had miscalculated the international reaction- they embarked on military operations without even informing the USA, and the USA immediately condemned the attack and refused to support sterling in the currency crisis which the war brought upon Britain

Question 7

How did the event end?

Answer 7

Isolated, British announced a ceasefire within five days, and both Britain and France began to withdraw troops within weeks; Eden forced to resign and United Nations force moved in to clear blocked canal and restore peace

Question 8

What were the consequences of the Suez Crisis?

Answer 8

• Never again would British government seek to act alone in imperial or international affairs without approval of USA; illusion Britain might revive imperially or restore itself as major independent power in the world were dispelled
• Suggested to nationalist movements seeking to achieve independence that if they pushed harder, British could be forced to surrender making Britain’s task of containing independence movements increasingly difficult
• Encouraged British politicians to accept that it was best to accede to nationalist demands for independence sooner rather than later