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BRITISH HISTORY - Topic 2 > Wilson and Foreign Policy > Flashcards

Wilson and Foreign Policy Flashcards

1
Q

What did Wilson do in terms of EEC?

A
  • re-apply
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2
Q

What were the reasons Wilson applied for EEC membership?

A
  • Britain’s economic problems contrasted with the sustained growth rates of continental states
    + EEC continued to develop
  • The “Friendly Five” keen to resolve relations with Britain
  • George Brown wanted integrated Europe –> made DEA leading organisation in development of Pro-European policy
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3
Q

How did the left respond against the EEC?

A
  • insisted EEC membership would increase food prices and damage balance of payments due to imports from Europe
  • Regarded EEC as “capitalist club”
  • By 1965-1967 polls showed public wanted EEC membership
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4
Q

What were the arguments over supranationalism?

A
  • Wilson wanted supranationalism reduced for membership to work
  • Wilson thought he could work with De Gaulle and could build a “Europe of States”
  • Foreign office didn’t agree
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5
Q

Following 1966 election how was the discussion for European integration?

A
  • Following 1966 election + increased majority Wilson gave free rein to the debate
  • Appeared even handed but debates focused on Britain meeting entry requirements (Wilson outmanoeuvred opponents on left)
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6
Q

How did EEC talks go following 1966 election?

A
  • badly
  • Denis Healey accused de Gaulle of being a ‘bad ally’ when French troops were withdrawn from NATO and had to publicly apologise
  • The French said sterling –> devalued prior to Britians entry
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7
Q

What economic event caused a movement towards EEC?

A
  • July Crisis –> resulted in July package + britain needed to enter to solve long term problems
  • after this Wilson more openly pro-market
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8
Q

What were the reasons for the movement towards the EEC in 1967?

A

Wilson needed to:

  • Placate brown and pro-marketeers
  • placate the left who were anti-market Eg barbara c
  • please president Johnson who spoke in favour of United Europe in Nato
  • improve britains economy
  • gain influence over EEC policies and weaken supranationalism
  • strengthens Britains technological developments
  • outmanoeuvre heath + conservatives - wanted EEC entry
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9
Q

Why did Wilson’s application fail?

A
  • May 1967 de Gaulle announced British membership –> upset EEC
  • Still concerned over Britain’s commitment to USA rather than Europe
  • Critisised wilson for seeking hasty entry as a way to resolve economic difficulties + motives purely selfish economic
  • EEC meeting other EEC states favoured britain but didn’t want to alienate france
  • Devaluation again gave good reason to veto entry again
  • EEC had more to lose than gain by allowing EFTA states to access common market
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10
Q

What were the consequences of Wilson’s failed application?

A
  • Disaster
  • forced to devaluate pound then EEC door slammed in face
  • Thought could manipulate de gaulle - didn’t work
  • Wilson paid price –> falling public esteem and blame from left + right
  • De Gaulle resigned 1969 - other problems eg cap remained
  • Wilson continued negotiations
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11
Q

What was the problem with Wilsons government and Rhodesia?

A
  • Harold Wilson faced the Unilateral Declaration of Rhodesian Independence by the white majority government of Ian Smith in 1965
  • Illegal Smith regime posed severe difficulties presenting major challenge to British authority and claims of sovereignty
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12
Q

Why was it difficult to try and solve the problem with Rhodesia?

A
  • To hand problem to UN would be an abdication of British responsibilities and that was unacceptable to a country that aspired Great Power Status
  • Removing smiths regime by military force would have overstretched Britain’s millitary capability + split parliament - only majority of 4
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13
Q

Why did Wilson and labour want to help in Rhodesia?

A
  • Wilson morally committed to settlement in Rhodesia that would ensure peaceful transition to majority black African rule
  • Labour took stronger line on racial issues and on self determination for native populations of former colonies
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14
Q

What did Labour do in Rhodesia?

A
  • applied sanctions to bring regime on knees
  • less impressive than it seemed
  • South Africa kept trading with Rhodesia
  • The Rhodesian Government thus kept going without much internal difficulty
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15
Q

What was Wilson critisised for doing in relation to Rhodesia?

