Topic 4: FP (1979-87)

Question 1

3

Describe the Falklands War

Answer 1

• Argentian dictator Galteri invaded Falkland Islands in April 1892
• Belligerent Thatcher overruled concilliatory FO and Lord Carrington (FS) resigned 3 days after invasion for failing to recognise threat
• Sent Task Force to South Atlantic

Question 2

4

Describe the sinking of the Belgrano

Answer 2

• Argentinian warship Belgrano sunk for heading towards imposed exclusion zone
• Yet sunk outside exclusion zone
• 368 Argentinian crew members died
• HMS Sheffield sunk in retaliation

Question 3

3

Describe the end of the Falklands War

Answer 3

• South Georgia recaptured by April
• By June, the Falklands were recpatured and Argentina surrendered
• 2-month war marked first military victory since 1950s, evoking past imperial triumphs

Question 4

3

Describe public support for the Falklands War

Answer 4

• Opinion polls at time indicated 83% public support for war
• Patriotic fervour swept up right wing press
• e.g. Sun ran headline ‘Gotcha!’ following Belgrano sunking

Question 5

2

Describe how the UK used the special relationship in the Falklands War

Answer 5

• USA allowed use of air base on Ascension Island
• Provided anti-radar weapons, sidewinder missiles and military intelligence

Question 6

5

Describe the failures of the Falklands War

Answer 6

• 225 British lives lost with 800 casualties
• Cost estimated at £1.6bn
• Thatcher could not meet 3% defence spending target (excluding Falklands costs) that Callaghan had agreed to
• Exposed flaws in military and intellgience capabilities
• Exposed reliance on US

Question 7

3

Describe Thatcher’s importance of the special relationship

Answer 7

• Thatcher founded FP on special relationship rather than European alliance
• ‘Special relationship’ had meaning for 1st time since Macmillan
• Agreement over trade/regional policy in areas such as Latin America

Question 8

3

Describe the Thatcher-Reagan relationship

Answer 8

• Ideological and personal soulmates
• United on most issues: Falklands, deployment on cruise missiles, strong stance on USSR
• Yet division over US invasion of Grenada in 1983

Question 9

4

Describe defence policies under Thatcher (1979-87)

Answer 9

• Britain pledged to build 5 new submarines
• US would supply 13 Trident missiles per submarine
• Revived debates over ‘British independent deterrent’
• Defence Sec (1983-86) Heseltine promoted image of Tories being strong on defence to counter pacificism of Labour

Question 10

3

Describe changes to the British deterrent

Answer 10

• Polaris system had become obsolete
• Dec 1979, Carter offered Britain new Trident system as replacement
• 1980, Thatcher accepted deal at cost of £5bn over 10 years (soon spiralled to £10bn)

Question 11

6

Describe defence cuts under Thatcher

Answer 11

• 1980s defence policy characterised by pressure to increase NATO expenditure and cut back expensive military
• Callaghan had committed to increasing NATO spending by 3% in real terms until 1986
• Economic issues, costs of weaponry and mounting service pay forced reconsideration
• Royal Navy became focus of planned expenditure cuts
• 1981 White Paper had proposed sale of new aircraft carrier Invincible to Australia, reducing carrier fleet to 2 vessels
• Falklands War delayed/cancelled plans

Question 12

4

Describe controversy over the stationing of US missiles

Answer 12

• Controversy over decision to station 96 radar-evading cruise missiles at US bases in Britain (decision taken by Callaghan govenment) from 1983
• Decided in response to USSR stationing of missiles in Central Europe
• CND saw highest spike in populairty since 1960s (e.g. UDI demonstration at Greenham Common)
• 1983, 200k marched with CND in London to oppose nuclear weapons

Question 13

3

Describe the US invasion in Grenada

Answer 13

• 1983, US invaded Grenada without first notifying Britain
• Put special relationship under some strain
• Yet overall, relationship remained strong (thanks to Reagan-Thatcher bond)

Question 14

4

Describe the bombing of Libya

Answer 14

• 1986
• Thatcher allowed USA to use British bases for long range attacks
• Argued bombing was to dislodge Gaddafi regime
• Gaddafi survived with significant civilian casualties)

Question 15

3

Describe the context of Cold War in 1979

Answer 15

• By 1979, Soviet Union assumed to be winning Cold War (e.g. Marxist turn in Zimbabwe)
• Yet 1979 USSR invasion of Afghanistan exposed reality that Soviet military was overstretched
• Thatcher/Reagan (in 1980) used weakness to direct rising tensions and rhetoric after decade of detente

Question 16

5

Describe the ‘New Cold War’

