What determined alliances in the Suez Crisis?
1 Answer
Colonialism and post colonialism.
Explanation:
The Suez crisis was caused when Britain, France and Israel signed a secret agreement in 1956. Under this agreement Israel attacked Egypt advancing through Sinai to the Suez Canal. The British and French used this as a pretext to seize and regain control of the Canal which had been nationalised by the Egyptian leader Nasser.
Israel, Britain and France had a number of reasons for signing this agreement. The Israelis wanted security on their border with Egypt. It was only 8 years after the establishment of Israel and the first Arab-Israeli war.
For Britain and France it reflected an outdated belief in the maintenance of their imperial roles in the post war world. The French had already been defeated in Indo-China and were about to suffer the same in Algeria; a war which would bring down the 4th Republic. The British had similar delusions about their international influence. Both saw Nasser as a dangerous influence. Eden the British PM saw dangerous parallels between Nasser and Hitler and was keen not to repeat the mistake of appeasement.
Such attitudes were to have a rude awakening. The Americans were furious. They forced an embarrassing climb down, refusing to support the UK when there was a run on the pound. In essence it reflected one form of imperialism being replaced by another.
