Suez Crisis 1956: End of Empire and the Reshaping of the Middle East
In 1956 Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, ending nearly a century of British and French control over the crucial waterway. Ignoring U.S. diplomatic efforts and fears of a looming Cold War conflict, British Prime Minister Anthony Eden misled Parliament and the press to take Britain to war alongside France and Israel. In response to a secretly pre—planned Israeli attack in the Sinai, France and Britain intervened as ‘peacemakers’. The invasion of Egypt was supposed to restore British and French control of the canal and reaffirm Britain's flagging prestige. Instead, the operation spectacularly backfired, setting Britain and the United States on a collision course that would change the balance of power in the Middle East.

The combined air, sea and land battle witnessed the first helicopter—borne deployment of assault troops and the last large—scale parachute drop into a conflict zone by British forces. French and British soldiers fought together against the Soviet—equipped Egyptian military in a short campaign that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers, along with innocent civilians. Suez Crisis 1956 is a fast—paced, compelling short history which moves between London, Washington and Cairo to tell the story of a crisis that brought down a prime minister and heralded the end of an empire.
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Suez Crisis 1956: End of Empire and the Reshaping of the Middle East
In 1956 Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, ending nearly a century of British and French control over the crucial waterway. Ignoring U.S. diplomatic efforts and fears of a looming Cold War conflict, British Prime Minister Anthony Eden misled Parliament and the press to take Britain to war alongside France and Israel. In response to a secretly pre—planned Israeli attack in the Sinai, France and Britain intervened as ‘peacemakers’. The invasion of Egypt was supposed to restore British and French control of the canal and reaffirm Britain's flagging prestige. Instead, the operation spectacularly backfired, setting Britain and the United States on a collision course that would change the balance of power in the Middle East.

The combined air, sea and land battle witnessed the first helicopter—borne deployment of assault troops and the last large—scale parachute drop into a conflict zone by British forces. French and British soldiers fought together against the Soviet—equipped Egyptian military in a short campaign that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers, along with innocent civilians. Suez Crisis 1956 is a fast—paced, compelling short history which moves between London, Washington and Cairo to tell the story of a crisis that brought down a prime minister and heralded the end of an empire.
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Suez Crisis 1956: End of Empire and the Reshaping of the Middle East

Suez Crisis 1956: End of Empire and the Reshaping of the Middle East

by David Charlwood
Suez Crisis 1956: End of Empire and the Reshaping of the Middle East

Suez Crisis 1956: End of Empire and the Reshaping of the Middle East

by David Charlwood

Paperback

$26.95 
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Overview

In 1956 Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, ending nearly a century of British and French control over the crucial waterway. Ignoring U.S. diplomatic efforts and fears of a looming Cold War conflict, British Prime Minister Anthony Eden misled Parliament and the press to take Britain to war alongside France and Israel. In response to a secretly pre—planned Israeli attack in the Sinai, France and Britain intervened as ‘peacemakers’. The invasion of Egypt was supposed to restore British and French control of the canal and reaffirm Britain's flagging prestige. Instead, the operation spectacularly backfired, setting Britain and the United States on a collision course that would change the balance of power in the Middle East.

The combined air, sea and land battle witnessed the first helicopter—borne deployment of assault troops and the last large—scale parachute drop into a conflict zone by British forces. French and British soldiers fought together against the Soviet—equipped Egyptian military in a short campaign that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers, along with innocent civilians. Suez Crisis 1956 is a fast—paced, compelling short history which moves between London, Washington and Cairo to tell the story of a crisis that brought down a prime minister and heralded the end of an empire.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781526757081
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 12/12/2019
Series: Cold War 1945-1991
Pages: 136
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

DAVID CHARLWOOD obtained a First Class Honours Degree in history from Royal Holloway, University of London, and has worked as an international journalist and in publishing. His research into the early Twentieth Century Middle East has been published in the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies and he has written historical articles for a US—based think tank and contributed to BBC radio. 1920: A Year of Global Turmoil is his second book.

Table of Contents

Maps 4

Timeline 6

Prologue 8

1 Seizure 12

2 Colonialists and Fascists 18

3 The View from the East 25

4 Satisfaction 33

5 A Swim from Malta 39

6 An Invitation 43

7 To the United Nations 49

8 Casus Belli 54

9 Sevres 58

10 "A Nail in My Head" 62

11 The Jordanian Complication 67

12 Storms in the Desert 72

13 From Russia, with Love 82

14 Resolution 997 89

15 Election Day 97

16 Black Gold and Blue Helmets 106

Epilogue: The Curse of the Pharaohs 110

Afterword: The Parallels of Suez and Iraq 115

Sources 120

Index 126

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