Foreign Policy

Question 1

What is a foreign policy

Answer 1

The collection of strategies a country uses to guide its relationships with other countries

Question 2

Britain after ww2

Answer 2

Damaged with huge debts and in a shadow of of new military superpowers (USA and USSR). Britain became bankrupt and had to withdraw commitments in Greece and turkey.

Question 3

What was the Schuman plan of 1950

Answer 3

Named after the French foreign minister, who set out the proposals for a coal and steel community to integrate French and German heavy industry to promote rapid economic reconstruction. This became the European economic community EEC

Question 4

Why did Britain and America support the European economic community (EEC)?

Answer 4

The scheme was supported as an important contribution to the security of Europe.

Question 5

Why did Britain not initially become involved with the EEC?

Answer 5

There were few politicians in favour of Britain taking up the leadership role in Europe. Britain still wanted to maintain a “special relationship” with USA. The left tended to be suspicious of the free market principles behind the common market.

Question 6

What did Britain do in 1959

Answer 6

Took the lead in the formation of the European free trade association (EFTA)

Question 7

EFTA vs EEC

Answer 7

It was moderately successful, but the new organisation was not able to match the economic growth of the EEC.

Question 8

What did Britain do in 1961

Answer 8

Submitted Britain’s application to join the EEC.

Question 9

Why did Britain apply to the EEC

Answer 9

In hopes that it would boost industrial growth and increase industrial efficiency, also to stimulate economic growth with rapid economic expansion seen in the EEC already

Question 10

What other positions did Britain want to be apart of

Answer 10

The common wealth and the US, this made EEC negotiations difficult. Britain’s commonwealth trade partners including New Zealand would have been blocked by the EEC.

Question 11

Who was Charles de Gaulle

Answer 11

Leader of the French forces and French president, he blocked Britain’s application which led to bad relations between France and Britain.

Question 12

Britain’s, USA and USSR

Answer 12

Britain, USA and the Soviet union had been allysed during the war however, Britain and United States state allies in opposing the expansion of communism

Question 13

Britain’s policies towards USA and USSR

Answer 13

Britain supported USA during Korea war, macmillan had plans with soviet leader for a summit conference. JFK informed macmillan on the Cuban missile crisis. Britain was dependant on USA power.

Question 14

USA, Britain and nuclear deterrent

Answer 14

America stopped sharing nuclear secrets with Britain, so Britain wanted to become a nuclear power by itself.

Question 15

What did Ernest Bevin the labour foreign secretary say.

Answer 15

To continue nuclear power development, no matter how much it costs. Churchill continued the policy and Britain tested its first atomic bomb in 1952.

Question 16

What was Britain the 3rd country to do

Answer 16

The third country to develop world nuclear weapons however, USSR and USA were already developing more powerful hydrogen bombs.

Question 17

What did concerns of development lead to the formation of

Answer 17

The campaign for nuclear disarmament (CND). Became the powerful pressure group in Britain backed by middle class protestors.

Question 18

What did mobilising middle class protestors do about nuclear weapons

Answer 18

They wanted to reject nuclear weapons and follow a policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament.

Question 19

Campaign for nuclear disarmment
What happened between 1958 and 1959

Answer 19

8000 people took part in a demonstration at the weapons research base. CNDs “Unilateralism” became a powerful magnet for Anti government protests.

Question 20

What did American do in 1958 with their nuclear weapon secrets

Answer 20

Shared nuclear technology with Britain and Britain’s own rocket project was abandoned in 1960 and was replaced by dependence on Americas Polaris submarine weapon system.

Question 21

Who occupied Korea after ww2

Answer 21

The north of the soviet union and south of the United States. They were separate governments that were set up and each one claim to be legit.

Question 22

What did Korea do in 1950

Answer 22

With the support of the Soviet union and China Korea invaded the south of America. Over 20 count supplied troops Britain sent over 90,000 soldiers.

Question 23

What was agreed in 1953

Answer 23

A ceasefire, which agreed that Korea would be split between a communist North Korea and a non-communist South Korea.

Question 24

What did the Korean War show

Answer 24

Show how, the Cold War was being fought across the world and Britain’s willingness to continue to play a major role in foreign affairs, despite economic constraints.

Question 25

What was made in 1858

Answer 25

Suez Canal was made as a connecting trade route from the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. Used mainly to transport 80% of western Indian oil Imports.

Question 26

Who was concerned about her Suez Canal

Answer 26

Colonel nasser worried about Britain’s strategic interests. Nasser announced the nationalisation of the canal to provide finance needed for the Aswan dam in which Britain had pulled out of.

Question 27

How did Eden respond to nassers actions

Answer 27

Eden saw nasser as an evil dictator, who couldn’t get away with unprovoked aggression. Eden encourage France and Israel to a secret plan.

Question 28

What did Eden encourage Israel to do?

Answer 28

He encouraged Israel to invade Egypt, so British and French forces would then intervene to enforce peace on Egypt and Israel, so they could seize to control the Suez Canal.

Question 29

The result of the Suez Canal secret plan

Answer 29

The military action didn’t go smoothly and ended in a cause a storm of political protest for Britain. Labour Party and America opposed to the action and Britain wasn’t strong enough to stand up to American pressure so plunged into a financial crisis.

Question 30

Aftermath of the suez crisis

Answer 30

Britain faced and accepted fairly and humiliation and Eden reputation was damaged. The crisis highlighted the inability of Britain to act without the support of United States.

Question 31

Britains situation by 1951

Answer 31

Britain retreat from the empire, with the withdrawal of India in 1947.

Question 32

What began to happen in the 1950s

Answer 32

There were pressures of colonial independence movements which became harder to contain british forces were fighting against national independence movements in Malaya, Kenya and Cyprus.

Question 33

Britains gradual transition from the empire to the new common wealth

Answer 33

British rulers believe they could manage the transition and the colonial resistant movements until people are ready for independence.

Question 34

The mau mau rebellion in Kenya 1952

Answer 34

Violent nationalist uprising against British colonial rule. The leader was imprisoned by the authorities, but later emerged as president.

Question 35

Struggle to contain the mau mau rebellion

Answer 35

The struggle to contain the rebellion, demonstrated the problems with Britain’s colonial policies. British policy makers began to reconsider the pace of decolonisation.

Question 36

Countries who gained independence between 1957 and 1963

Answer 36

1957 - Ghana
1960 - Cyprus and Nigeria
1961 - Tanganyika and Sierra Leone
1962 - Uganda
1963 - Kenya

Question 37

MacMillan and the “wind of change”

Answer 37

Speech at Cape Town, called for decolonisation and recognition of independence movement. He also seek to persuade countries to accept majority rule. White majority rule was preferred in Africa.

Question 38

The wind of change policy.

Answer 38

It was successful, and British decolonisation was completed more swiftly and less violent. By 1964 the transition from Empire to Commonwealth seem to represent a significant achievement.

Question 39

What country you became first African colony to be granted independence in 1957

Answer 39

Ghana