Suez Crisis at 70: France's hidden humiliation

A waterway built by Europeans

Opened in 1869 as a French-Egyptian project, the Suez Canal became vital to British and French colonial empires. France relied on it for shipping between Madagascar and Mediterranean ports.

Britain takes control

In eighteen seventy-five, Egypt's ruler sold his shares to the United Kingdom. Prime minister Benjamin Disraeli made Britain the largest shareholder in a waterway vital to its colonial empire.

Nasser takes power

In nineteen fifty-two, Egypt's monarchy was overthrown in a military coup. Two years later, Nasser, then a lieutenant colonel, took power, promoting pan-Arab nationalism and secular government.

The canal is nationalised

On twenty-six July nineteen fifty-six, Nasser announced Egypt would take back the Suez Canal. He said the funds and the canal belonged to Egypt, not to European powers.

“We will take back all our rights, because these funds are ours and this canal belongs to Egypt.”

A secret pact is made

From twenty-two to twenty-four October, France, the UK and Israel met in secret in Sèvres, near Paris, to plan a military operation codenamed Musketeer.

The invasion plan

Israel would attack Egypt on twenty-nine October. France and the UK would then demand both sides withdraw fifteen kilometres on either side of the canal, effectively requiring Egypt to abandon the Sinai Peninsula.

Fighting begins

Israeli forces invaded the Gaza Strip and the Sinai on schedule. Nasser rejected the ultimatum. French and British forces launched a major air campaign, destroying much of Egypt's air force.

International pressure mounts

On two November, the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire. France and the UK ignored it. On five November, the Soviet Union issued severe threats, even raising the possibility of nuclear weapons.

The ceasefire takes effect

France and the UK ordered a ceasefire, which took effect overnight on six to seven November. Around a thousand civilians were killed during the fighting.

Troops withdraw

French and British forces finally withdrew on twenty-two December. Despite military defeat, Nasser emerged as the political victor, with Egypt's nationalisation of the canal now accepted worldwide.

Censored images tell the story

French authorities kept footage out of cinema newsreels showing the humiliation of withdrawal. Images showed UN troops replacing national flags with the UN banner as it took over the ceasefire.

“These images that never made it into the newsreels tell us a great deal, particularly about how successive governments viewed information and censored it.”

A monument destroyed

On twenty-two December, French and British troops attached their flags to a statue of Ferdinand de Lesseps in Port Said. The following day, the Egyptian military blew up the monument.

France loses great power status

After the Suez Crisis, France no longer appeared to be a great power. Disowned by the UN and humiliated on the international stage, France had to negotiate with the US and Soviet Union.

“After the Suez Crisis, France no longer appeared to be a great power.”