What impact did the British invasion of Suez have on Eden’s government? In this lesson, we will: Explain the reaction to Britain’s invasion of Egypt 1956. Starter task: What is the cartoonist trying to say with this drawing? Can you provide evidence to support his interpretation.

Why was the Suez Canal so important to the West? It was used widely for shipping oil from the Middle East, to Europe. In 1951, Colonel Nasser came to power in Egypt. At first, he was on good terms with the west. Nasser had been promised US and British loans to help pay for the Aswan Dam on the upper Nile. In 1956, the USA pulled it’s funding when it was reported that Nasser had approached the USSR for extra funding. In response, Nasser announced the nationalisation of the Suez canal. Egyptian troops stormed the headquarters of the Suez Canal Company.

How did the British government react to Nasser? Eden declared that Nasser had to be brought down. He saw him as a dictator like Hitler in the 1940s. He began to press for military action – he hoped for French and American support. Nasser refused to bow to the pressure of the US, UK and France. Britain and France referred to the UN Security Council, but the Soviet Union vetoed all attempts. As a result, Eden held top-secret talks with French and Israeli diplomats to organise a military invasion of Egypt to seize the Suez Canal.

What did the British, French and Israelis do? By October 1956, the plan was established. Israel would attack Egypt and push towards Suez. Britain and France would then intervene, under the guise of forcing Egypt and Israel to observe a ceasefire. After Eden’s cabinet agreed on the plan; the Israeli army attacked across the Gaza strip on 29th October 1956. On October 31st, British and French forces entered Egypt. The UN reaction was not as Eden intended.

What was the reaction to the invasion in Britain? In the Commons, Labour attacked the government – arguing that Britain should wait for UN support. Gaitskell forced a vote on the action, which the government narrowly won 270-18. 40 Conservative MPs actually voted against the government. Anthony Nutting, Eden’s Colonian Minister resigned in protest. Even the Chief Whip, Edward Heath, was strongly opposed to the invasion. The next day, Gaitskell gave a speech arguing that Britain’s action appeared to be “ ‘transparent excuse to seize the Canal’. I must now tell the Government and the country that we cannot support the action they have taken and that we shall feel bound by every constitutional means at our disposal to oppose it. 

What was the reaction to the invasion within the UN? President Eisenhower warned the Soviets that reckless talk of nuclear conflict would only make matters worse, and cautioned Khrushchev to refrain from direct intervention in the conflict. Eisenhower also issued stern warnings to the French, British and Israelis to give up their campaign and withdraw from Egyptian soil. The United States threatened all three nations with economic sanctions if they persisted in their attack. The threats did their work. The British and French forces withdrew by December; Israel finally bowed to U.S. pressure in March 1957.

Learning Task One Cut out each of the pictures given to you by your teacher. Identify the person, their party and their position. Explain their reaction to the Suez invasion.