Britain's Position in the World 1951-97

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  • 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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