The Need for Speed: Political Thread

[Delta Force]

Nixon: The First Term

Richard Nixon was the second longest serving president of the United States, serving
9 years, 3 months, and 13 days between 1955 to 1965.

Richard Nixon was sworn in as president on October 8, 1955, following President Eisenhower's resignation to recover from a severe heart attack the prior month. From the beginning of his presidency it was clear Nixon would not be a typical president, having come to office as the youngest president in American history and the first to come to office as the result of a presidential resignation.

Less than a year into his term and at the height of the 1956 presidential campaign, Nixon was faced an October Surprise with the eruption of the Suez Crisis. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser had nationalized the Suez Canal in June, dealing a major blow to British and French interests. Israeli forces invaded the Sinai Peninsula in late October, followed by an Anglo-French intervention that seized the Suez Canal Zone days later. Eager to weaken the pro-Soviet government of Nasser and “aid our friends in their time of need”, Nixon pushed emergency financial and energy aid through Congress.

The invasion dealt Nasser’s pro-Soviet government and the Arab nationalist a fatal blow and contributed to Nixon’s landslide victory in 1956. The victory also strengthened the embryonic Baghdad Pact, consisting of pro-Western, largely monarchist governments. However, the death of Arab nationalism left a revolutionary vacuum in the region that was ultimately filled by the communist Arab Baathist parties and the Iranian Tudeh party. Nixon’s victory in the Suez would come to have major consequences, including the collapse of the Saudi monarchy in the 1980s to a communist revolution.

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I'm reviving my Need For Speed timeline and have decided to focus a bit on some of the events going on in the background. It is a timeline about an alternate jet age, but I also want to focus on the developments that made events come to be. You can see the timeline here, or you can click the link in my signature.

 

[Delta Force]

Bumpity bump.

 

[mrfraser1986]

I am glad to see that you renewed this TL. I was tempted, actually, over the last few days to bump your other edition.

How close is the Baghdad Pact in this TL?
Is there a chance that the/a Arab Federation will form?
What will be the circumstances of Saudi toppling and the Tudeh rise in Iran?

Glad to see this back,
Michael

 

[Delta Force]

Prelude to the Suez War

King Farouk I was the tenth ruler of the Muhammad Ali
Dynasty and the last absolute monarch of Egypt. His rule
ended after the 1952 military coup.

The Suez War had its origins in the years following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, in which the corrupt and ineffective King Farouk I was overthrown in a military coup. The coup was supported by both the Soviets and the Americans, each eager to bring Egypt into their own sphere of influence. Although the new Arab nationalist government slowly moved into the Soviet orbit, American Secretary of State John Foster Dulles initially remained optimistic that Egypt could be brought into the American camp. His efforts were derailed in late 1954, when the French government withdrew from the 1950 Tripartite Agreement to carry out a large arms deal with Israel. Concerned by this development, the Egyptians attempted to purchase armaments from the United States, only to be offered aid conditional on signing a peace treaty with Israel.

Egyptian President Naguib with Nasser in 1953. In 1954 Nasser's political faction
removed Naguib from power and imposed one party rule. Naguib died in late 1955
under mysterious circumstances.

Egypt's inquires to the Soviet Union yielded much greater success, with the Soviets agreeing to supply Egypt with financial and industrial aid to construction the Aswan Dam, as well as provide advanced military equipment. MiG-15 fighters, Il-28 tactical bombers, and T-54 main battle tanks were funneled through front countries in the Eastern Bloc to the Egyptian military. The Egyptian military was also slated to receive Komar class missile boats and MiG-17 fighters, although these did not arrive before the outbreak of the Suez War. The Soviet arms deal became known to American intelligence in October 1955, shortly after Nixon's ascension to the presidency. Fearing a repeat of the Chinese and Korean crises, Nixon ignored the objections of Dulles and moved to end aid to Egypt, viewing Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser as the next Mussolini. The mysterious death of former Egyptian President Muhammad Naguib in late 1955 shortly before the adoption of the 1956 one-party constitution furthered Nixon's concern. Egypt's recognition of the People's Republic of China in March 1956 persuaded Dulles to adopt the president's more hardline stance on Egypt, and a series of secret meetings were held between American, British, and French diplomats in the months leading up to the Suez War.

 

[Delta Force]

Bumpity bump.

 

[Emperor Constantine]

Well I've never read your other TL's but this looks very interesting. I'll have to check out the other Need for speed TLs. So in this we have a surviving Kingdom of Iraq and a failing Saudi Arabia? Very interesting. Any changes for Iran?

