Was the Suez Crisis the real reason for the European Project

[TommyO'Brien]

The proposal for the European Coal and Steel Community (which eventually became the EEC and then the EU) was first outlined in 1950 by Robert Schuman.

The British were opposed to it because they were opposed to the idea of a supranational authority and pooled soveriegnty.

They eventually settled for an association with the ECSC rather than full membership.

They later sponsored the foundation of the European Free Trade Area as a rival to the European Communities.

However, they changed their mind once they saw that the relative economic growth of the countries that were members of the European Communities was stronger than their economic growth.

De Gaulle was opposed to British membership because he reckoned the British were too Atlanticist, were too nostalgic for their empire and would hinder further integration.

If his successors had adopted the same attitudes the UK's membership would have been stalled for who knows how long.

Obviously the British needed guaranteed access to alternative markets as their former colonies gained independence.

They tried to gain access to those markets through the European Free Trade Area but found that the alternative, the EEC, was ultimately more attractive to most members of the EFTA, including themselves.

Imperial decline played a part in Britain's decision to apply for membership of the EEC but that doesn't mean it was the primary motivation for its foundation.

The primary motivations for its foundation are set out in the Schuman Declaration.

Game, set and match.

It is so nice to see an off-the-wall nutty thread's ridiculous claim torn to pieces in the first page of the thread.

[Mitsui2]

We have been fed the myth that a desire to avert war in Europe inspired the european project. This however offers an alternative theory.... Was the current EU conceived after the humiliation of Britain and France.

No it wasn't.

Just because something is an alternative doesn't mean it isn't as daft as a brush.

[Mitsui2]

The british empire was much less damaged than the French empire and lasted until the end of the 60's which is the time they got their application for EEC membership in. The founders of the were the empires that died around the time of Suez (France, Belgium, Holland, Italy).

Stop digging.

[SilverSpurs]

The proposal for the European Coal and Steel Community (which eventually became the EEC and then the EU) was first outlined in 1950 by Robert Schuman.

The British were opposed to it because they were opposed to the idea of a supranational authority and pooled soveriegnty.

They eventually settled for an association with the ECSC rather than full membership.

They later sponsored the foundation of the European Free Trade Area as a rival to the European Communities.

However, they changed their mind once they saw that the relative economic growth of the countries that were members of the European Communities was stronger than their economic growth.

De Gaulle was opposed to British membership because he reckoned the British were too Atlanticist, were too nostalgic for their empire and would hinder further integration.

If his successors had adopted the same attitudes the UK's membership would have been stalled for who knows how long.

Obviously the British needed guaranteed access to alternative markets as their former colonies gained independence.

They tried to gain access to those markets through the European Free Trade Area but found that the alternative, the EEC, was ultimately more attractive to most members of the EFTA, including themselves.

Imperial decline played a part in Britain's decision to apply for membership of the EEC but that doesn't mean it was the primary motivation for its foundation.

The primary motivations for its foundation are set out in the Schuman Declaration.

Totally disagree mate. Britain was in America's back pocket with the war debt. America first wanted Britain to stay out in the hope that the European project would fail without her. Once it became clear it wouldnt grind to a halt they told the British to join so they could slow it down. DeGualle referred to the British "Trojan Horse" when blocking their accession.

But the point of this thread is not Britain its the continent. Is it a coincidence that the shafting of the French by NATO at Suez led to the French drive for political union and european common defence. Suez woke the former colonial powers up to the reality that if they wanted a place on the world stage it could only be as a unified entity.

[setanta]

We have been fed the myth that a desire to avert war in Europe inspired the european project. This however offers an alternative theory. Suez ended the power of the old European empires. Only together could they dream of throwing their weight around on the world stage. Was the current EU conceived after the humiliation of Britain and France.

Suez Crisis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oh, so it wasn't part of a great nazi masterplan after all ... tool!

[Passer-by]

The british empire was much less damaged than the French empire and lasted until the end of the 60's which is the time they got their application for EEC membership in.

Britain lodged its first application to join the then European Communities in 1961 - shortly after Ireland did.

That was some time before the "end of the 60's".

[Nugget]

Oh come off it! Everyone knows that if it wasn't for the European Union war would have broke out between France and West Germany in the 1970s!

[Passer-by]

Oh come off it! Everyone knows that if it wasn't for the European Union war would have broke out between France and West Germany in the 1970s!

