The 1970s Special Relationship

Question 1

Positives of the Special Relationship

Answer 1

• Heath had a good personal relationship with Nixon
• Heath was more prepared than Wilson to publicly support the Vietnam War
• Wilson and Callaghan were both supporters of the Atlantic Alliance
• Callaghan had a good relationship with Henry Kissinger (SoS) and President Jimm Carter
• Callaghan negotiated the replacement of Polaris missiles with US Trident missiles

Question 2

Negatives of the Special Relationship

Answer 2

• Heath was more committed to Europe and the EEC than America
• Heath was not prepared to be a go-between Europe and the US
• Heath did not allow the US to use Britain and NATO bases to airlift supplies to Israel during the Arab-Israeli War, straining the Special Relationship
• Britain continued to withdraw from the East of Suez under Labour, despite US disapproval

Question 3

Special Relationship & the Cold War

Answer 3

• British/US relations were strained under Heath but improved under Wilson/Callaghan (Labour gov)
• Special Relationship remained important to Britain due to the Cold War
• Britain followed US leadership into the Cold War
• Supported, aligned and copied the US détente with the USSR in the 70s and when it established diplomatic relations with Communist China in 1979