How successful was John Major’s government with foreign affairs? In this lesson, we will: Assess to what extent Major kept Britain a strong member of the UN and EU. Starter: Guess who! Can you name the political figures from their younger photographs?
Keep Britain as major member of both the European Community and United Nations.
Crisis in Kuwait Major’s first major foreign crisis was the Gulf War. On 2nd August 1991, Iraq’s leader Saddam Hussein launched an invasion of Kuwait. Iraq aimed to seize oil reserves, cancel debts owed to Kuwait and expand Iraqi power in the Middle East. On 3rd August, the UN called for Iraq to withdraw. On 6th August, the UN imposed a trade ban on Iraq. When Iraq did not withdraw, the United States and NATO sent troops to Saudi Arabia. Their argument was that Iraq posed a threat to Saudi Arabia. On November 29th, the UN officially sanctioned military action against Iraq. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAX9yuvwBx4
Crisis in Bosnia In 1990, Slovenia and Croatia seceded from the Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1991, Bosnia and Herzegovina announced its intention to become independent. Bosnia was made up of mostly Muslim Bosniaks (44%), as well as Orthodox Serbs (33%) and Catholic Croats (17%). The Bosnian-Serbs rejected independence, and began mobilising an army. They were supported by the Serbian government of Slobodan Milosevic, as well as the Yugoslav People’s Army. This pro-Serbia, Christian force began to ethnically cleanse Bosnia of all Muslim Bosnians The worst massacre was at Srebrenica in July 1995. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymf5p3LbCAE
Slobodan Milošević, President of Serbia Ratko Mladić, General of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS)
President Clinton argued that the UN arms embargo be lifted to allow the supply of weapons to Bosnian Muslims. Major’s government openly condemned this, arguing that it would cause more bloodshed in Bosnia. The US Congress passed two resolutions calling for the embargo to be lifted anyway. Due to the pressures from Major, Clinton vetoed both resolutions. In secret, Clinton’s government used back channel (e.g. Islamist groups) to smuggle weapons to Bosnian-Muslim forces. These often w
Crisis with Europe Pledged to becoming a close member of Europe, Major signed Britain to the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. It pledged full scale European integration; one foreign policy, one defence policy, one currency. In the wake of the ERM Crisis, many in both the Labour and Conservative Parties voted against the treaty. In July 1993, a group of Euro-rebel MPs defeated a key bill to get Britain into the Maastricht Treaty. Major reintroduced the bill as part of a vote of confidence in his government. Failing to vote for it, would have triggered a general election. This forced the bill to be accepted in Parliament. Major famously described the rebel MPs as ‘bastards’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZifWqG2413U
Threatened to bring down his own government to get Britain to join the Maastricht Treaty with Europe. 'I don't think nations can stand aside for ethnic cleansing and genocide.‘ - Major, 1992 Made TV broadcast telling rebel MPs in his party to “put up, or shut up” over issues like Europe. Pledged Britain as part of NATO aerial attacks on Serbian forces in August and September 1995. ‘Operation Deliberate Force’ forced the Serbs to negotiate with the UN. As part of the UN and NATO, Major’s government was present a the Dayton Agreement which ended the conflict. The United Kingdom played a major role in the Battle of Norfolk where its forces destroyed over 200 Iraqi tanks and a large quantity of other vehicles Condemned President Clinton for trying to have the arms embargo lifted for Bosnian Muslims. Openly condemned Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. Made TV broadcast pledging support for UN. As a strong member of NATO, maintained ground troops in Gulf War.
Learning Task One Beside each flag, identify: Examples that show strength in Britain’s membership. Any evidence of strain or difficulty. Challenge: Is this an accurate representation of Conservative leadership between 1979 and 2015?