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Suez canal invasion by Unknown Arthur/

10 Chilling Facts about the Suez Crisis

The Suez Canal Crisis began in 1956 when Israeli armed forces pushed into Egypt towards the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal was a valuable waterway that controlled two-thirds of the oil used by Europe, the Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the canal. The Canal was built in Egypt under the supervision of French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps and was run jointly by a British French Organization. 120 miles long the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean by way of the Red Sea allowing goods to be shipped between Europe and Asia directly. The president of Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal Company after the United States and Britain refused to provide his country with economic benefits.

Nasser seized the British and French-owned firm not only to revenge on the U.S. but also to demonstrate his independence from the European colonial powers and to garner the profits the company earned from his country. The British and French leaders threatened to use force to compel Nasser and take control, the Suez crisis had a deep impact on the balance of power in the Middle East and the responsibilities that the United States assumed there. The crisis stands as a watershed event in the history of middle East diplomacy. In 1975, as a gesture of peace, Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat reopened the Suez Canal. Today, about 300 million tons of goods pass through the canal each year.

1. The statue of Liberty was to be at The Suez Canal

Statue of Liberty, NY by William Warby/

Egypt is well known for being the home to various Colossi statues depicting ancient rulers, visitors recognize the colossi of Memnon seated proudly on the West bank of the Nile in Luxor. The statue of Liberty was designed by French artist and sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi after visiting Egypt in 1855 with a group of Orientalist painters. The statue was meant to stand as the northern entrance of the Suez Canal, this project was a grand project symbolizing the country鈥檚 burgeoning industrial development.

Fedrick envisioned a dark-skinned peasant Egyptian girl with robes and instead of a torch the girl will be holding a lamp, in other versions, she would be holding a jar to symbolize abundance and good fortune. Unfortunately, Batholdi鈥檚 project was not met with eagerness and anticipation from the Egyptians, the country was reeling from expenses spilled into the creation of the canal so he decided to venture the idea to the Americans. He finally built the statue of Liberty in the New York Harbor.

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2.De Lesseps

One evening in July Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser while addressing a crowd of 200,000, Nasser turned his attention to the Suez Canal, and in a hidden speech broadcasting over the radio he used the code word 鈥�De Lesseps鈥�. On hearing this the Egyptian army stormed into the offices of the Suez Canal Company and began the seizure and nationalization of the canal.

It is said that the president mentioned this word 13 times in his speech, he was offended by the insulting altitude with the western powers and he refused loans to build the Aswan Dam. He believed building the dam would provide electricity and alleviate poverty in Egypt and this would be defined as the crowning moment of his presidency. Forty-five years after the passing of Nasser he is still making waves in the Middle East, to instill independence in Egypt free from outside interference he laid the foundation for the military dictatorship which rules the Country today.

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3. The Suez Canal dates back to Pharaoh Senausert III

Port Said, Egypt, Suez Canal Authority by Unknown Arthur/

The canal is a man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea. It enables a direct route for shipping between Europe and Asia, the waterway is vital for international trade and also has been the center of the conflict. The canal separates the bulk of Egypt from the Sinai Peninsula it took ten years to build and was officially opened in 1869. Historians say that the Egyptian Pharaoh Senausert III was the first to think of connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

The canal has witnessed many historical turning points and significant developments, it is not the first canal used for the transport of goods through the area. History shows that the ancient Egyptian, Ptolemaic, and Roman Empires dug canals in the region for the same general purpose. Ferdinand De Lesseps is recognized as the builder of the Suez Canal because he was the Frenchman to whom the Ottoman viceroy gave permission to build the canal.

4. President Dwight D. Eisenhower

An official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower by Unknown Arthur/

American president Dwight D. Eisenhower faced his greatest foreign policy was the Suez Canal crisis in which Great Britain, France, and Israel attacked Egypt after President Nasser seized control of the canal. U.S. President Dwight was furious and strongly warned Britain not to invade, he said the war would seriously damage the British Financial system. Eisenhower announced the Eisenhower doctrine in 1957 and congress approved it the same year the doctrine stated that a country could request American economic assistance or aid from U.S military forces if it was being threatened by armed aggression from another state.

President Eisenhower believed a result of the Suez Canal conflict a power vacuum had formed in the middle East due to the loss of prestige of Great Britain and France. He feared that this allowed Nasser to spread his Arabic policies and form dangerous alliances with Jordan and Syria and opened the door for Soviet Union influence. The U.S. president wanted the U.S. to fill the vacuum before the Soviet Union did so.