 

[Delta Force]

Well I've never read your other TL's but this looks very interesting. I'll have to check out the other Need for speed TLs. So in this we have a surviving Kingdom of Iraq and a failing Saudi Arabia? Very interesting. Any changes for Iran?

The Iranian Empire survives in this timeline as a major Israeli and Western ally. The Middle East is an even larger flashpoint than OTL by the 1980s though, as communist Saudi Arabia controls the world's largest oil reserves and threatens key international trade routes. Although access to Iranian seaports has been a goal of the Russians since the tsar, the Soviets are quick to take advantage of the change in Saudi Arabia.

 

[Delta Force]

The October Surprise

An Israeli Dassault Mystère IV flies over the Sinai Peninsula. The Mystère IV was the
most advanced fighter aircraft in both the Israeli and French air forces during the
Suez War.

The Suez Crisis continued to escalate throughout summer and fall 1956 as the Tripartite Agreement members and Israel drafted as response to Nasser. While the British general staff recommended a strategic bombardment campaign to cripple the Egyptian economy and a decisive battle North of Cairo, the final agreement reached at the Sèvres Conference called for Israel to invade the Sinai Peninsula, followed by an Anglo-French invasion of the Suez Canal Zone with the stated intention of enacting a ceasefire. The new plan would require fewer soldiers than the British plan, and its limited focus would reduce perceptions of Anglo-French bullying of Egypt. It was also more acceptable to President Nixon, offering the prospect of a quick and easy victory over the Soviet Union close to the 1956 election. At the Nixon’s urging the plan was moved up a few weeks, with the goal of a victory before Halloween. The plan was given the operational name Revise.

On the afternoon of October 8, 1956, the Suez War began with a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Sinai Peninsula, devastating the Egyptian Air Force in the region and giving Israel air supremacy. Hours later, airdropped Israeli paratroopers seized the vital Mitla Pass, cutting off Egyptian forces from communications, reinforcements, and retreat as Israeli armored units advanced through Sinai. On October 9, the United Kingdom and France issued an ultimatum calling for both sides to cease fighting and withdraw 18 kilometers away from the Suez Canal Zone. The ultimatum was immediately rejected by both sides, allowing Operation Revise to proceed as planned.

The French battleship Jean Bart's radar directed 15 inch guns provided Anglo-French
forces significant fire support during the Battle of Port Said. Its unexpected
contribution helped lead to the reintroduction of big gun equipped cruisers in major
world navies.

With the Egyptian military reeling from the Israeli invasion, an Anglo-French force began the assault on Port Said. Unfortunately for the intervention force, a large sandstorm caused a severe reduction in visibility, grounding most naval aviation. The French battleship Jean Bart – one of the last remaining European big gun ships – was called upon to deliver supporting fire, providing vital firepower for the Anglo-French force and demonstrating the utility of big gun ships in the Missile Age. Although there were no plans to use heavy gunfire within Port Said itself, the Egyptian garrison forces capitulated on October 14 to avoid subjecting the city to bombardment by Jean Bart’s radar directed 15 inch shells. Sharm el-Sheikh fell to Israeli forces the same day, leading to the surrender of Egyptian forces in Sinai. With Port Said relatively undamaged, a rapid buildup of Anglo-French heavy forces began, including British Centurion and French AMX-13 tanks.

A T2 class oil tanker, one of hundreds of ships brought out of mothballs from the
National Defense Reserve Fleet to avert a tonnage and oil crisis during the Suez War.

Further good fortune arrived in the form of American petroleum shipments, sent in response to an Arab oil embargo against the United Kingdom and France. President Nixon also directed the Treasury Department to increase its holdings of British pound and provide loans to the Tripartite powers, relieving stress on the global financial system. These actions put an end to speculation against the pound and a rally on the London Stock Exchange despite the Suez War.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lester Pearson's diplomatic efforts
helped bring about the end of the Suez War, earning him the
Nobel Prize and leading to his selection as prime minister in 1958.

On October 11, Suez City fell to Anglo-French forces. On the same day a large Egyptian counterattack was launched by the Egyptian Army by 36 year old Commander in Chief Abdel Hakim Amer. In one of the largest tank battles since World War II Anglo-French Centurions and AMX-13s were able to repulse Egyptian T-34 and IS-3 tanks, destroying a significant portion of Egypt’s armored and mechanized forces while suffering light losses of their own. Following this decisive battle Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs Lester Pearson was able to facilitate a ceasefire and end the conflict. This prominent role earned him the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and ensured his selection as prime minister following the Liberal Party’s victory in the 1958 election. The Suez War also saw the end of the Nasser government and the prominent role of the Egyptian military, with reformist Anwar Sadat taking power in 1957.

