The Changes In Attlee Government's Diplomacies & The Formation Of The Special Relationship Between UK And USA

In the wake of World War II, Attlee labor party government began to take charge of UK's regime. But with the rapid declining of UK and quick rising of USA and USSR, the international pattern underwent overturning change, Attlee labor party government was obliged to make zigzagged exploration and adjustments, to prevent UK's power from declining too fast and to maintain UK's status as a great country and its national interest.In the initial stage after the war, based on the mistaken underestimation of the national power and the extent of declining, Attlee labor party government failed to develop a exact perspective to the positioning of the UK, and was still burdened with the proud history, pursued unrealistic and overambitious objectives. It still wished to maintain the cooperation system three great countries cooperation system composed of UK, USA and USSR that had come into existence during World War II, to prevent the other two great countries---USA and USSR to act without it, and to maintain its status as one of the three great countries in the world. However, handicapped by its severely declined strength, it was the weakest among the three great countries, plus the deepened economic crises confronted, and indifference and invasion of USA and USSR on its interests, it wished to establish West European Union, and act as the chief of the Union so that it could, with the combined force of the Union, form"the third force"which was independent of USA and USSR, to obtain the equal place, and share the rule of the world. But, UK itself and west Europe were all too weak after the war,"the third force"failed to come into being consequently.From late 1946 to the first quarter of 1947, because of grave economic crises and heavy dependence on America's financial aid, Attlee labor party government came to realize that UK was indeed declined, and threat coming from USSR was increasing at the time. In the context, the labor government, on one hand, put into practice the notion of building"the third force"by accomplishing the basis of West Europe Union: the union between UK and France, to get rid of UK's grave economic crises and heavy dependence on America's financial aid, to maintain its independent status as a great country, and to response the threat of USSR.On the other hand, pressed by the above-mentioned situation and the limitation of its own strength, plus the reality that west Europe was confronted with similar economic difficulties and was on the verge of collapse, the labor party government felt deeply that dependence on itself and other west European countries would prove impossible to resist the threat of USSR expansion, so it had to look across the Atlantic to America, to shift the obligations of resisting the threat and expansion of USSR and the communist in Greece and Turkey to America. This signaled that in fact UK had already not been completely independent of USA.Afterwards, Attlee labor party government adopted realistic routes, stayed no more independent of America, and navigated its diplomacy direction towards America, and moreover, actively supported and promoted the implementation of the America-reviving-Europe program---Marshall Economic Aid Plan excluding the USSR. This strengthened the economical relation with USA, improved the mutual understanding and laid a foundation for the cooperation on strategic issues for both sides.And then, Attlee labor party government energetically pursued its"unite USA to resist USSR"strategy. It attempted to form an ally with USA but failed to kicked out positive response ,so it had to reconcile with the second best, namely, to accelerate the foundation of the America-supported West Europe Collective Defense System---Brussels Treaty Organization. This marked the complete disillusion of its excessively high objective of pursuing"the third force"to stay aloof from USA and USSR. More important is that this laid foundation for the Atlantic Security System joined by the USA---North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Eventually, Attlee labor party government promoted the foundation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization joined by the USA, which symbolized the success of the"unite the USA to resist the USSR"strategy that the British Labor Party government pursued, and pronounced the establishment of mutual military strategic ally against the USSR between UK and USA, enabling the UK and USA to unite more closely under the framework of safety, strategy and Europe defense, and helping the official formation of"the special relationship"much closer than their relations with any other country.The above changes in foreign policies of the Attlee Labor Party government accomplished the peaceful transition from war-time diplomacy to post-war diplomacy, and set a keynote for diplomacy for the following British governments. The changes in diplomatic policies was active strategic adjustments, which striving for the maximization of the national interest and in best maintaining the status of a great country in accordance with the situations home and abroad. From which UK benefited enormously, guaranteed its own safety, became more influential, and safeguarded its great country status to an extent. On the other hand, the above changes in foreign policies was the last resort of the Attlee labor government, and the natural and sole realistic choice at a time of strength decline and presence of USSR threat, which made UK subject to USA to a certain extent, and became an assistant and junior partner.