... military cutbacks were highly controversial. So controversial in fact was Britain's intervention in the Suez Canal conflict of 1956; which intervention left Britain humiliated and with an effect on its future foreign policy-making. General consequences. The consequences of Suez were far-reaching, particularly in public. British policymakers had known for years of their underlying weaknesses, but the public image, accentuated by 1940, 1945 and post-war recovery, was of a country that was still a major power. For an Egyptian ex-colonel to twist the lion's tail, and get away with it, was a blatant and lasting blow to national self-esteem and international prestige. Nasser4's successful defiance made him into Third World hero, encouraging anti-colonial nationalists elsewhere. American and Russian influence increased in the Middle East and no British leader ever made the mistake of trying to defy the USA on a major issue. Quite obviously, the aftermath of the war saw a ...

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