International politics is like an intricate chess game in which the superpowers play chess pieces, while small countries often have no choice but to fall victim to this chess game.
Going back to the Second Middle East War of 1956, this war perfectly illustrates Clausewitz's motto: "War is nothing more than the continuation of politics by another means". This war, also known as the "Suez Canal Crisis", was originally a contradiction between Britain and France and Egypt, but Israel became a pawn in this "chess game" because of the lure of Britain and France.
And the reason for Egypt's involvement in the war is inseparable from the instigation of the Soviet Union.
After World War II, Egypt, once a British colony, fell into chaos, and officers of the Egyptian army staged a coup d'état in 1952 that overthrew King Farouk's monarchy. Egypt's leader, Colonel Nasser, rose to prominence in this coup. Nasser's tenacity saw the defeat in the First Middle East War in 1948 as a disgrace, saw Jewish statehood as the pinnacle of Western colonialism, and was determined to drive Britain and France out of the Middle East.
Thereafter, Nasser held high the banner of Arab nationalism and openly opposed the Baghdad Pact established by the British in the Middle East. Founded in 1955, the organization includes Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, and the United Kingdom. Nasser, on the other hand, hoped to gain benefits in the context of the confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1955, the Soviet Union made a ** exchange with Egypt, and this action became a "leap" for the Soviet Union to cross the US blockade line.
Although the United States has always been a traditional ally of Britain and France, it does not want to distance itself from Britain's colonial tradition, but hopes to gain the approval of developing countries and establish itself as a world leader through this policy. The United States also hoped to win over Egypt to join the grand strategy of containing the Soviet Union. Against this background, the United States ** Eisenhower designed the so-called Middle East version of NATO, including Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and even fantasized about including Iran.
But as Kissinger put it, "The United States has co-opted Egypt into its anti-Soviet strategy, a policy that can be described as Alzheimer's disease." The more Washington wooed Egypt, the more the scheming Nasser leaned toward the Soviet Union and raised the ante. ”
In 1956, the Suez Canal became the focus of international attention. Egypt's ** Nasser announced that the Suez Canal would be nationalized, and the Aswan Dam would be built on its own with the proceeds from the canal. This declaration aroused the displeasure of Britain and France, and the two countries immediately offered to help Egypt build the Aswan Dam, with the United States paying most of the expenses.
However, after Nasser came to power, Egypt established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, which angered the United States. US Secretary of State Dulles announced the end of support for the Aswan Dam. The Soviets saw an opportunity and offered to help Egypt build the Aswan Dam, threatening that "if my son asks me to go to war to support Egypt, I will encourage him to go." "This move deepened relations between the USSR and Egypt.
Britain and France had poor relations with Egypt, while France was hostile to Nasser for supporting the cause of independence for the French protectorates Morocco and Algeria. Although French Prime Minister Moller claimed, "All this is written in the work of Nasser, just as Hitler expounded his policies in Mein Kampf." "But the United States opposes military action by Britain and France, believing that it will provoke Arab nationalism and endanger American interests in the Middle East. Against this background, Britain and France secretly agreed with Israel to launch an attack on the Sinai Peninsula first, and then Britain and France intervened to occupy the Suez Canal in the name of a ceasefire.
However, the United States was dissatisfied with this covert operation, seeing it as a repetition of colonialism. Eisenhower made a direct call to the British Prime Minister to pressure him to sell the pound, causing the pound to depreciate by 15% and stop economic aid to the UK. The United States also threatened to stop sending a ceasefire to Britain and France, and Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula under the Soviet ultimatum.
The British Prime Minister pressured**, while Egypt was militarily defeated, but politically victorious, becoming the Arab world's leader against Israel. The United States has seized the opportunity to emerge and establish a leading position in the developing world.
In general, Egypt, despite its military setbacks, rose to prominence on the political scene as a leader in the Arab world. The United States, on the other hand, won the crisis by a resounding victory, and Britain's international standing plummeted.
The changes in the current situation have ushered in an era of confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union in international politics, marking the official end of the era of the three powers. This historic moment in the Suez Canal crisis provided the United States with an opportunity to lead the developing world, while Britain was completely reduced to a regional middle power. Times make heroes, and this crisis has become an opportunity for the United States to enter the world stage.