Suez Crisis 1956 (29 oct 1956 año – 7 nov 1956 año)

Descripción:

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context:
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1869 : Suez Canal opens=> revolution in world trade (ships no longer had to sail around Africa)
- was a private company!! Many shareholders over the world such as Britain, France the USSR (but Egypt as well) => Egypt ended up (in 1975) by selling their shares (44%) bc of debt to Britain.

- The Canal was a vital link to the British colonies => 80% of the ships using the canal were British !
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- National revolt led by Colonel Ahmad Ourabi in the 1882=> Britain intervened, won, Egypt becomes a British protectorate.

- Britain controls the canal => great advantage in both world wars

- But after WW2, many colonised countries start revolting against Britain + gain their independence
=>>>Egyptian receives "independence" in 1922 ! (but British still control much of the politics there)
Only in 1937 do the British troops withdraw to the "Canal zone" (had deals with king Farouk which let them have military bases there )

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PUBLIC DISCONTEMPT IN EGYPT
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Egyptians blamed the king (Farouk I) for many things (for allowing British troops to remain in Egypt, for losing the Israeli-Arab war, for allowing the creation of the state of Israël…) => many riots => British impose Marshall law in 1952

1952 : EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION led by militaries=> seize power in a military coup, king abdicates=> Egypt declared a republic !!

COLONEL ABDEL NASSAR (pres. from 1956-70)=> emerges as the new leader of Egypt

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COLD WAR ARRIVES— (omg #dramaincoming)

The US wanted to bring Egypt on their side=> but couldn't give them any major arms deal as they would probably use it against israel

SO =>>> US & Britain offered to fund the site of Aswan dam (un barrage en gros)=> a crucial infrastructure project brought by Nasser for the country's development
+ Britain promised to remove its troops by 1956

BUT!!!!

=> Gaza raid : (aka operation black arrow, in Feb 1955) => Israel raids on Gaza strip which was under Egyptian administration /// many Egyptians killed ==> Nasser wanted to have + strength militarily

=> turned to the soviet bloc (since US wouldn't help) which provided them arms and military equipment

+ Nasser also had diplomatic relations w. communist China

DONC ===> Help w Aswan Dan annulée !!! (l'Egypte semble un peu trop communiste à leur goût)
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DONCCCC=====> 26 July 1956=> Nasser announced to the world that they would nationalize the Suez Canal company
- He intended to build the dam from profits made off the Suez Canal
=>>> Was legal !!!!!!!!!!

=> Eden responded with fury (ptit rageux ) as British economy couldn't survive without it

Decided to remove Nasser: France agreed (France was fighting a war in algeria, soldiers which were trained by Nassar)
=> planned a secret military operation to take back the suez canal (met in Sevres 33-24 October: Britain/France/Israel)

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at the same time, in August: London conference / Suez conference: Eden agreed to it after pressure from the US

18 of 22 countries agreed with Britain and France (Egypt didn't accept the invitation to the conf) = that the canal should be returned to international ownership => Nasser refuses ofc

John foster Dulles (us secretary of state) said that the US wouldn't support an invasion of Egypt – believes that it would be a bad idea as it would push the Arab world into the Soviet bloc --> Eden ignores it, France and Britain chose the path of war

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ET CEST LÀ QU'ENTRE LEUR PLAN DIABOLIQUE!! = Sevres Protocol

1. Israel would invade the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt's!!)
2. they could then use the excuse of "peacekeeping" to issue an ultimatum they knoew only Israel would accept
3. Would then have the excuse to intervene military
3/ and finally oerthrow Nasser from power to take back the Suez Canal

Why Israel? :
David Ben Gurion Israeli pm had been considering an attack on Egypt since many months

+ Egypt had a blockade on the straits of Tiran which limited Israeli trade+ Egypt didn’t recognize the Israeli state
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1. Israel strikes the 29 October 56 Egypt => justified itself in the UN saying that it was in self defense against Palestinian fighters ("fedayeen") operating in Gaza + Sinai
BUT THERE WERE NO FEDAYEEN BASES IN SINAI!!!! => gros mythos

2. => was the excuse Bt and France needed=> claimed to be acting on behalf of the international community => CONSPIRACY!!

British and France ultimatum : would intervene if Egypt didn’t abandon the suez canal, Israel accepts, Nassar refuses ofc
3. => they intervene !!!!
4. Overthrow nassar=> BUT they had no plan of what to do w. Egypt after Nasser !!!
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31 October: begin to invade/bomb Egypt infrastructure etc

5th November 1956 France and Bt intervene- 600 Egyptian soldiers killed + 1000 ppl- overpowered

Took control BUT Egyptian sabotaged the Suez Canal by sinking ships in it => unable to use it for months, had a huge economic impact in their respective countries (cheh)
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In the UN-> world opinion turned against them => US and USSR were united for once « the invasion had no moral or legal justification » - US angry cuz they didn’t consult them even tho they were allies

At the same time no one was looking at Hungary rev.

=> UN general assembly 4 Nov- not much use as Bt and France have vetoes

=> British currency was crashing// wanting to borrow from the IMF =>> Eisenhower blocked any help of the IMF unless they ceased fire!
=> Britain announces a ceasefire (only 2 days after landing )
=> France is forced to follow

=> United nations emergency peacekeeping force intervenes

=> humiliating fiasco => Bt leaves humiliated

=> Israeli forces also withdraws from Sinai after US pressure

///////France and Bt have to accept that they are no longer first powers- can’t do whatever they want /////
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some results:
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- Conflict in the region hadn't disappeared => Six day war 1967

- Anthony Eden's career+ health was ruined => resigns jan 1957 (mais l'hypocrite n'a jamais avoué être au courant du protocole de Sevres)

- Nasser dies in 1970- was seen as a hero - still revered nowadays in the Arab world

- for the US => Eisenhower doctrine  – a country could call another country for help if feel the threat of another country’s invasion => suez crisis only accentuated US involvement in the region

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