How did the US react in 1956 when Britain France and Israel invaded Egypt and occupied the Suez Canal and why?

Answer 1

Prior to the British, French, and Israeli Invasion, the State Department already had a few objectives as concerns Egypt. They wanted to prevent a second Arab-Israeli War and they wanted to keep the Suez Canal in European hands since its nationalization could have a negative impact on the passage of freight (and petroleum) from the Persian Gulf to Europe and the Americas. In 1956, Nasser, President of Egypt, decided to nationalize the Suez Canal. It was in retaliation that the British, French, and Israelis invaded Egypt in an attempt to compel Egypt to return the Canal to European control.

US President Eisenhower's response was to attempt to negotiate a compromise where Egypt would be allowed to maintain control over the Suez Canal provided that they paid the British compensation for the nationalization and did not restrict trade (meaning that they would follow the Constantinople Convention of the Suez Canal of 1888). However, Eisenhower was opposed to any military action in the Middle East and compelled the British, French, and Israeli forces to withdraw from sovereign Egyptian territory. These events led to the Eisenhower Doctrine, which pledged that the US would distribute economic and military aid and, if necessary, use military force to contain communism in the Middle East.