Britain's Position in the World 1951-97

Created by: TaylorYS
Created on: 01-06-19 12:27

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Britain's Position in the World 1951-97
- International Crises
  - Korean War 1950-53
    - Overview
      - North Korea invade South Korea June 1950
      - US organised a 16 country coalition fighting under the UN flag
      - US landing behind North Korean lines forced a retreat and enabled an invasion
        The Chinese sent in forces to defend, leading to a stalemate and armistice signed in July 1953
      - Why did Britain join?
        Demonstrate to the Americans that Britain was a power
        Britain demonstrated loyalty to the US
        
        The war challenged the credibility of the UN
        
        Commitment to the US and NATO
        NATO as a result established military power
    - British Positives
      - Britain and the Commonwealth made an important contribution, especially in decision making
    - British Negatives
      - Most of the forces invading the North were American
      - Britain's contribution was dwarfed by the US
      - Increased defence expenditure while Britain was still recovering from WW2
  - Suez Crisis 1956
    - Overview
      - Self proclaimed Egyptian president Nasser seized the Suez Canal in 1954
        First step to Egyptian domination of the Middle East
        
        Nasser woulld allow USSR to extend influence
        British influence was required to stop this
        
        Eden decided to challenge Nasser in collusion with France and the Israelis
        Nasser as a result sank ships in the canal
    - British Negatives
      - Eisenhower humiliated Britain by ordering withdrawal of forces
        US wanted a peaceful resolution
      - The USSR also condemned the invasion as imperialist
      - The Suez Canal lost its use due to sunken ships
      - Eden resigned as a direct result
  - Falklands Crisis 1982
    - Overview
      - Argentine forces invaded and captured the Falklands Islands
        Thatcher dispatched a task force of ships almost immediately
        British forces entered the capital on 14 June and Argentina surrendered
    - British Positives
      - The UN justified British actions
      - Positive for Thatcher's political campaign
      - Britain was seen as strong again
    - British Negatives
      - Reagan didn't think the Falklands were worth a war, and they provided crucial weapons and military intelligence
      - Future defence of the islands were costly
  - Gulf War 1991
    - Overview
      - Saddam Hussein (Iraqi leader) invaded and conquered Kuwait
        The US (Bush) formed a coalition against Iraq
        Iraqi defences were bombed in Janurary, followed by a ground assault in Frebruary
    - British Positives
      - Successfully liberated British ally Kuwait
      - Strengthened US-British relations
      - Britain were the third largest military contributers, and the RAF was significant in bombing
    - British Negatives
      - Hussein maintained control of Iraq and punished domestic enemies
      - Seen by many in the Middle East as imperialism
- Britain and the USA
  - 1950s
    - Korean War
      - US contribution dwarfed that of Britain
      - Britain demonstrated loyalty
    - Suez Crisis
      - US humiliated Britain
      - Britain went over the heads of the US
  - 1960s and 70s
    - Economic difficulties and decolonisation
      - Importance of relations were diminished, but the relations remained harmonious
    - Kennedy and Macmillan
      - Kennedy saw Macmillan as a father figure in politics
        Consulted him for advice in crises
    - Wilson and Johnson
      - Wilson's failure to broker peace in the Vietnam War
        Wilson irritated Johnson
        
        Johnson was disappointed there were no British troops in Vietnam
  - Reagan and Thatcher
    - Shared a warm friendship
      - Military support in the Falklands War
      - USA used British planes to bomb Libya
      - Opposed UN sanctions against apartheid
    - Thatcher disliked Reagan's SDI
      - Lasers to shoot down incoming missiles
  - 1990s
    - Strong cooperation in the Gulf War
- Britain and the USSR
  - Khrushchev
    - Peaceful co-existence
      - Mutual goodwill visits in the 1950s
    - Mutual Hostility
      - Accused each other of imperialism throughout the Cold War
  - 1960s and 70s
    - Britain withdrew from their colonial empire
    - Espionage on both sides as Britain regarded USSR as a potential enemy
    - Concern about build up on Soviet Forces
  - Thatcher and the USSR
    - Anti-Communist, determined to retain military defences
    - Visited the Soviet Union as she admired the reformist leader Gorbachev
  - Collapse of the USSR
    - Mutual diplomatic support for Yeltsin during attempted seizure of power
    - The G8
      - Finance ministers and heads of government of 8 countries
- Role in the UN
  - Support
    - Permanent member of the security council
    - Took part in UN peacekeeping operations
      - Korean War
      - Yugoslavia
    - Major contributions to budgets
    - The UN backed British action against Iraq
  - Conflict
    - Suez Crisis
    - Bombing of Libya
    - Ignored UN criticism of colonialism
    - NATO became more important than the UN
- Role in Europe
- Nuclear Policy
  - USSR and Britain decided to build atomic weapons for fear of a US monopoly
    - Mutually Assured Destruction
- Decolonisation

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Britain's Position in the World 1951-97

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