UN Historical Crisis Council

admunSeptember 18, 2021UncategorizedNo comments

DIRECTORS

Devan & Ryan

Introduction

Welcome to the MUNash 2021 Historical Crisis Council – Suez Crisis. Our names are Devan and Ryan, and we will be your directors. In this committee we will be asking you to find creative diplomatic solutions to the Suez Crisis as at the time of French, British and Israeli invasion of Egypt in late-October and early-November 1956. This will digress from the actual history of the conflict with you as a collective guiding the progression of what happens to the Suez Canal, Egypt, and more broadly the Arab World.

Overview of Topic

As delegates in this Crisis Committee, you will be transported back to the height of the Suez Crisis in November 1956. Following the nationalisation of the Suez Canal by Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, the British and French have attempted to reestablish international occupation of the Suez through diplomatic means, to no avail. After secret talks between the British, French and Israelis, a joint military venture has been organised. By November 1st, the Israeli army has invaded the Sinai Peninsula, while the Anglo-French armarda is preparing to take the Suez. The US and the USSR have called for a joint peace conference to settle the question of the Suez once and for all, but the situation is volatile, and anyone could win or lose it all.

The committee will be extremely dynamic. Anything and everything can happen as long as it’s within the realistic scope of the committee.

Please note that the actual historical events and outcome of the Suez Crisis (although important) will not dictate the proceedings of the committee. The idea is that you delegates will take action that will lead to a different resolution of the crisis.

Timeline

26 July 1956: President Gamal Abdel Nasser announces nationalisation of the Suez Canal.
1 August 1956: Britain, France and the United States hold talks on the rapid escalation of the Suez Crisis.
2 August 1956: Britain begins to mobilise forces against Egypt.
16 August 1956: International conference of 22 nations held in London on the Suez Crisis with President Nasser refusing to attend.
9 September 1956: Nasser rejects plans for the international management of the Suez Canal as proposed by Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies.
12 September 1956: Britain, France and the U.S. continue to plan the Suez Canal Users Association (SCUA) despite Egyptian objections.
1 October 1956: The SCUA is officially formed.
5 October 1956: The UN Security Council meets to discuss endorsing the SCUA but does not vote.
24 October 1956: Britain, France, and Israel negotiate and sign the Protocol of Sevres which includes Operation Musketeer, a plan to invade Egypt.
29 October 1956: Israel invades the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula. Troops progress towards the Suez Canal.
31 October 1956: Britain and France begin their bombing campaign against the Suez Canal, sinking 40 ships.
2 November 1956: First emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly to discuss the Suez.
5 November 1956: Anglo-French forces land at Port Said.
7 November 1956: UN ceasefire comes into force after more pressure from the U.S.
21 November 1956: First UN troops land at Port Said.
23 November 1956: Britain reluctantly agrees to a military withdrawal from Egypt.
23 December 1956: Anglo-French troops completely withdraw.
9 January 1957: Sir Anthony Eden resigns citing ill health.

Stakeholders

Egypt

The Egyptian Government had been overthrown in 1952 by President Nasser in a military coup. The nationalisation of the Suez Canal came as a response for the World Bank denying President Nasser a loan to construct a dam at Aswan as part of his modernisation plan. The Canal has become a crucial shipping passage which was responsible for the transport of oil between Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific.

Israel

Israel had been established in 1948 following the end of the British Protectorate over Palestine. Egypt had previously threatened Israeli sovereignty, including occupation of the Gaza Strip. Israel had frequently been attacked by Arab nations and Palestinians, with attacks mainly directly from the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip.

United Kingdom

The British Government had a stake in the Universal Company of Maritime Canal of Suez which was responsible for constructing and operating the Suez Canal until its nationalisation by President Nasser. The waterway provided quicker transport for the British merchant ships and naval vessels, instead of having to travel around the Cape of Good Hope. The UK also developed large profits from the Canal due to reliance on it by European powers.

France

Along with the United Kingdom, the French Government had a stake in the Universal Company of Maritime Canal of Suez which was responsible for constructing and operating the Suez Canal until its nationalisation. France also relied on the Canal for ease of travel from Europe to Asia and the Pacific. Like the UK, it also made large profits from its operation of the Canal.

