The Cold War had a big impact on how Britain handled its relationships with other countries. Here are some important ways it changed British foreign policy:
Military Alliances: In 1949, Britain helped start NATO, which is a military group. This meant they worked closely with the USA and countries in Western Europe to keep each other safe.
Decolonization Pressure: After World War II, Britain was under pressure to let its colonies become independent. By 1960, over 40 colonies gained their freedom. Between 1947 and 1964, about 40% of the land Britain controlled around the world became independent.
Defense Spending: To respond to the tensions of the Cold War, the UK's spending on defense went up a lot. By 1980, they were spending £7 billion on defense.
Foreign Aid and Influence: Britain also gave a lot of money to help other countries, spending around £10 billion from 1945 to 1980. This was to keep friendly ties with countries that had just become independent and to keep Soviet influence away.
Nuclear Deterrence: Britain started building its own nuclear weapons. Their first successful test happened in 1952. This helped them be part of the group of countries with nuclear power and to protect themselves from threats by the Soviet Union.
The Cold War had a big impact on how Britain handled its relationships with other countries. Here are some important ways it changed British foreign policy:
Military Alliances: In 1949, Britain helped start NATO, which is a military group. This meant they worked closely with the USA and countries in Western Europe to keep each other safe.
Decolonization Pressure: After World War II, Britain was under pressure to let its colonies become independent. By 1960, over 40 colonies gained their freedom. Between 1947 and 1964, about 40% of the land Britain controlled around the world became independent.
Defense Spending: To respond to the tensions of the Cold War, the UK's spending on defense went up a lot. By 1980, they were spending £7 billion on defense.
Foreign Aid and Influence: Britain also gave a lot of money to help other countries, spending around £10 billion from 1945 to 1980. This was to keep friendly ties with countries that had just become independent and to keep Soviet influence away.
Nuclear Deterrence: Britain started building its own nuclear weapons. Their first successful test happened in 1952. This helped them be part of the group of countries with nuclear power and to protect themselves from threats by the Soviet Union.