T2 International

Question 1

The Cold War (1964 - 1970)

Answer 1

• The continuing possibility of the Soviet threat was highlighted by the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia that stopped the communist system from being overthrown there and kept the country under Soviet control.
• Between January and August 1968, the new Communist leader of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubcek, had introduced reforms which increased freedom of speech and movement and started to demilitarise the economy.
• In August 1968, the Soviet Union responded to Dubcek’s reforms with a military invasion into Czechoslovakia to suppress this ‘anti-Communist’ activity.

Question 2

The Special Relationship with the USA

Answer 2

• Wilson was pro-Atlantic alliance and wanted to ensure that the USA continued to be committed to the defence of Europe in the context of the ongoing Cold War with the USSR.
• Wilson visited the US in Dec 1964, but the relationship between the UK and US was strained by the Vietnam War, which intensified between 1964-1973.
• The UK resisted the requests of the US to send military support for their efforts to defeat the North Vietnamese who were being assisted by the USSR and China.
• Australia and some other allies had sent US military personnel.
• Wilson refused to do so because of the fact that the economy required defence cuts, which would not be possible in an active war scenario.
• Also, the war in Vietnam was very controversial, by 1968 there were large protests against the war in the USA and in London – for example, The Battle for Grosvenor Square outside the US embassy.
• Wilson was walking a political tightrope. He criticised protestors for not understanding foreign affairs or the economic situation, remarking that ‘We can’t kick our creditors in the balls.’
• However, the left-wing of the Labour Party, as well as the anti-war protestors was very critical of Wilson’s avoidance of open criticism of US activities in Vietnam, and the diplomatic support Britain gave throughout.

Question 3

Britain’s Second Failed EEC Application (1967)

Answer 3

• The Labour Party was not very supportive of Macmillan’s efforts to get Britain into the EEC between 1961-1963.
• Hugh Gaitskell had argued strongly against.
• The left-wing of the Labour Party was hostile, believing the organisation anti-Socialist
• Some on the centre-right of the Labour Party, such as Jenkins and Brown, were pro-European
• Wilson was ambivalent (not strongly committed to either camp), but was mainly concerned with avoiding a damaging split of party unity.
• By 1966 following the failure of the National Plan and ongoing issues with industrial relations, Wilson became more convinced of the economic arguments for joining the EEC, and the cabinet approved a new application.
• Wilson and George Brown went to Paris to meet de Gaulle in January 1967 and then toured the other 5 EEC countries to build support.
• However, in June 1967 Wilson was unable to give him assurances that Britain would detach itself from the special relationship with the USA, and so in November 1967 he again vetoed the British application.

Question 4

Ending Britain’s ‘East of Suez’ role

Answer 4

• The Labour left were more supportive of the process of withdrawing East of Suez – which describes British military bases in the East – eg. Malaysia, Singapore, Aden.
• These bases were seen as significant by the US in the context of the Cold War – useful in preventing the further spread of communism in the far East.
• However, they were extremely expensive for Britain to maintain – especially in relation to the British balance of payments deficits and industrial unrest.
• Denis Healey, Minister of Defence, started a process to bring the defence budget below £2 billion by 1970, and a timetable was set to withdraw from East of Suez bases.
• The proposals drew criticisms from host countries who would lose income and protection, and the US, but went ahead regardless.
• Withdrawal from the bases seemed in keeping with the decolonisation process, made economic sense, Suez had exposed UK limitations and Britain’s continued investment in nuclear weapons meant it could still claim to be a world power without their East of Suez bases – Wilson announced Britain would still deploy Polaris missiles and announced an upgrade in 1967.

Question 5

Rhodesia (1965 - 1970)

Answer 5

• This was a foreign policy embarrassment for Labour.
• Southern Rhodesia had been denied independence by the UK because of the fact that the minority white rulers had been unwilling to share power with the black majority.
• When Ian Smith became Prime Minister of South Rhodesia he issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence for Rhodesia without accepting black majority rule, directly challenging Wilson’s Labour government.
• Wilson did not wish to go to war over the issue, believing it would not be economically viable.
• Wilson met Smith onboard HMS Tiger off Gibraltar in 1966, but as soon as Smith returned to South Rhodesia he ignored any agreements.
• In 1967 the UK imposed oil sanctions, but these were largely ineffective as Rhodesia got supplies through Mozambique and South Africa, and big oil companies often ignored the sanctions.
• More talks were held onboard HMS Fearless in October 1968, but Smith was in a stronger position, and felt he just needed to wait for UK to give in.
• Wilson had made it clear that Britain would not go to war over the issue, meaning Smith felt able to do what he wanted.
• The impasse upset the Commonwealth and the Labour left-wing in particular, and made the country look weak.