British Foreign Policy

Key Aspects 

- The retreat from empire 

- The impact of the Suez

- The "winds have changed" in Africa

- Attempts to join the EE

Did Britain miss the bus? 

Were we loosing our place on the world stage? 

- Throughout the 1950s more countries wanted independence 

- British troops were fighting movements in Kenya, Malaya and Cyprus 

- It became harder to resis independence on a moral ground 

- We went to war (WWII) for independence and freedom 

- 1956 Suez Crisis, shows Britians place falling in the world

- After the problems G.B caused in Suez the government start to look G.Bs at place in the world

- Mac Millian "Wind have changed" - Change in inevitable 

- Other alternative is to fight the African uprising but they threated G.Bs status 

- Mac Millian believed it was time to let the empire go 

- Europe were keen for G.B to join the economic pact 

- Attlee didn't want to join the EEC 

- No national consensouse

- Labour againt free market principles

- Torys waned to keep the commonwealth 

- Against alliance with Germany 

- Benefits were recognised

- Policy was dominated by 'special relationship'

However the economic 'mircal' in Germany showed the benefits of the EEC

- Loosing Collines meant G.B had lost over seas markets 

- Britian couldn't stand alone 

- Britain needed parteners, lost all trade relationships

- Britian appealed to the EEC in 1961

- Application was turned down in 1963 and then again in 1967

- 1951 Britian was fighting in the Korean War (fighting communism) 

- Member of NATO 

- Developing Necular wepons 

- 1950s Cold War (G.B and USA against Russia) 

- G.B and USA relationship was threated with Suez

- MacMillian and JFK has a good relationship (was dominated by JFK) 

By 1964 Britain had lost her empire but has still not found a new role or partenership.

Had Britain missed the bus?