A
  • Contravened of sanctions by British Oil Companies
  • Ben Pimlott criticised Wilson for publicly declaring that military force would not be used to solve Rhodesia problem –> gave smith confidence
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16
Q

What became apparent about the situation in Rhodesia?

A
  • By summer of 1966 became clear collapse would take years rather than months
  • Eventually long after Wilson it did
  • Pimlott argues that survival of Smith Regime became a testament to Britains importence and fallen status
17
Q

Why did Britain want to continue a world role in mid 1960s?

A
  • national prestige
  • post imperial sense of national purpose
  • contribute to western struggle against communism
  • guarantee american financial support when british economy suffered
  • british forces stationed in east of suec over a century
18
Q

What did britains obligations globally require for millitary forces?

A
  • britains Treaty obligations e,g bagdad pact 1955 and SEATO 1954 meant millitary forces to be maintained:
  • The far east
  • the middle east
  • southern africa
  • the Mediterranean
19
Q

Up to 1966 how did britains defence change or not change?

A
  • Wilson still defending needs to maintain britains global role despite unpopularity within labour
  • britain remained over extended
  • continued nuclear stuff
20
Q

Crucial turning point with east of suez?

A
  • The crucial turning point with ‘Empire circle’ defence policy announced in Jan 1968 that all British millitary forced would be withdrawn from east of Suez by end of 1971
21
Q

How did defence policy in suez change?

A
  • 1966 a Defence Review recommended defence spending be cut from 7% to 6% of GNP by 1970 together with an end to millitary overstretch
22
Q

In the early 1960s how what were the statistics showing forces being sent to spots around the globe? What was concluded from this?

A
  • Britain sent emergency forces to 8 trouble-spots around globe in 1963
  • In 1964 there were 16
  • 1965 there were 17
  • could not be tolerated indefinitely and once decision to withdraw forces from east of suez events moved rapidly
23
Q

Britain began to withdraw its troops following withdrawal from suez - describe these changes:

A
  • December 1967 British forces withdraw from Aden
  • June 1970 British HQ Far Eastern Command closed
  • Agreed in 1972 that UK would cease to have forces in SEATO
  • Dec 1971 British forces in Persian Gulf withdrawn
  • 1970 and 1972 Libya ends Angle-Libyan Defence agreement
  • By 1974 Britain’s world role virtually abandoned –> shifted away from empire towards europe
24
Q

Why did Britain withdraw from east suez?

cost

A

main reason: cost

  • Britain could not afford to make effective contributions to the defence of Western Europe + maintain a powerful military presence in the Gulf and Far East
  • with empire gone - interest towards europe
  • changing pattern of trade - export market dramatically shifts from empire to europe
25
Q

Why did Britain withdraw from east suez?

colonies and terrortories

A
  • Decolonisation and increasing european focus of britains trade meant bases at Aden, Singapore, Gulf + south africa no longer necessary
  • Even if Britain could no longer effectively protect Western interests east of Suez - reliable allies who could - australia and new zealand –> security of Malaya and SIngapore
  • USA –> indian ocean
  • Iran and USA intervention in gulf
26
Q

Why did Britain withdraw from east suez?

Change in necessity of britain’s occupation

A
  • Control of worldwide military bases looked increasingly irrelevant british withdrawal no longer as risky as decade earlier (with cold war)
  • without appearing irresponsible and did not leave a power vacuum for soviet takeover
27
Q

Why did Britain withdraw from east suez?

Financial constraints?

A
  • GDP per capita Britain declined from seventh in world league table in 1950 to twelfth by 1965
  • overtaken by france germany and denmark
  • Britain was spending a higher proportion of GDP on defence than any major industrial competitors (apart from US)
  • Treasury demanded cuts in defence spending
  • in 1965 britain had over 55,000 millitary personnel East of Suez, costing £317m a year - 15% of total defence budget
28
Q

Why did Britain withdraw from east suez?

A further short term factor

A
  • sterling crisis - enormous pressure for cuts in public spending

BRITISH HISTORY - Topic 2 (8 decks)

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