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The Suez Crisis of 1956 was Britain's greatest foreign policy disaster of the 20th century. When Egyptian President Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal in July 1956, Britain and France secretly colluded with Israel to invade Egypt and seize the canal. The invasion was a military success but a political catastrophe. The United States, furious at not being consulted, threatened economic sanctions and forced Britain and France to withdraw within weeks. Prime Minister Anthony Eden resigned in humiliation, and the crisis destroyed the illusion that Britain was still a great power. Suez marked the end of the British Empire as a meaningful force and accelerated decolonisation across Africa and Asia. It remains a textbook example of imperial delusion and the limits of military power.

Key takeaways

• In July 1956, Egyptian President Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal, which had been controlled by Britain and France since the 19th century
• Britain and France secretly colluded with Israel to invade Egypt in October 1956, planning to seize the canal under the pretext of separating Israeli and Egyptian forces
• The United States, furious at not being consulted, threatened economic sanctions and forced Britain and France to withdraw within weeks
• The crisis destroyed Prime Minister Anthony Eden's health and career, forcing his resignation in January 1957
• Suez marked the end of Britain's ability to act as an independent great power and accelerated decolonisation across Africa and Asia

Sources

• The National Archives - Suez Crisis Cabinet Papers
• BBC History - The Suez Crisis
• Imperial War Museum - Suez 1956
• The Guardian - Suez: The End of Empire

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