Tim Shipman: History of Britain's special relationship with America
[Tim Shipman is Washington correspondent.]
It is appropriate, then, that it was Churchill who coined the phrase. Gordon Brown's trip to Washington comes 63 years to the week after Churchill's most famous post-war speech in Fulton, Missouri, which also gave the world the phrase "Iron Curtain".
He called for "a special relationship between the British Commonwealth and Empire and the United States", who can "work together at the common task as friends and partners".
Since Churchill's day the presumption that Britain's place is by America's side has been accepted by all US presidents and British prime ministers. Yet it has also ebbed and flowed according to the policies, priorities and personalities of the leaders.
THE WOOING: CHURCHILL & FDR
Churchill's speech came when Harry Truman was president, but he had already established the archetype of the special relationship with Franklin D. Roosevelt. Churchill wooed FDR into the war over a period of two years, writing to the president every day to secure arms, money and ultimately American troops for the defeat of Nazi Germany. He later admitted: "No lover ever studied every whim of his mistress as I did those of President Roosevelt."
POWER SHIFT: EDEN, IKE & SUEZ
The biggest test of the special relationship came in 1956, when Prime Minister Anthony Eden joined forces with the French and the Israelis to invade Egypt and prevent Nasser's seizure of the Suez Canal. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, kept in the dark about the invasion plan, was incensed. The Americans staged a run on the British pound and Eden, disgraced and dying, resigned. The moment marked the final end of Britain's global imperial reach, but perversely strengthened the special relationship, making it clear that America was senior partner and that British influence would henceforth mean acting in concert with the US rather than embarking on solo military adventures...
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
It is appropriate, then, that it was Churchill who coined the phrase. Gordon Brown's trip to Washington comes 63 years to the week after Churchill's most famous post-war speech in Fulton, Missouri, which also gave the world the phrase "Iron Curtain".
He called for "a special relationship between the British Commonwealth and Empire and the United States", who can "work together at the common task as friends and partners".
Since Churchill's day the presumption that Britain's place is by America's side has been accepted by all US presidents and British prime ministers. Yet it has also ebbed and flowed according to the policies, priorities and personalities of the leaders.
THE WOOING: CHURCHILL & FDR
Churchill's speech came when Harry Truman was president, but he had already established the archetype of the special relationship with Franklin D. Roosevelt. Churchill wooed FDR into the war over a period of two years, writing to the president every day to secure arms, money and ultimately American troops for the defeat of Nazi Germany. He later admitted: "No lover ever studied every whim of his mistress as I did those of President Roosevelt."
POWER SHIFT: EDEN, IKE & SUEZ
The biggest test of the special relationship came in 1956, when Prime Minister Anthony Eden joined forces with the French and the Israelis to invade Egypt and prevent Nasser's seizure of the Suez Canal. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, kept in the dark about the invasion plan, was incensed. The Americans staged a run on the British pound and Eden, disgraced and dying, resigned. The moment marked the final end of Britain's global imperial reach, but perversely strengthened the special relationship, making it clear that America was senior partner and that British influence would henceforth mean acting in concert with the US rather than embarking on solo military adventures...