New Cold War is post-Afghanistan

Answer 16

• NATO military exercises in North Atlantic
• Cruise missiles stationed in Europe
• Soviet jets shot down Korean passenger jet that had strayed into Soviet airspace in 1983
• US plan for ‘Star Wars’ anti-missile shield - proposed in 1983
• 1985 spy scandal saw rival spies expelled from both Moscow and London

Question 17

2

Describe the response to the fear of a nuclear attack

Answer 17

• Published ‘Protect and Survive’ booklets, informing public what to do in case of a nuclear attack
• BBC TV drama, Threads, gave documentary-style account of aftermath of nuclear attack

Question 18

5

Describe the role of Thatcher in easing Cold War tensions (1983-87)

Answer 18

• 1984, met Gorbachev and claimed ‘he and I can do business together’
• Won international admiration for encouraging Reagan to negotiate with Gorbachev
• 1986 Reykjavik Summit between the 2 leaders proved positive and laid the groundwork for future agreements
• Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty 1987
• defence spending increases

Question 19

3

Oultine defence spending increases under Thatcher

Answer 19

• Outmatched USSR spending
• Real terms increases throughout 1980s
• Peaked at £54.1bn in 1984/85

Question 20

4

Describe the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty 1987

Answer 20

• arms control agreement between US and Soviet Union
• limited short-range weapons
• cut 1692 missiles across US and USSR
• began process of mutual disarmament

Question 21

5

Describe relations with Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia) under Thatcher

Answer 21

• Under heavy FO pressure, Thatcher forced to make concessions to black nationalists
• 1979 elections went ahead despite guerilla activity from Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe
• Ian Smith largely served constitutional role since 1978 Internal Settlement and stepped down following GE loss in June
• Nov 1979, British sanctions ceased and Zimbabwe given legal independence despite Thatcher unwillingness given guerilla activities
• 1980 elections gave huge majority to Marxist Mugabe and ZANU

Question 22

3

Describe the impact of Zimbabwe’s end of white supremacist rule on British relations with Africa

Answer 22

• Relations with Black African states improved after Smith left office
• Thatcher gained personal popularity following appearance at Commonwealth Conference in Lusaka, 1979
• Formed close relationship with President Kaunda of Zambia

Question 23

3

Describe Thatcher’s policy towards Africa

Answer 23

• Clashed with African states by resisting calls for economic sanctions on South Africa
• Argued that sanctions would do more harm to black majority
• Britain continued to support sporting and cultural events in Africa

Question 24

6

Describe the Thatcher’s attitude to Europe in 1979

Answer 24

• Pro-marketeers welcomed her ascension having ran on manifesto claiming there was no alternative to the EEC and having previously expressed support for the EMS
• Yet adopted nationalist attitude to EEC, seekin to ‘win arguments’ in Brussels to increase popular support
• Frequently clashed with European heads of state
• Saw EEC as a vehicle to consolidate Western Europe against Communist threat
• Wished to develop EEC defence activity and FP further, but resisted economic integration
• Reflected preference for special relationship (see Westland Affair)

Question 25

5

Describe the Dublin Summit (EEC) 1979

Answer 25

• Thatcher was highly belligerent in her demands for a refund of British contributions, damaging relations with Germany and France
• Offered £350m rebate - rejected offer against FO advice
• By mid-1982 she allowed Carrington and Gilmour to finalise negotiations, though not to her liking
• Compromises over budget and agricultural policy
• Approach hailed by right-wing press

Question 26

3

Describe the EMS

Answer 26

• Countries linked currencies to prevent large fluctuations in value
• Done through ERM
• Aimed to foster continental financial stability

Question 27

4

Describe Thatcher’s attitude towards the ERM in her first term

Answer 27

• Continued to resist joining despite past Conservative criticism of Callaghan’s refusal to join
• Monetarist policies contradicted those of EEC members
• High oil prices in 1979, high inflation and volatile interest rates would confirm refusal to be beneficial
• from 1979-83, numerous alterations in ERM’s central rate failed to produce currency stability until the mid-1980s

Question 28

3

Describe the European Parliament Elections 1979

Answer 28

• 1st direct European elections
• British turnout at 34% - lowest in Europe
• General feeling that membership had brought no great economic gains

Question 29

4

Describe EEC policy success under Thatcher (1979-83)

Answer 29

• Deteriorating relationships with France and Germany relieved by appointment of new premiers: Mitterand and Kohl
• Steps taken to reduce overproduction of CAP
• Settlement, though not generous, reached on fishing quotas
• General EEC support over Falklands policy

