Summary
Summary Modern Britain- Foreign Relations
- Module
- Modern Britain
- Institution
- AQA
A notes summary of the foreign relations in the Modern Britain course.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Foreign Relations- Britain in the shadows of two new military superpowers USSR and US.
- In 1947 , Britain’s ambassador in Washington had to inform the Americans that
Britain faced bankruptcy and needed to withdraw from commitments in Greece,
Turkey and Palestine.
- In 1947 independence was given to India and Pakistan.
- Political and public opinion was slow.
- The Future Policy Study presented to Macmillan’s cabinet in 1960 showed that
Britain had accepted some implications of the retreat from the Empire.
- In 1962, Dean Acheson, the US Secretary of State in 1949 to 1953.
- Acheson said ‘Britain has lost an empire and has not yet found a role.’
EFTA and attempts to join EEC
- Schuman Plan 1950, set out proposals for a Coal and Steel Community to integrate
French and German heavy industry.
- Wanted to promote rapid economic reconstruction and also bind France and
Germany.
- Foundation of the EEC.
- Supported by Britain and the US.
- Britain did not initially become involved.
- Britain wanted to balance its involvement in Europe whilst maintaining the ‘special
relationship’ with the US.
- The Treaty of Rome launched the EEC, without Britain in 1957.
- In 1959, Britain took the lead in the formation of the EFTA. Only moderately
successful and not able to match EEC’s economic growth.
- In 1961, the Macmillan government submitted Britain’s application to join EEC.
- The US was happy to see Britain join the EEC for strategic reasons.
- Britain provided a vital link between Europe and the US.
- Belief in Britain’s imperial power had been shaken by Suez and by accelerating pace
of decolonisation in Africa.
- Britain wanted to keep its position with the Commonwealth and the US.
- Negotiations with the EEC were extremely difficult and complex.
- Negotiations occurred with the EEC and Edward Heath(Britain’s chief negotiator).
- The negotiations seemed to have reached a successful conclusion in January 1963.
However, Charles de Gaulle exercised Frances’s right of veto and blocked Britain’s
application at the last minute.
De Gaulle
- Leader of Free French Forces.
- Had many rows with Churchill and Roosevelt.
- The other EEC members were disappointed at de Gaulle for stopping the
negotiations with Britain.
- His intervention caused bad relations between France and Britain.
- Britain remained outside the EEC.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller emilialdillon. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £2.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
67447 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now