ABSTRACT

This analysis questions the dominant view of the role played by Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies in the early stages of the 1956 Suez Canal crisis. Tasked with the responsibility of discussing a peaceful settlement to the crisis with Egyptian President, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Menzies’ mission to Cairo failed. Previous accounts overwhelming consign the collapse to Menzies’ blind loyalty to the British Empire. However, the reasons for the negative outcome were more complex. Rather than merely acting out of devotion to Britain, Menzies also placed significant importance on United States policy, causing him to miscalculate the international political climate. Additionally, other factors like the divide between Menzies and Nasser’s ideological beliefs, Menzies’ legal background, and his wartime experiences shaped the outcome of the discussions. However, failure lays not solely with Menzies. The actions of other Powers also affected the proceedings; in particular, American and British hidden agendas and on-going Anglo-French military operations helped seal the fate of Menzies’ mission.

摘要

该分析质疑澳大利亚总理罗伯特·孟席斯在1956年苏伊士运河危机初期所扮演的角色的主流观点。孟席斯对开罗的访问失败，肩负着与埃及总统加马尔·阿卜杜勒·纳赛尔讨论和平解决危机的责任。以前的压倒性说法是孟席斯对大英帝国的盲目忠诚。但是，产生负面结果的原因更为复杂。孟席斯不仅只是出于对英国的奉献精神，还对美国的政策给予了极大重视，这使他误解了国际政治气氛。此外，孟席斯与纳赛尔的思想信念之间的分歧，孟席斯的法律背景以及他的战时经历等其他因素也影响了讨论的结果。然而，失败不仅仅在于孟席斯。其他国家的行动也影响了诉讼程序；尤其是，美国和英国的隐秘议程以及持续的英法军事行动有助于掩盖孟席斯使命的命运。