suez, 1956

Question 1

what was the Suez canal?

Answer 1

The Suez Canal was the main artery connecting trade routes from the Mediterranean through to the Indian Ocean and beyond to Asia, Australia and New Zealand

Question 2

above all the suez canal was a vital route for?

Answer 2

oil shipments , 80% of Western Europe’s oil imports passed through the canal

Question 3

what was deeply worrying for Britain’s strategic interests?

Answer 3

the emergence of Egyptian independence under a new nationalist leader Colonel Nasser, he was neutral in the cold war

Question 4

what had usa and Britain planned to invest in?

Answer 4

the Aswan Dam but pulled out in 1956

Question 5

in response to britain and usa pulling out from investing in Aswan Dam what did Nasser announce?

Answer 5

the nationalisation of the Suez canal company to provide finance needed for the Aswan Dam

Question 6

where did Nasser’s actions place Egypt?

Answer 6

on the soviet side of the cold war

Question 7

how did Anthony Eden, British prime minster considered an expert on foreign policy see Nasser

Answer 7

‘as an evil dictator … not allowed to get away with unprovoked aggression’
-Macmillian (chancellor) abreed with him

Question 8

Eden was encouraged by?

Answer 8

both France and Israel, top secret meeting held at Sevres in Paris
-Britain, France and Israel agreed a plan of action

Question 9

what plan was made?

Answer 9

israeli forces would invade egypt , British and French forces then intervene

Question 10

what was the excuse for the intervention?

Answer 10

to enforce peace on Egypt and Israel, real effect to seize control of the suez canal zone
-details of the plan concealed from parliament and the Americans

Question 11

when was the plan put out into action?

Answer 11

29 ocotber, military action did not go as smoothly as planned though it may have succeeded in the end
-caused a storm of political protest in Britain

Question 12

labour party reaction

Answer 12

opposed the conflict, anti-war protests were held, and public opinion was split on the need for intervention

Question 13

united states reaction

Answer 13

united states opposed the action
=Britain simply not strong enough in 1956 to stand up to American pressure, plunged into a serious financial crisis

Question 14

Macmillian respones

Answer 14

one of the strongest supporters of invasion but first to realise it was essential to pull out even though this meant accepting failure and humiliation

Question 15

impact of suez on eden

Answer 15

-Eden;s reputation fatally damaged, suez meant Britian’s position in the world had to go through fundamental reassessment

Question 16

how was Britain’s position reassesed

Answer 16

-suez crisis brought into question Britain’s reputation as a force for good in the world
-secondly, highlighted the inability of Brtiain to act without,at least the tacit support of the US
-brought into sharp relief the impact that Britain;s economic and financial policy had on the direction of foreign policy
-started to undermine the belief that in new global situation after ww2 Britain still one of the world’s major powers