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5. British Opposition to the Suez Canal

The Suez Canal transformed transportation among three continents, it became a dominant route between European powers and their colonies in Asia and East Africa. Britain stood to gain much from the construction of the Suez Canal, the waterway would allow Britain to further pursue its main economic and strategic interests in the region. The clear economic and strategic advantages of the canal for Britain would have led its government to craft a foreign policy aimed at hastening the waterway construction.

Thomas Waghorn believed that the canal should be constructed to serve British interests which were not possible with the Empire鈥檚 lack of influence in Egypt instead Waghorn suggested an overland route instead. After the death of Waghorn died Palmerston was hostile toward the project and it became stronger he responded to the idea of the canal by stating 鈥淚t shall not be made, it cannot be made, it will not be made, but if it were made there would be war between France and England for the possession of Egypt鈥�.

6. The Suez Canal brought about the UN peacekeeping

United Nations by Jonathan Ansel/

The Suez crisis marked the first use of the United Nations peacekeeping force, the UNEF United Nations Emergency Force. The plan called for the British and French to withdraw but allowed the United Nations force to remain in the area by stabilizing the situation. The Assembly called for a ceasefire and withdrawal of foreign forces, the British and French forces left the Suez Canal Zone. The creation of UNEF the first United Nations peacekeeping force represented a significant innovation within the United Nations. Publicly, the Canadian government鈥檚 role was that of a conciliator. Ottawa strongly objected to the military action on the Suez Canal crisis out of concern that it will divide the Commonwealth, damage relations with the US, and risk a wider war.

7. Canada Peacemaker of the Suez Canal Crisis

Pearson was Canada鈥檚 secretary of state for external affairs and headed Canada鈥檚 delegation to the UN. Working with colleagues at the UN he developed the ideas for the UN’s first large-scale peacekeeping force. Addressing the UN General Assembly in the midst of the Suez Crisis Pearson made his case for a peace and policy force. A cease-fire was arranged and UN peacekeepers later entered the Canal area, Pearson鈥檚 solution allowed Britain, France, and Israel to withdraw their forces. Pearson won the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize for his initiative in Egypt. In his acceptance speech, he highlighted Canada’s important role in the breakthrough. Pearson continued to be Prime minister six years later, his role in creating the UN’s first modern peacekeeping force and pointing the way for the future. UN-sponsored peacekeeping mission became the proud centerpiece of Canada鈥檚 military and diplomatic activities around the world.

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8. The Impact of the Suez Canal

Today it is one of the world鈥檚 busiest trade routes around 10% of global trade passes through the Suez Canal, which provides the shortest direct sea link between Asia and Europe. The Suez Canal was officially opened in a large, elaborate ceremony in 1869 followed by a dazzling fireworks display. Ismail Pasha was keen to use the event to impress European leaders, including Austrian Emperor Franz Josef, the Prince of Wales, the Prince of the Netherlands, and most notably the French Empress Eugenie. The canal continues to be the lifeline for all trade between the West and East as 10% of the global trade passes through it every year.

9. Napoleon Bonaparte was to build the Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is usually considered the most important example of ship canals, though the number of vessels passing through it annually. After conquering Egypt French commander Napoleon Bonaparte sent a team to survey to investigate the feasibility of cutting the Isthmus of Suez and building a canal from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. Napoleon believed that creating a French-controlled channel on the Isthmus of Suez would cause trade problems for the British so that they could also pay their dues. The attempt to build the canal became impossible because the sea levels between the Mediterranean and the Red Seas were different for a canal to be feasible.

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10. The yellow feet stuck for eight years

During the six-day way between Egypt and Israel, the Suez Canal was shut down by the Egyptian Government and blocked on either side. At this time fifteen international shipping vessels were blocked at the canal at the midpoint. Israel controlled the east bank of the canal while Egypt, the west. The sailors watched helplessly as both sides exchanged gunfire and rockets over their heads. With nowhere to go the crew set aside their homeland differences and formed an unofficial micronation calling themselves the Yellow Fleet.

 The United Nation carried a continuous negotiations to re-open the canal but the Egyptians refused and allowed the crews trapped in the ships to leave and be replaced with other personnel. There was plenty of maintenance work to be done: on the vessels, there was a lot of cleaning, repair work, running the engines, and fire safety drills. Well, today the Suez Canal is open and many shipping companies use the Canal today.