Glad to see you admit it.

[MadAsHell]

Quickest ever checkmate on a thread?

Game, set and match.

[sondagefaux]

Totally disagree mate. Britain was in America's back pocket with the war debt. America first wanted Britain to stay out in the hope that the European project would fail without her. Once it became clear it wouldnt grind to a halt they told the British to join so they could slow it down. DeGualle referred to the British "Trojan Horse" when blocking their accession.

But the point of this thread is not Britain its the continent. Is it a coincidence that the shafting of the French by NATO at Suez led to the French drive for political union and european common defence. Suez woke the former colonial powers up to the reality that if they wanted a place on the world stage it could only be as a unified entity.

A brief history of European political and military integration up to 1956.

Churchill's speech proposing United States of Europe & establishment of Council of Europe - 1946.

Dunkirk Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance - 1947.

Treaty of Brussels, Western Union Defence Organisation - 1948.

Organisation for European Economic Co-operation established - 1948.

Council of Europe established - 1949.

NATO established - 1949.

Schuman Declaration - 1950.

Stikker Plan proposes creation of a single European market - 1950.

European Defence Community proposal - 1950.

European Coal and Steel Community Treaty - 1951.

Plans for a European Political Community (EPC) as complement to European Defence Community are drawn up - 1952.

Dutch Foreign Minister, Jan Willem Bayen, proposes that the EPC include a single market - 1952.

European Defence Community Treaty - 1952.

Treaty rejected by French parliament, European Defence Community & EPC proposals abandoned - 1954.

Western European Union established - 1954.

Messina Conference agrees to the establishment of a European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and a common market - 1955.

Spaak Committee draws up outline plans for Euratom and European Economic Community - July 1955 to April 1956.

British withdraw from Spaak Committee talks over opposition to establishment of supranational authorities and customs union - October 1955.

Venice Conference of Foreign Ministers of the ECSC endorses Spaak Committee Report, agrees to establish Inter-governmental Conference to draft treaties to create Common Market (European Economic Community) and European Atomic Energy Community - May 1956.

Inter-governmental Conference to negotiate treaties for European Atomic Energy Community and European Economic Community begins - June 1956.

Suez Crisis - 1956.

July 26 President Nasser announces plan to nationalise Suez Canal.
July 28 Britain freezes Egyptian assets.
July 30 British Prime Minister Anthony Eden imposes an arms embargo on Egypt, and informs General Nasser that he can not have the Suez Canal.
Aug 1 Britain, France and US hold talks on escalating Suez crisis.
Aug 2 Britain mobilises armed forces.
Aug 21 Egypt says it will negotiate on Suez ownership if Britain pulls out of the Middle East.
Aug 23 USSR announces it will send troops if Egypt is attacked.
Aug 26 General Nasser agrees to five nation conference on Suez Canal.
Aug 28 Two British envoys are expelled from Egypt accused of spying.
Sept 5 Israel condemns Egypt over Suez crisis.
Sept 9 Conference talks collapse when General Nasser refuses to allow international control of the Suez Canal.
Sept 12 US, Britain, and France announce their intention to impose a Canal Users Association on management of the canal.
Sept 14 Egypt now in full control of the Suez Canal.
Sept 15 Soviet ship-pilots arrive to help Egypt run the canal.
Oct 1 A 15 nation Suez Canal Users Association is officially formed.
Oct 7 Israeli foreign minister Golda Meir says the UN failure to resolve the Suez Crisis means they must take military action.
Oct 13 Anglo-French proposal for the control of the Suez Canal is vetoed by the USSR during UN session.
Oct 29 Israel invades Sinai Peninsula.
Oct 30 Britain and France veto USSR demand for Israel-Egypt cease-fire.
Nov 2 UN Assembly finally approves a cease-fire plan for Suez.
Nov 5 British and French forces involved in airborne invasion of Egypt.
Nov 7 UN Assembly votes 65 to 1 that invading powers should quit Egyptian territory.
Nov 25 Egypt begins to expel British, French, and Zionist residents.
Nov 29 Tripartite Invasion is officially ended under pressure from UN.
Dec 20 Israel refuses to return Gaza to Egypt.
Dec 24 British and French troops depart Egypt.
Dec 27 5,580 Egyptian POWs exchanged for four Israelis.
Dec 28 Operation to clear sunken ship in Suez Canal starts.