April 24, 1957 – Suez Crisis: The Suez Canal is reopened following the arrival of UNEF peacekeepers to the region

On April 24, 1957, the Suez Canalwas reopened following the deployment of units of the United Nations EmergencyForces (UNEF) tasked with ensuring compliance with UN resolutions relating tothe settlement of the Suez Crisis.

(Taken from Suez Crisis – Wars of the 20th Century – Volume 2)

Background The Suez Canal in Egypt is a man-made shipping waterway thatconnects the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea (Map 7).  The Suez Canalwas completed by a French engineering firm in 1869 and thereafter became thepreferred shipping and trade route between Europe and Asia,as it considerably reduced the travel time and distance from the previouscircuitous route around the African continent. Since 1875, the facility was operated by an Anglo-French privateconglomerate.  By the twentieth century,nearly two-thirds of all oil tanker traffic to Europe passed through the Suez Canal.

In the late 1940s, awave of nationalism swept across Egypt, leading to the overthrow ofthe ruling monarchy and the establishment of a republic.  In 1951, intense public pressure forced theEgyptian government to abolish the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, although theagreement was yet to expire in three years.

With the rise in powerof the Egyptian nationalists led by Gamal Abdel Nasser (wholater became president in 1956), Britainagreed to withdraw its military forces from Egypt after both countries signedthe Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of 1954. The last British troops left Egypt in June 1956.  Nevertheless, the agreement allowed theBritish to use its existing military base located near the Suez Canal for sevenyears and the possibility of its extension if Egypt was attacked by a foreignpower.  The Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of1954 andforeign control of the Suez Canal were resented by many Egyptians, especiallythe nationalists, who believed that their country was still under semi-colonialrule and not truly sovereign.

Furthermore, PresidentNasser was hostile to Israel,which had dealt the Egyptian Army a crushing defeat in the 1948 Arab-IsraeliWar.  President Nasser wanted to startanother war with Israel.  Conversely, the Israeli government believedthat Egypt was behind theterrorist activities that were being carried out in Israel.  The Israelis also therefore were ready to goto war against Egyptto put an end to the terrorism.

Egypt and Israelsought to increase their weapons stockpiles through purchases from their mainsuppliers, the United States,Britain, and France.  The three Western powers, however, had agreedamong themselves to make arms sales equally and only in limited quantities to Egypt and Israel, to prevent an arms race.

Friendly relationsbetween Israel and France,however, were moving toward a military alliance.  By early 1955, Francewas sending large quantities of weapons to Israel.  In Egypt,President Nasser was indignant at the Americans’ conditions to sell him arms:that the weapons were not to be used against Israel,and that U.S. advisers wereto be allowed into Egypt.  President Nasser, therefore, approached theSoviet Union, which agreed to support Egypt militarily.  In September 1955, large amounts of Sovietweapons began to arrive in Egypt.

The United States and Britain were infuriated.  The Americans believed that Egypt was falling under the sphere of influenceof the Soviet Union, their Cold Warenemy.  Adding to this perception wasthat Egyptrecognized Red China.  Meanwhile, Britainfelt that its historical dominance in the Arab region was beingundermined.  The United States and Britain withdrew their earlierpromise to President Nasser to fund his ambitious project, the construction ofthe massive Aswan Dam.

Egyptian troops thenseized the Suez Canal, which President Nasserimmediately nationalized with the purpose of using the profits from itsoperations to help build the Aswan Dam. President Nasser ordered the Anglo-French firm operating the Suez Canalto leave; he also terminated the firm’s contract, even though its 99-year leasewith Egypt still was due to expire in 12 years, in 1968.

The British and French governments were angered by Egypt’s seizure of the Suez Canal.  A few days later, Britain and Francedecided to take armed action: their military leaders met and began to preparefor an invasion of Egypt.  In September 1956, Franceand Israel also jointlyprepared for war against Egypt.

The Suez Crisis was a war between Egypt against the alliance of Britain, France, and Israel for control of the politically and economically vital Suez Canal, a man-modified shipping channel that connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

The three countrieshad various reasons for wanting to start the war.  Britainand France wanted to regaincontrol of the Suez Canal.  The British wanted to reassert itself in theregion.  The French were embroiled in acolonial war in Algeriaagainst rebels whom they believed were being funded by President Nasser.  Israelwanted to stop the local terrorism which it attributed to Egypt’s instigation.  Furthermore, Israeli commercial vessels wereblocked from entering the Suez Canal after Egypt seized the waterway.