This article is about the Suez Crisis from the October 31, 1956. We’ll explain them to you mechanisms and historical backgroundthat led to the Suez Crisis at the Suez Canal and make you understand the importance of the crisis in the Middle East conflict and in the Cold War.
Background and course of the Suez Crisis
In this section you will learn about the history of the conflicts so that you can understand how the Suez Crisis and the Sinai Campaign came about. You learn which Role France and Great Britain in the Suez Canal area had and like that Politics of Egyptian President Nasser affected the conflict situation.
The Suez Canal as a strategically important canal
Of the Suez Canal became since 1869 used in seafaring as a shortcut on the way from Europe to Asia. The French diplomat and engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps discovered the canal in the 19th century. the French company Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez took over according to the agreement to 99 years of operation of the canal.
Figure 1: Suez Canal map
Franco-British colonial power at the Suez Canal
First belonged Egypt by Vice-King Muhammad Said large parts of society. Said’s successor Ismail Pasha sold the shares to Great Britain, since the Egyptian state had high debts. Even after the national debt was over and Egypt was independent again, dominated French and British continue the Suez Canal Society. the strategic importance of the Suez Canal had grown after World War II as oil had become more important on the Arabian Peninsula. However, the canal was under British and French rule.
New regulation for the shares in the Suez Canal
early fifties was after one Solution sought for the Suez Canal, because the rule of the Anglo-French dominated society was limited to 99 years. the Society was reluctant to involve Egypt, as she did not trust Egypt with such a business. Especially on the British side behind it was the Fear of losing even more international influence. Egypt became increasingly important to Britain as the British in the Suez Canal zone under a 1936 treaty military site had.
government overthrow in Egypt
At the July 23, 1952 was the Egyptian government after a coup relieved by officerswhat the Relationship of Egypt and Great Britain further charged. Until then, King Farouk had cooperated with European powers. His successors, on the other hand, had more nationalist, pan-Arab and anti-Israel tendencies closer to the Eastern Bloc. So concluded Gamal-Abdul Nasser, the then President of Egypt Arms supply treaty with Czechoslovakia.
pan-Arabism is a nationalist movement that wants to unite all Arab states that share language and culture, i.e. all Arabs from the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf, into a single nation state.
Effects of Nasser’s foreign policy
While the West contract as Beginning of a communist infiltration interpreted, saw himself Israel challenged by Nasser. Next to it was paving for Egypt a Conflict with Great Britain and France on. The Western powers did not want to give up their control of the Suez Canal for reasons of economic and strategic interests, but also because of the symbol of the Franco-British presence in the Middle East. president Nasser demanded however one national solution for the Suez Canal.
The Suez Agreement
in the Suez Agreement from the October 19, 1954 promised Great Britain, within the period of 20 months, the retreat of the British troops from the Suez Canal Zone. Egypt committed to the obtain military sites and to cede to Great Britain in case of war. In addition, Egypt recognized the international status of the zone on. As in June 1956 all British troops had withdrawn, one lay peaceful solution vicinity.
Figure 2: Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anthony Nutting, Ministers of State in the British Cabinet under Prime Minister Anthony Eden signing the Suez Agreement (from right) Source: Spiegel.de
Cause of the Suez Crisis
At the July 26, 1956 the situation worsened surprising: at that time, in the context of the East-West conflict, the USA decided Nasser financially to help build the Aswan High Dam. So they initially wanted to win Nasser over to the West. In July 1956, the estimated United States the Influence of the Soviet Union in Egypt however like that big one that they their commitment to provide financial support for the construction of the dam near Aswan withdrew. wet subsequently announced the Nationalization of the Suez Canalbecause he needed the money to fund the dam without US help.
Consequences of the nationalization of the Suez Canal – The Suez Crisis
With the nationalization of the canal had Nasser broke international law, because the right of free passage was laid down in the statutes of the International Canal Company. Nasser did guarantee free travel through the canal and offered compensation to the company’s shareholders – France and Great Britain. Nonetheless solved the Egyptian President with the nationalization of the channel one serious crisis.
Reactions of the colonial powers to the nationalization of the canal in Egypt
France would have since 1954 war against the Algerian independence movement guided. Morocco and Tunisia had already regained their independence. The colonial powers saw them Nationalization of the Suez Canal amplified than challenge. The US accepted nationalization of the canal at three international conferences. Great Britain and France, on the other hand, did not want to back down.
