1957: Repairing the Special Relationship

Abstract

In 1957, Harold Macmillan and Dwight D. Eisenhower set out to repair the strained relationship between Great Britain and the United States that had resulted from the lengthy Suez crisis of 1956. The restoration of closer ties between Britain and the United States was a high-stakes exercise for both leaders, although considerably higher for Macmillan than for Eisenhower. Upon taking office in mid-January, Macmillan faced a host of serious problems. The Suez crisis had dealt a setback to the British economy; Britain needed to adjust its international commitments in line with the increasingly scarce resources which it could afford for defense; and morale within the Conservative Party was dangerously low. Perhaps most important for Macmillan and the future of his government, Britain’s relationship with the United States cried out for immediate attention.¹