Wilson and Labour's foreign policy 1964-1970 Flashcards
1
Q
Why didn’t Britain want to use military involvement in the Vietnam war?
A
- US president Lyndon Johnson requested help from allies.
- This happened after August 1964 after the Tonkin Gulf incident US Congress authorised full-scale US involvement in Vietnam.
- couldn’t afford military involvement, but also relied on the US to support the value of the sterling and avoid devaluation. US helped in 1967 devaluation crisis.
2
Q
How did Wilson try stop Southern Rhodesia’s independence?
A
- Sanctions should be made on petroleum products and military hardware. In December 1966 these extended barring purchase of these Rhodesia products: tobacco, chromium, copper, sugar, meat and hides.
- oil sanctions
3
Q
What sort of relationship did Wilson want with the US?
A
Wilson rejected ‘special relationship’ and forced on ‘close relationship’ and Heath insisted on a ‘natural’ relationship rather than a ‘special’ one.
4
Q
What was the first policy surrounding the ‘East of Suez’ and decolonisation?
A
- Minister of defence Denis Healey started spending cuts designed to bring the defence budget below £2 billion by 1970. Defence spending from 7 to 6% of GDP. Also emphasised Britain’s commitment to NATO.
- Healey’s defence white paper in 1967 set timetable for troop withdrawals from Aden, The Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore.
- Wilson’s government announced it would continue to deploy US polaris missiles despite their expense as Britain wanted to remain a world power. In 1967 a decision was made to upgrade the system.
5
Q
What was the policy behind EEC membership?
A
- By 1966 Wilson’s cabinet agreed to back a new application for EEC membership.
- Doubtful if it was going to work: seemed half hearted due to split in party and De Gaulle could still veto the decision.
- Wilson also said Britain would accept the treaty of rome which they hadn’t previously.
6
Q
How did Wilson try convince de Gaulle of their membership and how did it fail?
A
- Wilson and George Brown in 1967 went to Paris to meet De Gaulle. Then toured other EEC countries to try to gain support.
- June 1967 Wilson went to Paris again. De Gaulle wanted him to abandon the ‘special relationship’ which Wilson wouldn’t do. In November De Gaulle used his veto again to prevent British entry.
7
Q
How did the foreign policy change concerning the ‘East of Suez’ and decolonisation and what did it impact?
A
- In January 1968 chancellor Roy Jenkins introduced drastic spending cuts after the 1967 devaluation crisis.
- Troops were to be pulled out by 1971.
- So despite the wishes of Wilson and Healey the development of a new high tech war plane the TSR2 was abandoned, as it was too costly.
8
Q
How did Wilson contradict his foreign policy concerning the ‘East of Suez’ and decolonisation?
A
- A 1965 secret Anglo-American deal was formed between Britain and US that maintained Britain’s bases east of Suez for a line of defence for the US.
- In the far east in September 1963 68,000 troops had been sent in aid of the Malaysian Federation in its border dispute with Indonesia.
- Rapid growth of threat of communism in Indochina. Also confronted with serious internal division of Bahrain and Kuwait and a prolonged armed insurrection in the South Arabian Federation.
9
Q
What lead to Southern Rhodesia’s declaring independence?
A
- Southern Rhodesia also wanted independence, but Britain said this couldn’t happen until majority rule replaced political domination by the white population.
- In September 1964 Smith visited Lisbon where Portuguese PM Antonio de Oliveira Salazar promised him “maximum support” if he should declare independence.
- Wilson rejected using armed forces against the English “kith and kin” in Africa encouraging Smith to declare independence.
- Political row blew up when Ian Smith became PM and on 11 November 1965 issued independence without majority rule. This was announced in England as an “act of rebellion against the Crown”
10
Q
Who had gained independence which encouraged Southern Rhodesia to?
A
- In 1963, the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland had broken up into 3 separate entities.
- In 1964, northern Rhodesia became the new independent state of Zambia and Nyasaland became independent Malawi.
11
Q
When did Wilson try negotiate with Smith?
A
- Wilson met Smith on board HMS Tiger off Gibraltar in December 1966. Meeting made progress, but Smith disavowed everything he said.
- More talks on HMS fearless in October 1968 but Smith felt stronger than weaker. Smith also believed he could gain support from the right of the Conservative party.
12
Q
What was the reaction of Britain not getting military involved in the vietnam war?
A
- annoyed the US who wanted backing.
- Also annoyed Labour MPs and supporters who wanted the Labour government to condemn the US.
- In 1965 Wilson requested an audience with Johnson to advise against further US military involvement.
13
Q
Who did Wilson have support from over Southern Rhodesia declaring independence?
A
- Rhodesia struggled to gain recognition for independence.
- In 1970 the US made it clear they were not supporting it and the National Party government in South Africa and the Estado Novo government in Portugal did not recognise Rhodesia as independent.
14
Q
Why did the oil sanctions not work?
A
- Rhodesia could get supplies through Portuguese colony Mozambique
- big oil companies openly ignored sanctions policy.
- West Germany (who remained the biggest trading partner til 1973) Switzerland and South Africa traded with Rhodesia still.
15
Q
What was the result of Southern Rhodesia declaring independence?
A
- During a two-proposition referendum held in 1969, the proposal for severing all remaining ties to the British Crown passed by a majority of 61,130 votes to 14,327.
- Rhodesia declared itself a republic on 2 March 1970.