 

[Vonar Roberts]

I like it. Some more details on Lester Pearson's ceasefire agreement including if the Allies managed to bully extended ownership rights over the Suez Canal out of Egypt in the peace accords would be a good thing to include in the next update.

Also I suspect Egypt's defeat at the hands of Israel will motivate the new government to accelerate purchases of new aircraft, T-55's, RPG's, and Submarines from the Soviet Union.

 

[Delta Force]

I like it. Some more details on Lester Pearson's ceasefire agreement including if the Allies managed to bully extended ownership rights over the Suez Canal out of Egypt in the peace accords would be a good thing to include in the next update.

Also I suspect Egypt's defeat at the hands of Israel will motivate the new government to accelerate purchases of new aircraft, T-55's, RPG's, and Submarines from the Soviet Union.

I just realized I didn't quite elaborate on the terms of the ceasefire. That will be in the next update, which will also cover certain developments in the Warsaw Pact. Since the Suez War ended in a total Tripartite victory in this timeline, the final arrangement is more in their favor. If not outright control of the Sinai Peninsula and the Suez Canal Zone, at the very least it is going to be under international control.

As for military rearmament, the new Egyptian government that takes over in 1957 is going to be less militaristic and more pro-West. There will still be a major sense of revanchism underneath the surface though.

 

[mrfraser1986]

Super glad to see that this is picking up steam, but I can't believe that I missed the May update . Of course you made remark out loud about seeing the two updates in front of two of my students and I had to try to explain what interested me in AH and all this.

 

[Delta Force]

The Suez and Sinai Treaty

An Egyptian T-34 destroyed in Amer's doomed counterattack against the Tripartite
forces. Photo Credit.

With their swift and decisive victory across all fronts, the Tripartite powers were able to negotiate with Egypt from a position of overwhelming strength. The Egyptian military had been broken and routed, with the disgraced Commander in Chief Amer committing suicide with his Helwan Brigadier service pistol in his office. Nasser, the president and prime minister of Egypt, was placed under house arrest in Cairo following a bloodless coup by moderate members of the Egyptian parliament. With Anwar Sadat installed as the new prime minister, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Fawzi arranged a cease fire and began negotiations with the Tripartite powers.

The Suez and Sinai Treaty was negotiated at the Beau-Rivage hotel in Geneva,
bringing the Suez Crisis to an official end. Photo Credit.

With the assistance of Lester Pearson, the Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs, negotiations for a permanent solution to the Suez Crisis began in Geneva. The Tripartite powers and the United States argued for internationalization of the Suez Canal and demilitarization of the Sinai Peninsula, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 118 and the majority consensus at the London Conference earlier that year. The Egyptian and Soviet delegations argued for a return to the status quo ante bellum, with Egypt retaining full control of the Suez Canal and Sinai.

Yugoslavian soldiers in 1957, part of the Suez and Sinai Peacekeeping Force.
Although initially consisting of forces from non-aligned nations, Canadian forces
were eventually allowed to participate in the force in recognition of their nation's role
in negotiating the Suez and Sinai Treaty. Photo Credit.

The final agreement drew on the Menzies Plan, while featuring several new additions developed by Pearson. The Canal Zone was to become sovereign Egyptian territory but remain under the administration of a United Nations chartered organization and remain demilitarized. Shareholders of the Suez Canal Company were to be compensated for the nationalization of the Canal, and a portion of transit fees were to be used for Egyptian infrastructure projects. The Sinai Peninsula was to be demilitarized as well. To maintain the neutrality of the Canal Zone and enforce the treaty an international peacekeeping force was to be stationed in both the Canal Zone and Sinai. The peacekeeping force was Pearson's idea and a first for the United Nations. The Suez and Sinai Treaty was signed in early November 1956 and implemented by early 1957.

 

[Deckhand]

This prominent role earned him the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and ensured his selection as prime minister following the Liberal Party’s victory in the 1958 election.

So Diefenbaker does not win and the Arrow is never cancelled? For that alone this TL is worth reading.

 

[Delta Force]

So Diefenbaker does not win and the Arrow is never cancelled? For that alone this TL is worth reading.

Yes. There's a post on the Avro Arrow in my other thread for this timeline (the military thread in my signature). I'm trying to get the thread titles changed but I'm not sure how that's done.

 

[Delta Force]

The Second October Revolution

The Soviet Union's reformist triumvirate. From left to right: First Secretary
Khrushchev, Premier Bulganin, and Defense Minister Zhukov. Photo Credit.

