Wilson's Withdrawal from East of Suez Flashcards
1
Q
Withdrawal from East of Suez
A
- 18 New Commonwealth states were granted independence by 1964 due to Macmillan’s ‘Winds of Change’ speech
- Involved granting independence to colonial possessions that hadn’t achieved it yet
- Involved reducing military spending and Britain’s military commitments
- The ‘Establishment’, popular press and general public clung to the idea that Britain was still a world power
2
Q
Causes of Withdrawal from East of Suez
A
- 1956 Suez Crisis, undermined Britain’s confidence in believing they were still a world power
- Labour gov was simply continuing the process of decolonisation which Macmillan’s Conservative Party started (WoC - 1960)
- Process of giving up the last remaining parts of the empire made it logical to also withdraw many military bases East of Suez, focus on NATO defence of Western Europe during the Cold War/Soviet Threat
- Cost of maintaining expensive foreign bases was difficult to justify at the time of financial/economic difficulty in Britain (LTEP/1967 devaluation)
- Exhausting military engagements in 50s/60s in Malaya, Cyprus, Aden and Kenya - imperial overstretch
- Britain still committed to development of nuclear weapons
3
Q
US’ Reaction to Britain’s Withdrawal from East of Suez
A
- USA strongly disapproved of Britain’s withdrawal
- Argued Cold War tensions required a greater, not lesser, commitment to the defence of the world’s strategic areas (Arabian Gulf - oil preserves, Singapore - shipping)
- Added to Wilson’s straining of the ‘special relationship’ by also refusing to send British troops into Vietnam)
4
Q
Labour MPs Reaction to Britain’s Withdrawal from East of Suez
A
- Greeted with much support from left-wing Labour
- UK’s continuing commitment of developing nuclear weapons and Wilson’s public support for the Vietnam War still angered the left, dividing the party
5
Q
Conservative MPs Reaction to Britain’s Withdrawal from East of Suez
A
- Edward Heath’s Conservative government made no attempt to reverse the withdrawal after their 1970 election victory
