The Anglo-American Special Relationship In Macmillan Administration

The Anglo-American special relation is an important phenomenon in postwar international relations, and it is also a topic that is worth studying. During the World War II, Britain and America fighting together against German, Italian and Japanese Fascism established a close relation. This kind of relation continued in the post-war international context. In 1945, in the Attlee Labor Party Administration, the Anglo-American special relation officially formed. In 1951, Churchill came on stage once again, proposed"Three–Circle"Diplomacy, and took the Anglo-American special relation as the cornerstone of British foreign policy. In 1956, The Suez Canal war broke out, the Anglo-American special relation fell into the lowest point since the World War II. In January, 1957, Macmillan took the position of English prime minister, started to improve the Anglo-American special relation which busted. This paper is designed to analyze the very special Anglo-American relation in Macmillan administration.The first part explains how Macmillan manages to break through the difficult position the British foreign relations faces. In July, 1956, the Suez Canal crisis erupted that was an overall emergent crisis in terms of internal affairs and diplomacy, the economy and the politics. It has seriously harmed British status and national dignity in the world politics. This made the so called Anglo-American special relation fall to the lowest level since the World War II. After Macmillan replaced Prime Minister Eden in January, 1957, considering the diplomatic trouble, he started to repair the Anglo-America relation. Meanwhile, the Americans also did not want to see their relation get worse. Therefore at the convenience of the British government changing sessions, the U.S. took an initiative posture toward the British. The two sides held the discussion in Bermuda. On March 24, 1957 they deliberated the "Final Statement of Bermuda Meetings". In October, 1957, both leaders of government have held the discussion in Washington, and signed "Statement of the Common Goal of UK. And U.S.", which has marked a close on the repairing of their relation.The second part, is mainly about the characteristic of Anglo-American special relation in Macmillan Administration .During the period of Macmillan , Anglo-American special relation presents one kind of complexity and not the determinism, this concrete table now following several aspects: first, on nuclear defense issue ,it is neither close nor far, the Macmillan government not only needs to preserve the Anglo-American special relation but also maintain its own nuclear defense independence, this causes the condition which both sides relates presents is neither close nor far. Second, from the European policy angle , England must maintain its own independence, and maintain the inherent economic, therefore The Anglo-American special relation always holds the important status in England; US mainly is based on and affects regarding the English America special relations manner using England in European and British Commonwealth of Nations'special status serves for its national interest and the international strategy, the English America special relations by postwar mutually must cause American and the English relations in the global strategy sets at in the big frame which relates to Europe and America the direction develops. Third, regarding the relations between East and West, Britain maintained some kind of independent posture. At the time that East and West has a tense situation, the British government always kept a close relation with US, and at the same time relaxed the tense atmosphere happening between the East and the West, which demonstrated the independence of British foreign policy to some extent. When the second Taiwan Strait crisis, Berlin Wall event, U-2 airplane event, Cuban missile crisis and so on broke out, the British always have a firm stand like above. Fourth, outside Europe, their relation is quite harmonious. For example, in suppressing the national liberation movement in the Mideast and preventing Soviet Union to expand regional influence. Both countries unusually displayed "the tacit understanding".The third part is about the reason and the comment of the Anglo-American special relations. The basic reason of Anglo-American special relations is that both countries have strategic benefits in common. At the same time, Britain and America maintaining"special relations" has presented British diplomatic tradition. And the Anglo-American special relations has also manifested desires between England and America. Macmillan attempts to seek the diplomatic balance between US and U.K., but the procedure is extremely difficult. In diplomatic practices, the British diplomacy was inclining to emphasize "European ring" , but not totally gave up " Three–Circle"Diplomacy. Britain although enhanced the contacts with the other Western European nations, especially laying great emphasis on the relations with European Economic Community, but still had great dependence on the Anglo-American relations to realize their own strategic goal. Britain also cannot give up its traditional relations with the British Commonwealth of Nations. It would go on pursuing its own national interests across the world. In the Macmillan government, it was seemed that the special relations was getting colder, but Britain cannot break its relations with US, it had to rely on the U.S. to realize its the international status that declines day by day. Macmillan actually joined the European Economic Community to repair and strengthen the Anglo-American special relations not to replace it. This is just a delicate change in strategy facing the new international situation to pursue its interests.