Resumo

EKSTEEN, Riaan. Nationalisation of the Suez Canal and the resultant international repercussions. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2023, vol.63, n.4, pp.756-780. ISSN 2224-7912.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2023/v63n4a2.

Within three years of the 1952 overthrow of Egypt's monarchy, in which Nasser had played a prominent role, he utilised the Suez Canal to make his mark, thereby irrefutably and irreversibly attracting the world's attention. When he nationalised the channel, an international crisis arose that posed a grave threat to the Middle East. His actions followed after the United States of America (USA) had withdrawn an offer financially to assist Egypt with the construction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile River. With assistance from the Soviet Union (SU) for that project, Nasser was able to intimidate the USA, Britain, and France. Britain's and France's decision to attack Egypt while Israel was already involved militarily was ill-advised and illogical. These events caused a surge of activity at the United Nations (UN), which exacerbated the diplomatic isolation of Britain and France. Many experts continue to refer to said military actions as a failure and miscalculation. In addition, it gravely harmed the alliance between Britain and the USA, since the latter had not been informed about it prior to the attack and subsequently took a strong stance against it. The effect was tremendous on Britain's prestige and domestic politics. The crisis was a brutal awakening to the financial and military vulnerability of Britain. Sir Anthony Eden, the then prime minister of Britain, was obsessed with reclaiming the Canal. He desired Nasser's destruction at all costs as a result of which Nasser became the target of unprecedented hostility in British political life. Specifically, regarding Nasser, Eden's emotions verged on hysteria. Eden was also eager to reassert British authority in a region where the USA was gaining dominance under the powerful leadership of President Dwight (Ike) Eisenhower before, during, and after the crisis. The Eisenhower doctrine increased the active and direct involvement of the USA in the Middle East. Three months later, Eden resigned and was succeeded by his minister of finance, Sir Harold Macmillan, in January 1957. Eden and the Suez crisis have since become synonymous. His career and reputation in the minds of many were destroyed. In the Middle East, Britain's reputation was at an all-time low. In the process, Britain alienated many influential Commonwealth members. France was not immune to the effects of the events either. Nasser had no qualms inciting Algerians against France. His direct participation and the Egyptians ' success during the Suez conflict bolstered the Algerian insurgents' resolve to continue an intense and bloody struggle against France for independence - and the age of superpowers commenced. Even of greater significance, the events allowed the Soviet Union (SU) to become more involved in Egyptian affairs. Egypt and the SU strengthened their ties. The SU was able to establish a new sphere of influence by establishing associated footholds in a number of other Middle Eastern countries. The USA and Britain considered the expansion of Nasser's authority in the Middle East as a threat. In his homeland, Nasser was revered as a patriot and became an icon. The Suez crisis was a tremendous success for Nasser. In the Arab world, he became known as the new messiah and his prestige and influence grew substantially. Not only did the Suez crisis terminate British and French influence in the Middle East, but it also precipitated the decline of the two European powers. The USA became the new protector of Israel's interests over time. This new political setup in the Middle East ushered in a new chapter for this part of the world. Leaders in the emerging Third World, particularly those in Africa who desired to cast off the colonial yoke, began to seek political salvation from Nasser instead of their colonial masters. This legendary figure died of a heart attack on 28 September 1970. He was 53. His influence on the international stage continued to reverberate for decades. Consequently, the Suez Canal crisis cannot be viewed as a singular occurrence in political history.

Palavras-chave : Britain; Dulles; Eden; Egypt; Eisenhower; France; Israel; Macmillan; Middle East; military action; Nasser; Soviet Union; Suez Canal; United States of America.

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