How Does Suez turn into WW3?

[Thucydides]

There seems to be some division on the question. Some people think that the Suez Crisis could have easily lead to WW3, where as others think there is no chance at all.

So how could we make the Suez Crisis become WW3?

 

[The Oncoming Storm]

One scenario I read was that the British and French ignore Eisenhower's ultimatum and press on. The Soviets didnt have the expeditionary capability to directly assist Nasser in time to repel the invasion so instead they launch an attack on NATO. This rapidly escalates and goes nuclear.

 

[GenghisKhanfan]

One scenario I read was that the British and French ignore Eisenhower's ultimatum and press on. The Soviets didnt have the expeditionary capability to directly assist Nasser in time to repel the invasion so instead they launch an attack on NATO. This rapidly escalates and goes nuclear.

That would be very plausible. Its likely though that the Soviet Union would first threaten Britain and France, which would draw the United States into the argument. Meanwhile, Israel would continue its operations in Egypt, driving them to desperation. The USSR would switch its policy to more of a pro-Arab stance (if it hadn't already done so before this), and start sending missiles and other weapons through the Aegean and the Mediterranean in the guise of cargo ships (like they did with Cuba). Without announcing it to the world, Egypt unleashes a nuclear attack on Israel (a desperation move on Cairo's part), and from there, both the United States and USSR get directly drawn in

 

[Riain]

A few tweaks could have Suez and Hungary occuring simultaneously and the Anglo-French respond to Kruschev's 'let the rockets fly' remark/threat with counterthreats of their own, possibly promises to support the Hungarian rebels.

As it is I don't think Suez alone could cause WW3 without the Anglo-French being more powerful than they were OTL.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Very tough since Eisenhower (the undisputed leader of NATO at the time) and the Soviets were on the same side in this war. Only way I can see it is if Eisenhower decides to back Israel hard which is close to ASB.

 

[Wolfpaw]

Suez couldn't go WWIII because nobody was willing to go to war over it. Khrushchev and Bulganin's bluster was exactly that; bluster. The Soviets were talking big about Suez to distract everybody from the messes in Hungary and Poland. Most of the Politburo was horrified at the idea of Khrushchev dragging them into WWIII to defend a tinpot dictator who was not only anti-Communist, but was regarded by the Soviets as a fascist.

If WWIII comes, it'll be from the West starting it, not the Soviets.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Most of the Politburo was horrified at the idea of Khrushchev dragging them into WWIII to defend a tinpot dictator who was not only anti-Communist, but was regarded by the Soviets as a fascist.

If WWIII comes, it'll be from the West starting it, not the Soviets.
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I've always failed to understand the Soviet/Arab alliance; the majority of the Arab world was, at a minimum, positively minded towards fascism (and Nazi Germany). Look at the Grand Mufti. I believe I have read that Mein Kampf is a perennial bestseller in much of the Arab press, including Nasser's Egypt.

How Russia could support people who are fans of its former mortal enemy has never made good sense to me.

 

[Wolfpaw]

The Mein Kampf is a perennial best seller in the Arab world mostly due to its anti-Semitism, which obviously became very popular in said market after the establishment of Israel. And it's not like the Soviets are going to let ideology get in the way of a very nice geopolitical arrangement.

The Soviet-Arab alliance was in many ways a simple "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." The Arabs opposed Israel. The West supported Israel, so the Arabs were opposed to the West. Soviets and the Arabs were opposed to the West, and seeing as how the Soviets were not only opposed to the West, but both the foremost proponents of decolonization and were a nuclear power, it was a nice deal for the Arabs.