The Suez Crisis

Abstract

The Suez crisis took place in late 1956, and opposed the United States to both France and Britain. After Egyptian President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in July 1956, Britain and France decided to recover control of this canal, using whatever means necessary, including the use of force.¹ For their US ally, the priority was to avoid a military conflict. J. F. Dulles,the US secretary of state, was sent to London, and Washington organized a series of conferences in order to find a peaceful solution to the problem.² While the French and British agreed to participate in the US diplomatic effort, they also secretly prepared for a military operation, along with Israel, to restore control of the Suez Canal by force. The plan was that Israel would attack Egypt, after which France and Britain would issue an ultimatum to both countries, threatening to intervene if they did not withdraw from the Canal area. As Egypt would refuse to comply with the Franco-British ultimatum, France and Britain would intervene.³