SUEZ CRISIS

SUEZ CRISIS. In the summer of 1956, British, French, and Israeli leaders deemed the conduct of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser as provocative. The European powers were humiliated by his nationalization of their shares in the Universal Suez Canal Company. They were concerned about Nasser's increasing contacts with the Soviet bloc, his founding role in the nonaligned movement, and his opposition to European influence in the Arab world, especially to French colonial rule in Algeria. Israel, agitated over continuous cross-border infiltration from Egypt and the blockade of maritime routes in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, found more cause for worry in Egypt's forthcoming arms supplies from the Soviet bloc. Thus, Britain, France, and Israel joined forces in a surprise attack on Egypt, triggering the Suez Crisis on 29 October 1956.

On that day, Israel invaded the Sinai peninsula and the Gaza Strip. Two days later the British and the French bombed major Egyptian cities, then conquered the Suez Canal area in early November.

The Americans and the Soviets collaborated to denounce and reverse what they viewed as a gross violation of Egyptian sovereignty by colonial powers. Using their military, economic, and political supremacy, they forced a cease-fire, then a full withdrawal of British, French, and Israeli troops. The United States gave assurances to Israel that it would enjoy safe passage in the Gulf of Aqaba, and UN peacekeepers were deployed as a buffer between Egypt and Israel.

The United States also was concerned about Soviet encroachments in the Arab world. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was personally incensed with the timing of the crisis, which occurred in the final days of his reelection campaign and during a crisis in Hungary, where the Soviets were crushing a regime that wanted to leave the Warsaw Pact. He felt betrayed by Britain and France and viewed the assault as a challenge to his authority, but he also wanted to preserve Western influence.

The proximity of interests between the United States and Egypt was temporary given Nasser's aspirations to lead the Arabs and to display "positive neutrality" in the Cold War. Already, on 5 January 1957, the Eisenhower Doctrine, approved by the U.S. Senate two months later, promised U.S. economic assistance, military support, and even armed intervention to sustain regimes opposed to "international communism" in the Middle East. Egypt, a recipient of Soviet aid, quickly became a U.S. antagonist over influence in Syria, Iraq, and Jordan.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holland, Matthew. America and Egypt: From Roosevelt to Eisenhower. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1996.

Sneh, Itai. "Viewpoint: The Antagonism between the United States and Egypt Arose from the American View of Gamal Abdel Nasser as a Soviet Puppet." In Benjamin Frankel, ed., History in Dispute: Political and Social Movements, Vol. 2: American Social and Political Movements, 1945–2000: Pursuit of Liberty. Detroit, Mich.: St. James Press, 2000.

Woodward, Peter. Nasser. London and New York: Longman, 1992.

ItaiSneh

See alsoArab Nations, Relations with ; Egypt, Relations with .

Suez canal and crisis. The 106-mile canal links the Mediterranean, at Port Said, to the Red Sea. It was built by the international Suez Canal Company, under the guidance of Ferdinand de Lesseps, and opened in November 1869. The British gained an interest in 1875 when Disraeli purchased 40 per cent of the shares from the khedive for the government. It operated according to the Suez canal convention, signed at Constantinople in 1888, which promised free navigation. The canal was protected by British troops from 1883 until 1956. In July 1956 the Egyptian government, under Nasser, nationalized the canal despite the fact that the Canal Company's concession ran until 1968. Anglo-French military intervention in November failed to regain control of the canal, which reopened in April 1957. It was again closed during the ‘Six Day War’ of June 1967 and did not reopen until 1975.

Richard A. Smith

Suez canal and crisis The 106–mile canal links the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It was built by the international Suez Canal Company, under the guidance of Ferdinand de Lesseps, and opened in 1869. The British gained an interest in 1875 when Disraeli purchased 40 per cent of the shares from the khedive for the government. The canal was protected by British troops from 1883 until 1956. In July 1956 the Egyptian government, under Nasser, nationalized the canal despite the fact that the Canal Company's concession ran until 1968. Anglo‐French military intervention in November failed to regain control of the canal,which reopened in April 1957. The canal was again closed during the ‘Six Day War’ of June 1967 and did not reopen until 1975.

Suez Canal A shipping canal 171 km (106 miles) long and without locks connecting the Mediterranean (at Port Said) with the Red Sea, constructed between 1859 and 1869 by Ferdinand de Lesseps. The canal, now important for Egypt's economy as providing the shortest route for international sea traffic travelling between Europe and Asia, came under British control after Britain acquired majority shares in it, at Disraeli's instigation, in 1875; after 1888 Britain acted as guarantor of its neutral status. It was nationalized by Egypt in 1956 and an Anglo-French attempt at intervention was called off after international protest (see SUEZ WAR). It has been enlarged to take ships of almost any draught.

Suez Crisis. See Foreign Relations: U.S. Relations with the Middle East.