1956 Suez crisis

September 1955

Nasser announced a Russian arms purchase agreement with Czechoslovakia, worth approximately 400 million in tanks, artillery, jets and aircraft- bringing the Cold War into the Middle East

The US countered with an offer to provide economic assistance to build a dam at Aswan or the Nile, but Nasser did not immediately accept- when he recognised Communist China in May 1956 the US withdrew the loan offer

26 July 1956

Nasser declared that to pay the costs of building the dam Egypt would nationalise the Suez Canal company 12 years before the lease was to expire, the company was controlled by the French and British.

Cold War competition aspect- the Soviet Union ultimately provided funding, tech support and equipment to build the dam.

Britain and France feared that Nasser might close the canal and cut off shipments of petroleum flowing from the Persian Gulf to western Europe

Suez crisis causes

• Egyptian Nationalism & Nasser’s Leadership

  • President Gamal Abdel Nasser promoted Arab nationalism and resisted Western dominance.

  • He aimed to modernize Egypt, assert independence, and challenge British influence in the Middle East.

• Nationalisation of the Suez Canal (July 1956)

  • The Suez Canal was vital for global trade and Europe’s oil supply. It had been controlled by British and French shareholders.

  • Nasser nationalised it to fund Egypt’s development projects after the U.S. and Britain withdrew support for the Aswan High Dam (partly because Egypt had grown closer to the USSR).

• Cold War Rivalry

  • The U.S. and USSR competed for influence in the Middle East.

  • Nasser’s arms deal with Czechoslovakia (backed by the USSR) alarmed the West, who feared Soviet expansion in the region.

• Arab-Israeli Tensions

  • Israel faced border raids from Egyptian-backed fedayeen fighters.

  • Egypt’s blockade of the Straits of Tiran cut off Israel’s shipping routes to Asia, threatening its economy and security (from 1949)

Ben Gurion

Israel PM in July 1956 instructed staff to draw up war plans and concentrate initially on opening the strait of Tiran, had meetings with Britain and France Sep-Oct

29 October 1956

Prearranged plan with Britain and France, Israel did a surprise paratroop drop into central Sinai, the Egyptians responded militarily leading to full scale war

Using reserve clause of the 1954 agreement regarding British troops evacuation from the Suez Canal Zone which allowed them to reoccupy if the Arab League was attacked, on the 30th October the British and French delivered an ultimatum- halt to hostilities and warning to Egypt to withdraw 10 miles from canal- refused by Nasser

British and French force

Britain announced they would land to halt fighting and secure uninterrupted navigation the canal, lanes attacked Egyptian air bases, naval force arrived at Port Said on 5 November and attempted to secure area

British agreed to ceasefire on 6-7 November, the French and Israelis agreed having conquered the entire Sinai

Political outcome

Britain and France faced international condemnation.

The U.S. (President Eisenhower) opposed the invasion, fearing it would push Arab states toward the USSR. He insisted Israel withdraw from the Sinai in March 1957- however the US in Arab minds was more closely associated with Israel.

The Soviet Union also condemned the attack, threatening to intervene militarily.

Under heavy U.S. and UN pressure, Britain, France, and Israel were forced to withdraw.

Marked the effective end of Britain and France as dominant imperial powers in the Middle East- from then on, the U.S. became the key Western power in the region.

Arab Israeli relations

The war resolved little- deepened Egypt desire for revenge- setting political stage for the 1967 war as there was no peace settlement

Israel obtained economic gains- US + UN guaranteed freedom of passage through the Gulf of Aqaba- allowing them to receive secret oil shipments of Iran under Western influenced Shah

United Nations Emergency Force

The first UN peacekeeping force ever deployed

Established in Egyptian territory at Sharn el-Sheikh and between Israel and Egypt in Gaze to deal with the fedayeen problem (Egyptian-backed Palestinian fighters who went in to Israel to spy and attack Israelis)

Rise of Arab nationalism

Nasser while defeated militarily emerged as a hero to the Arab world for standing up to Western powers

”The Government are not prepared to embark on a policy of abject appeasement”

UK PM Anthony Eden on attempts get Egypt to agree to some form of international control of the canal- diplomatic efforts were unsuccessful → war

“the Americans lost influence in the Middle East as a result of Suez, while the Russians gained it.”

American historian John Lewis Gaddis 1988

"The British and French reluctantly agreed to pursue the diplomatic avenue but viewed it as merely an attempt to buy time, during which they continued their military preparations."

Risse-Kappen 1997