The Suez crisis of the 1950s marked the end of Britain’s history as the sole great power on the world stage. This BBC Two series tells the story of Suez through dramatic reconstructions and interviews with participants and witnesses to the crisis.
Betrayal – Egypt’s Suez Canal is a symbol of Western domination. France and Britain are major shareholders in the company that runs the canal, and British troops occupy its banks. When Gamal Abdul Nasser came to power in 1954, his main goal was to drive the British out of Egypt. British Prime Minister Anthony Eden failed to understand that the world had changed.
Conspiracy – Anthony Eden was horrified when Nasser took control of the Suez Canal. He saw Nasser as a dictator who, by claiming to represent all Arabs, posed a direct threat to British interests in the Middle East. He was determined to use force to get Nasser to reverse his decision if necessary. Program two explains how Britain conspired with France and Israel to regain control of the canal. The plan calls for Israel to invade its neighbor Egypt so Britain and France can give both sides an ultimatum to stop fighting or step in to “save” the canal.
War – In the final episode, Anthony Eden leads the nation to war in Suez. The invasion went according to plan. But Eden did not notify the Americans. Upon learning of this, they worried about wider ties with the Arab world and refused to support the operation. In December 1956, the British had to withdraw from the Suez Canal due to the urgent need for funds and the lack of financial support from the Americans.
