Koopman 1

Carsten Koopman

Mr. De Visser

History 10

June 2, 2017

The Suez Crisis: Canadas Involvement

Understanding the nature of a conflict leads to peace.

This quote is from Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Although this

quote may not be directly linked to the Suez Crisis, it shows the want for peace on

all levels. After World War II, The world was in shock that they had just made it

through another enormous conflict. Many thought that World War II was the war to

end all wars. In the years following this war, many conflicts ensued. The United

Nations, which took the place of the League of Nations, had their hands full. One of

these quarrels was the Suez Crisis. Although Canada wasnt directly involved in the

Suez Crisis, they showed great leadership and independence while posing a useful

solution.

After World War II, the Jewish Holocaust survivors were given a homeland to

call their own. This created a whole lot of tension in the Middle East. This kind of

tension closely resembled the unrest in the Balkans leading up to World War I. The

conflict that would arise in Egypt over the Suez Canal had the possibility to light the

powder keg of the Mediterranean and send the world into another global conflict.

How could a world, that just came out of two massive wars, both within half a

century, start to fight again?

 Koopman 2

The Suez Crisis broke out in October of the year 1956. This disagreement

threatened to send the world into another war (Quinlan, Baldwin and Mahoney 222).

The whole conflict started when Egyptian President Gamel Abdel Nasser took over

and nationalized the British and French companies that built the Suez Canal back in

November of 1869 (Tattrie) (History). This aggressive act angered the France and

Britain as the canal was the key to obtaining oil from the Middle East. This canal

connected the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean (Quinlan,

Baldwin and Mahoney 169). Oil was an essential resource in making many different

things, including war machines and cars. It was crucial to keeping a military strong,

especially after two world wars.

Britain and France saw the Egyptians move as aggressive and planned to

take back what they saw as rightfully theirs. Britain and France requested that

Canadians and the Americans join them and their actions against Egypt. When

Canada and the United States refused the French and English teamed up with Israel

and planned to take out Egypt. Their plan was to send Israel to invade Egypt. When

the United Nations told the countries to stand down, Israel would accept but Egypt

would not. This would give Britain and France the go ahead to attack Egypt. Britain

would start and keep up an intense bombing campaign around the canal without

Canada or the United States knowledge. This deceitful action threatened a long-

standing alliance between the French and British with Canada and the United States

(Quinlan, Baldwin and Mahoney 170). This would topple the Egyptian Government

and The French and British could reclaim the Suez Canal.

They started this complex plan on October 29, 1956. Egypt was backed and

being supplied by the Soviet Union who threatened nuclear strikes against Britains

capital London and the French capital of Paris. Canada, the United States and the
 Koopman 3

Soviet Union all demanded that Britain and France back down. With all these nations

now involved, it seemed like the world was on the brink of a third world war

(Quinlan, Baldwin and Mahoney 170).

With the tension of another global conflict running high, the United Nations

struggled to find a solution to the problem. Canadian Lester B. Pearson, the

secretary of state for External Affairs, petitioned for a peaceful answer.

Lester B. Pearson, along with the rest of Canada, wanted to find a peaceful

solution with as little fighting and casualties as possible. Pearson headed the way

for the United Nations first peacekeeping mission. The force that was sent was long

and it only had one task, to make peace until a diplomatic solution could be

reached. According to Historica Canada, Pearson made his case for a peace and

police force, saying: Peace is far more than ceasing to fire (Tattrie). The United

Nations held a vote on the 4th of November, 1956. 57 of their members voted in

favour of the peacekeeping operation. Britain and France ignored the vote and

decision of the United Nations and landed in the Canal Zone anyways (Tattrie). The

United Nations wanted all foreign troops out of the area so their peacekeepers could

move in to bring and maintain the peace. Egypt denied the involvement of

Canadian forces because their crest closely resembled that of the British. So,

throughout the peacekeeping mission Canadians helped mostly with logistics and

reconnaissance (Quinlan, Baldwin and Mahoney 170). Canadas involvement during

the Suez Crisis was a large step in to cementing their nation as free and

independent from Britain. Canada refused to side with the British all throughout this

conflict, and without the help of Canadians, the crisis could have turned in to a

deadly, all-out war.

 Koopman 4

To sum it up, the Suez Crisis, although a mostly unknown and dark period in

time, left a footprint on the world. In the years following the conflict, the United

Nations have sent out many more peacekeeping missions to many parts of the

world including Cyprus, Sudan, Congo and a lot of others. So, if it werent for a

Canadian man, with a want for peace, the world could have been and could be in

many horrible conflicts today.

It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.

Aristotle

Works Cited

History. Ed. A+E Networks. 2010. 31 May 2017. <http://www.history.com/this-day-

in-history/suez-canal-opens>.

Quinlan, Don, et al. The Canadian Challenge. Don Mills: Oxford University Press,
2008.

Tattrie, John. Historica Canada. 3 April 2015. 17 May 2107.

<http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/suez-crisis/>.