In February 1956, before a closed session of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev had gave his "Secret Speech", condemning Stalinism and calling for a return to the "revolutionary fight for the transformation of society." Throughout 1956, restrictions on the arts were lessened reforms in agriculture, industry, and education were carried out. However, political reform remained elusive, with a small but vocal minority of the Politburo led by Vice Premier Lazar Kaganovich, Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, and former Premier Georgy Malenkov remaining opposed. Premier Nikolai Bulganin and Defense Minister Georgy Zhukov were firmly with Khrushchev. As the "Secret Speech" spread across the Soviet Union and its satellites throughout 1956, support for Khrushchev and political reform continued to grow.

Polish First Secretary Władysław Gomułka of announces the adoption of Khrushchev's
reforms, pledging that "the Party will lead Poland along a new way of socialism".
Photo Credit.

With the outbreak of the Suez War in October 1956, Khrushchev had the opening he needed to implement major political reforms within the Soviet bloc. Poland and other Soviet satellites had Soviet and Soviet-backed politicians replaced by domestic ones, reduced restrictions on the Catholic Church and other religious organizations, and were allowed to put more candidates up for election than seats available. In return, the satellites agreed to remain within the Warsaw Pact and maintain Communist Party rule. Although widely popular within the Soviet bloc, the reforms almost failed to be implemented within the Soviet Union itself due to the efforts of Kaganovich, Molotov, and Malenkov. Labeled the "Anti-Party Group" by the Communist Party, their plot to remove Khrushchev failed after they attempted to draw Premier Bulganin into the plot. Bulganin promptly informed Khrushchev, and together the two executed the first bloodless purge in Communist Party history. Kaganovich, Malenkov, and other conspirators were reassigned to small factories in Siberia and Central Asia, while Molotov became the Soviet ambassador to Mongolia. With his position consolidated, Khrushchev finally had free range to implement expansive political reforms within the Soviet Union itself, and in 1958 the Soviet Union held its first multi-candidate elections to the Supreme Soviet.

 

[OnlyAlb]

The timeline looks very interesting. Will follow.

 

[King of the Uzbeks]

Subity Sub Of Subitily Subity Subness

 

[Delta Force]

Subity Sub Of Subitily Subity Subness

The submarines are in the other thread.

 

[Delta Force]

A Rainbow over Argentina

Juan and Eva Perón married on October 25, 1945. Almost immediately, the couple
began carefully establishing a cult of personality amongst the Argentine populace.
Photo Credit.

Prior to the 1940s, Argentina was a predominately agricultural nation prone to political instability. By the end of the Second World War, Argentina had developed the industrial and political strength required to become a power in its own right. The loss of foreign sources of commercial and military goods gave Argentine industry crucial room to grow, and the personality cult of Juan and Eva Perón began with the couple's wedding in late 1945. Upon winning the presidency in 1946, Juan carried out a series of populist measures: extending health insurance and social security, nationalizing the railroads, and raising workers' wages. These measures helped the Argentine economy to flourish throughout the 1940s. With the establishment of the charitable Eva Perón Foundation in 1948 and her personal meetings with the impoverished, Eva became affectionately known simply as Evita. Eventually, her cult of personality would come to surpass that of her husband.

Critically ill with cancer, Eva Perón votes for her husband and the Peronist Party from
her hospital bed. Photo Credit.

The dawn of the 1950s brought renewed trouble to Argentina. The decade started with a recession. Massive inflation followed, and the nation's trade surplus soon turned into a half billion dollar trade deficit, draining foreign reserves. Hoping to utilize his wife's cult of personality to his advantage, President Juan Perón planned to nominate Eva for the vice presidency in the 1951 election, but she became severely ill with advanced cervical cancer. Despite a rally of over two million people calling for her to run, she was forced to decline, instead offering her endorsement of Juan, who went on to win the election by a margin of over 30%. Despite this resounding show of support, the health of the Argentine economy, and Eva, remained critical going into 1952.

Eva Perón waves to supporters at her husband's 1952 inauguration. Ironically, she
outlived Vice President Quijano, who died before the start of his second term.
Photo Credit.

Suddenly, in what many supporters of Perón came to call "El Milagro de '52", the fortunes of both dramatically improved. A combination of fiscal reforms, economic improvement, and a bumper crop for the year erased many of the nation's economic problems, even producing a trade surplus for the year. Eva's health dramatically improved as well. A sudden improvement in her condition in December 1951 continued into the new year, and by the end of the year she was found to be in remission. Ironically, Eva outlived Vice President Hortensio Quijano, who was in failing health himself when she persuaded him to run for vice president in her stead. She took the seat meant for Quijano at Juan's inauguration on June 4th, 1952. Six years later, she would be at Juan's side again - as vice president.

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The PoDs are all after 1952 in The Need for Speed. In real life Eva did have a brief recovery in December 1951, but she died in 1952. In this timeline, her cancer goes into remission in 1952.