Suez Crisis 1956 POV Grid

EGYPT Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Popular support for ousting King Farouk by the Free Officers Popular support for Nasser’s vision for Egypt of eliminating foreign power and influence Reforming Egyptian economic and social structures by primarily redistributing land and modernizing Egypt Nasser gets initially get funding from the World Bank to build the Aswan Dam on the Nile River

ISRAEL Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Nasser continued to deny recognition to the legitimacy of the nation of Israel Israel denied access to fly over Egyptian airspace, access to regional oil pipeline, and use of Suez Canal Fedayeen raids into Israeli territory become a major area of conflict and military confrontation with Egypt over the occupied Gaza Strip area Failed framed attack on Cairo based American buildings to strain

GREAT BRITAIN Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president VERY concerned Under King Farouk GB was allowed a virtual occupation of the country Increased garrisons around Suez Canal Zone to ensure trade and peace Rise of a nationalistic Egyptian leader would challenge GB in the region

FRANCE Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Concern from the start of Nasser and Arab Socialism which would challenge France’s influence in the region Attempted to keep its colonial holding of Algeria Invested in open access to the Suez Canal

USA Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Cold War context NATO led by USA feared Arab instability would make region appealing to USSR USA w businesses near Canal Zone

USSR Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Cold War context Some initial relations developed w Arab world

OTHER ARAB NATIONS Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Egypt’s Nasser takes the lead in unifying Arab nations under Arab Socialism; speaking with one voice especially in the condemnation of Israel – Israeli IDF attacks against Egypt in Gaza – Israel raids into Syria in 1955, Syrian restraint from war

UNITED NATIONS Reactions to rise of Egyptian nationalism and elevation of Nasser to president Recognized Nasser as legitimate UN condemns Israel for its raid into Syria in 1955

EGYPT Emerging Cold War tensions 1945 to 1956 before the Suez Crisis Nasser formally recognized communist China, backlash as USA withdrew its loans for Aswan Dam GB and World bank withdrew their financial support for Aswan Dam Viewed the Baghdad Pact/CENTO as an instrument of imperialism Nasser was a leader of the non-alignment movement of not taking a side in the Cold War

USA Emerging Cold War tensions 1945 to 1956 before the Suez Crisis USA withdrew its loans for Aswan Dam WHEN Egypt recognized PRC (America continued to acknowledge Chaing Kai-Shek on Taiwan as the legitimate leader of China) Viewed Nasser’s non-alignment to be suspicious as Egypt bought weapons from Czechoslovakia

GREAT BRITAIN/SOME ARAB NATIONS Emerging Cold War tensions 1945 to 1956 before the Suez Crisis Baghdad Pact to protect British interests in region and prevent Soviet extension into region, this will become CENTO in 1959 – Britain, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq

EGYPT Reaction to Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal on 26 July 1956 After losing funding for Aswan Dam, Nasser moves to nationalize Suez Canal Company, willing to compensate shareholders HUGE popular support; big crowd, long speech Suez Canal conference held in London to resolve through diplomacy Nasser rejects proposals to place canal under international control, and other proposal of a Canal Users Association plan in which Egypt would be paid for Canal use After withdrawal of GB and French pilots, Egypt ran the canal very well

United Nations Reaction to Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal on 26 July 1956 Britain and France try to get UN support for a motion condemning Nasser’s nationalization and called for the canal to be placed under an international body Motion failed as USSR used its Security Council veto to block it

Great Britain, France Israel Reaction to Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal on 26 July 1956 Sevres Protocol agreement between these three nations to bring about Nasser’s downfall GB wanted to keep control of Canal zone France hoped Algerian nationalist uprising would fail without Egyptian aid and support Israel wanted to break the economic restrictions put on it by Egypt, to destroy fedayeen bases, and show its military dominance to avert Arab nations unifying in an attack against Israel

Sevres Protocol Israel launch an attack against Egypt moving to take the Suez Canal Britain and France would take on “peacekeeper” roles and send military to protect the canal and issue an ultimatum for both sides to withdraw Anticipating Nasser would reject this demand, it was pretext for an armed Anglo-French intervention

EGYPT Reaction to Israeli invasion of Egypt on 29 October 1956 As expected, Nasser rejected call by GB and France for all troops to withdraw from canal zone Many Egyptian planes were destroyed by GB/French attacks, Egypt limited in its ability to repel Israel from Sinai Peninsula Egypt sank ships in Suez Canal when GB and France invaded to slow their advance Egypt was dependant on world pressure to end the invasion and occupation

UNITED NATIONS Reaction to Israeli invasion of Egypt on 29 October 1956 UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding an immediate end to the invasion, including condemnation by the USA Within a week UN Emergency Force (UNEF) arrived to oversee the ceasefire and keep the peace in canal zone and maintain the border between Egypt and Israel through 1967 until Egypt ordered the UN troops out Guided by UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold

others Reaction to Israeli invasion of Egypt on 29 October 1956 USA led condemnations and UN efforts against GB, France, Israel USSR UN Security Council veto to block GB and France from placing canal under international control Brought the superpowers, and therefore Cold War conflict into the Middle East region Other Arab nations attacked oil pipelines to cut off supply to Europe

GB Reactions/Actions to Sinai War HUGE domestic and international backlash against Prime Minister Anthony Eden for GB role. He will resign in January – GB accused of gunboat diplomacy – Oil shortages resulted in petrol rationing in GB – USA unwilling to help GB cope w oil shortages and cut off IMF bank loans to GB – Withdrew troops, forcing France to do the same – Final end to the British empire

EGYPT Reactions/Actions to Sinai War Nasser an inspiration to nationalist movements demanding independence from colonial powers Nasser achieved Egyptian nationalization of the Suez Canal companies, and banks Foreigners expelled Egypt gained credibility, Israel lost credibility UNEF troops keep peace with Egyptian right to dismiss at any time

ISRAEL Reactions/Actions to Sinai War Demonstrated superior military against Egypt, hoped to be a deterrent to other Arab nations attacking Israel in the future Israel still not recognized by Arab nations Israel forced to withdraw out of Sinai and Gaza to its 1948/49 borders Shift in American policy and dealings with Israel; Israel no longer ‘morally and politically unassailable’.

Sinai War & USA USA not dependent on Middle East oil at this point, so our economy was not effected 1956 was re-election year for Eisenhower; followed policies favored by electorate Eisenhower chose not to involve USA deeper in Soviet’s brutal crushing of the Hungarian Uprising Cold War conflicts come to Middle East as USSR develops relationships in region 1957 Eisenhower Doctrine – USA offer of economic and military aid to any Middle Eastern country that believed it was threatened by communist aggression

Sinai War & USSR Quick to condemn GB and France World occupied by Sinai War; advantage to USSR in crushing Hungarian Uprising LOVE cartoon on page 114 USSR aid to Nasser to build Aswan Dam becoming a symbol of Soviet support for developing Arab countries

Sinai War & UNITED NATIONS UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold negotiated with Nasser terms of the UNEF troops UN gained credibility and greater status on world stage Issue: role was reactionary to events rather than premptive