The Suez Crisis: A Multi-Faceted Case Study of National Strategy

The Suez Crisis of 1956 is a classic case study showing the dangers of a flawed national strategy. The complex series of events that led up to the crisis pitted three countries France, England and Israel against Egypt. Once hostilities were initiated it took the actions and restraints of the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, as well as the diplomacy of the still immature United Nations to resolve and contain the event. This event was the first major confrontation between the two superpowers in the nuclear era. It also involved strong international personalities and clearly depicted how fragile tradition international international relationships could become when one or more nations attempted to take unilateral conventional action without superpower sponsorship. It also pointed to the folly of such a policy by bringing the world to the brink of global conflict. This paper argues for the inclusion of the Suez Crisis as a student case-study during Course 2, War, National Policy, and Strategy, as presented by the USAWC Department of National Security and Strategy.