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'Concealing collusion : the Suez Crisis, political memoirs and official secrecy, 1956-1969
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Moran, Christopher R. (2019) 'Concealing collusion : the Suez Crisis, political memoirs and official secrecy, 1956-1969. English Historical Review, 134 (567). pp. 358-389. doi:10.1093/ehr/cez069 ISSN 0013-8266.
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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/cez069
Abstract
The Suez crisis in 1956 has long been recognised as a watershed in British history—precipitating the fall of Anthony Eden’s government, accelerating the end of empire, and underscoring how weak Britain had become on the international stage, especially in relation to the United States, which emerged from the episode as undeniably the senior partner in the ‘Special Relationship’. Less understood is the important role that the crisis played in weakening the foundations of official secrecy in Britain, especially what might be described as the social underpinnings of secrecy. This article explores how sensitive details about Suez eventually came to light in the period 1956 to 1969, despite concerted and sometimes cunning efforts by the Whitehall machine to prevent disclosure. Contrary to conventional wisdom, which suggests that socialist parliamentary firebrands like Michael Foot proved the most difficult to control, it is argued that the greatest challenge to secret-keepers came from senior conservative politicians writing memoirs—chief among them Eden himself—who were headstrong, not easily intimidated, and unafraid to bypass rules and codes of discretion to vindicate their careers. Fascinatingly, memoir writers not only ignored legal mechanisms such as the much-feared Official Secrets Act, but, against the backdrop of profound social and cultural change, they also dismissed attempts by mandarins to exploit gentlemanly bonds and loyalties, which in the past had been an effective method of promoting self-censorship by members of the elite.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||
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| Subjects: | D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain D History General and Old World > DT Africa |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Politics and International Studies | ||||||
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Suez Canal (Egypt) , Eden, Anthony, Earl of Avon, 1897-1977, Egypt -- History -- Intervention, 1956, Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1945-1964 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | English Historical Review | ||||||
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press | ||||||
| ISSN: | 0013-8266 | ||||||
| Official Date: | 2 April 2019 | ||||||
| Dates: |
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| Volume: | 134 | ||||||
| Number: | 567 | ||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 358-389 | ||||||
| DOI: | 10.1093/ehr/cez069 | ||||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||||
| Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights): | This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in English Historical Review following peer review. The version of record Christopher Moran, Concealing Collusion: The Suez Crisis, Political Memoirs and Official Secrecy, 1956–1969, The English Historical Review, , cez069 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/cez069 | ||||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||||
| Date of first compliant deposit: | 4 March 2019 | ||||||
| Date of first compliant Open Access: | 2 April 2021 | ||||||
| RIOXX Funder/Project Grant: |
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