Question 30

3

Describe EEC policy divergence under Thatcher (1979-83)

Answer 30

• By 1982, Thatcher criticised CAP’s wastefulness and Britain vetoed farm price increases (though overriden by majority of members)
• France talked of excluding Britain from new initiatives, creating a 2-tier Europe
• Divisions possibly encouraged French/German dicussion on supranational integregation which ultimately led to Thatcher’s downfall in 1990

Question 31

4

Describe Britain’s relationship with the EEC by 1983

Answer 31

• By 1983, accepted that EEC membership had not achieved great benefits for Britain with little growth
• Labour advocated withdrawal in 1983 manifesto
• Recession of 1979-81 had strengthened Thatcher’s resolve to reduce EEC funding
• Jenkins had stepped down as Commission President in 1981 to form SDP - limited British influence in German/French dominated bloc

Question 32

5

Describe the rebate (BBQ - British Budgetary Question)

Answer 32

• Thatcher ignored French suggestions that Britain should concentrate trade in Europe to achieve better return on budget contribution
• BBQ dominated Community agenda
• 70% of EEC budget directed towards CAP, which offered little benefit to Britain as it had a small agriucltural sector
• Thatcher threatened to end all payments
• Fontainebleau Summit 1984 - agreed to 66% reduction in net budget contribution

Question 33

5

Describe Thatcher’s attitude to European integration (1979-87)

Answer 33

• Forward progress seemed possible once BBQ removed from agenda
• Thatcher proposed closer cooperation on FP, environmental policy
• Produced policy paper (‘Europe - the Future’) to end all non-tarriff barriers in single market
• Yet resisted strengthening of European political institutions
• Only Greeks and Danes joined Britain in resisiting further integration

Question 34

3

Describe the Single Market concept

Answer 34

• Free movement of goods, capital, services, people
• Would make EEC more competitive than US or Japan
• Required some uniform practices and regulations across EEC, managed by Brussels

Question 35

4

Describe Thatcher’s early attitude towards the Single Market

Answer 35

• Thatcher naturally supportive due to free-market ideology
• Yet rejected proposals for equalised VAT across EEC
• Agreed to achieve a single market by 1992
• Thatcher agreed to not use the veto on items necessary to achieve the deadline

Question 36

5

Describe the Single European Act 1986

Answer 36

• Committed EEC to Single Market by 1992
• Slight increase to power of the European Parliament to permit this
• Majority vote in Council of Ministers could overturn individual nation’s veto
• Would give EEC common identity (e.g. ‘Ode to joy’ - had been adopted 1985)
• Thatcher signed in 1985

Question 37

3

Describe problems with the Single European Act 1986

Answer 37

• Britain forced to sign wider set of reforms than had intended
• Deemed preferable to two-tier Europe that would exclude Britain from much European policy decisions
• Act contained promises of future action which’s significance was vastly underestimated, notably a common monetary union

Question 38

3

Describe closer relations with the EEC by 1987

Answer 38

Applicable to Topic 4 (1979-87) or Topic 5 (1987-97)

• Pragmatic considerations of Anglo-French trade and the provision of jobs in the South East
• Led to the building of the Channel Tunnel (construction would start in 1988)
• Howe and Lawson more sympathetic to monetary union than Thatcher

Question 39

4

Describe divisons over Europe within the Conservative Party (1979-87)

Answer 39

• No apparent schism over Europe in early 1980s due to pro-market cabinet
• Electoral success in 1983 and 1987 vindicated eurosceptic ideas of ‘dries’
• Westland Affair
• However SEA had little opposition (UUP MP Enoch Powell being one of its only promient conservative critics)

Question 40

3

Describe Thatcher’s clashes with her Foreign Office

Answer 40

• Distrusted ‘eurospeak’ FO
• Credit for resolving Zimbabwe issue really belonged to FO and Lord Carrington, whi had chaired the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement negotiations
• had made constitutional changes to address the limited political power of the black majority

Question 41

1

What was Powell’s criticism of the special relationship

Answer 41

Feared UK was becoming satellite of USA

Question 42

2

Describe the ‘Iron Lady’ nickname

Answer 42

Soviet Army journal ‘Red Star’ derogatorily named Thatcher the ‘Iron Lady’ following 1976 speech lambasting the Soviet Union.

Used by Thatcher as political weapon

Question 43

3

Describe Commonwealth relations under Thatcher

Answer 43

• 1979 Zimbabwe settlement showed signs of promise
• Yet failed due to Thatcher reluctance to apply trade sanctions on SA
• Yet in 1986 UK sanctions extended to include voluntary ban on tourism and new investment