Arab-Israeli conflict
wetwhich stood for Arab nationalism hostile to Israel tuned. Israel was standing negative pressure, since the Strait of Tiran at the exit of the Gulf of Aqaba to the Red Sea was closed and Israeli ships and ships bound for Israel were not allowed to pass through the Suez Canal. Israel was with it cut off from Asian and African trading partners. In addition, Palestinians from Egypt practiced increasingly terrorist attacks out. By Sinai occupiedthe Israeli government wanted the security of the Jewish state decisive to enhance. That’s how he cooked Arab-Israeli conflict high again.
France and Britain’s Secret Plans Against Nasser and Egypt
France threw wet before, with his politics to support the Algerian independence movement. In Great Britain, these charges triggered public unrest. British Prime Minister Anthony Eden reminded Britons of the Munich Conference of 1938 and placed Nasser on a par with Hitler and Mussolini. the French and British politics now rely on one War.
In the first secret plans for military action, the two western powers wanted to act together against Egypt. But then France and Great Britain made up their minds to involve Israel and portraying the military conflict as bringing peace to the crisis between Israel and Egypt.
The plans of Sevres
on one secret meeting from the October 22nd to 24th in Sèvres near Paris France, Great Britain and Israel the following mind game: On the War preparations by Egypt and Jordan should Israel with a attack against Egypt react. France and Great Britain should Egypt and Israel then one ultimatum place. In it he should Forces withdraw from Canal Zone will.
predictions of the processes
It was clear in advance that Egypt’s demand for the ultimatumto withdraw Israeli and Egyptian troops from the Canal Zone, not fulfill would. The French and British military wanted them refusal as a pretext to use: French and British would the «Free the Channel», overthrow Nasser and a Anglo-French Forces on the Channel around Port Said station. France and Great Britain would deliver arms to Israel. France would protect Israeli airspace and coast. France planned in the UN Security Council Veto against a resolution against Israel to insert
The USA and the plans of Sèvres
the Plans of Sevres stayed largely secret. Only a small circle of Britons and French were in on it. To the American President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was campaigning at the time, France and Great Britain deliberately did not report the plans that had been made. Eisenhower would be against the offensive because he didn’t want to jeopardize his election campaign or trigger new tensions with Russia.
Disagreements with the British and French
British and French prioritized the meaning of Suez Canal for Europe. The United States against it was the East-West conflict more important: The political relationship between Eisenhower and Nasser was relatively close. A War would have Nasser’s bond to the Soviets, the East, strengthened and the connection weakened to the west. Due to the lack of trust on the western side, the situation at the Suez Canal escalated into a crisis.
The Sinai Campaign
Under the name of «surgery musketeer“ continued Israel in the Night of October 28-29, 1956 on the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, «Phase 1» of Protocol of Sèvres around. The following day Great Britain and France presented the planned ultimatum. As expected, Nasser denied the request on October 31. On the same day, the British and French launched air raids against Egyptian airfields. After two days they had almost completely destroyed the Egyptian air force.
US foreign policy actions
The American President Eisenhower reacted with sanctions: At the October 31st asked he the development aid to Israel. The German Chancellor did not follow suit, as Eisenhower had demanded. Eisenhower’s initiative in the UN General Assembly at the November 2demanded that the combat operations immediately set became. France and England vetoed it against this requirement a. In this way they wanted to buy time and enable the Israelis to successfully implement their military goals.
Figure 3: British troops in front of Port SaidSource: picture-alliance.com
At the height of the crisis – unexpected effects of the Suez crisis
France and Great Britain had the American President Eisenhower foreign policy underestimated. Eisenhower accused the British and French of using the Sinai campaign to prevent propaganda against the Soviet Union’s actions in Hungary. Since Great Britain had been financially dependent on the USA since World War II, swayed the British currency rates extreme on the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition, France and Great Britain had them misunderstood American attitude towards decolonization. The Americans wanted to be on good terms with the countries of the «Third World» because of their competition with the Soviet Union and for economic reasons. Prime Minister Eden’s Reputation was ruined. late 1956 urged Harold Macmillan the British from office.
reaction of the Soviet Union
Meanwhile she went Soviet Union versus the…