United States

The U.S. was the de facto leader of the international rules-based system. After the Second World War it provided assistance to Western allies to recover on the proviso they respect the principles of self-determination and allow for the decolonisation of their colonies.

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union opposed the imperialist invasion launched by the UK, France and Israel to seize the Suez Canal. The Soviet Government had previously provided President Nasser with arms and funds to proceed with his modernisation projects and exert power within the Arab-world following the military coup in 1952.

Military Positions (as at 1 November)

By November 1st, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), has pushed deep into the Sinai Peninsula, while wrecking the Egyptian forces that have rushed to meet the invaders. The Israeli invasion is split into two prongs, one along the Mediterranean coast, and the other along the central passes in the Sinai.

Northern Corp, consisting of the 27th Mechanised Brigade and the 1st and the 12th Infantry brigades, have quickly cut off the Gaza strip along with the 8th Palestinian Division. The 27th Mech. has then spearheaded a thrust along the coast, wrecking any armoured resistance. By now the only remaining Egyptian formations in the area are the 5th Infantry Brigade and the 3rd Armoured Battalion.

Southern Corp, tasked with the central advance, has also quickly brushed aside Egyptian resistance. Spearheaded by the 7th Armoured Brigade and backed up by the 4th and 10th Infantry brigades, the IDF only faces the Egyptian 6th and 9th Infantry brigades as remaining opposition.

In the south, the Egyptian 21st Infantry Brigade has been outflanked and faces retreat, while the Israeli 202nd Airborne Brigade has paradropped deep into the Sinai. It is posed to assault Sharm al-Shaykh, held by the 1st Egyptian National Guard Brigade.

In reserve, the Egyptian Army has the 1st Motorised and the 2nd Infantry divisions defending the Suez. They are backed up by the 1st Armoured and the 2nd Infantry Brigades.

The Anglo-French armada is waiting off the coast for their time to strike.

Questions for Consideration

What territorial gains do you want?
What access should each nation have to the Suez Canal?
How should national economies be protected against financial implications of the Suez Crisis?
How will occupying nations respect Egypt’s self-determination?
Will there be protections for Israel’s regional strategic position?
How will the UK and France maintain imperial prestige?
Will there be limits placed on future military aggression?
What implications will there be for decolonisation?
How will international institutions be involved in the de-escalation of the crisis?

Tips & Tricks

This will not be your typical MUN committee. As the name suggests, crisis committees have a much urgent pace, and you have the chance to shape the committee to your will.

You represent people, not necessarily countries, and you will have a portfolio of power and authority. This means you have the ability to take direct actions to achieve your goals instead of just ‘recommending’ or ‘urging’ action like in a regular committee. Of course, your actions will need to be realistic and within the scope of your character. You also cannot go about assassinating everyone else on the committee!

Due to the volatile and dynamic nature of this committee, most of the committee time will be spent in Moderated or Unmoderated Caucuses. If needed, formal debate will be considered but we can go through the session without requiring to do so.

You as a delegate will need to create your own-story line and work towards this. To achieve your crisis arc, you will be able to write crisis notes that detail the actions you want to take. Essentially, you need to state: I wish to do A because B, C and D, so that I can accomplish E. This could be anything from collecting intel on another delegate, to moving tanks into position for an attack, or leaking “news” to the press.

For example:

I am Rodion Malinovsky (Defence Minister of the USSR) during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I would like to create a diversion and divert American attention away from Cuba. To this end I send a directive to my chief of staff:

To the Chief of Staff of the Red Army,

We need to send more troops and equipment to Havana, but this is impossible under the American blockade. It is imperative that American eyes are distracted from our plans in Cuba.

Your immediate orders are to:

Conduct an immediate test of an atomic bomb (ideally our Tsar Bomba) north of the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Mobilise our Far Eastern Fleet.
Transfer troops to Vladivostok for immediate war preparedness.

In the meantime, I will advise North Korean leader Kim Il-sung that he has our full support in regards to any ‘adventures’ in South Korea.

That is all for now comrade, I will be in touch with further orders

As you can see, the better crisis notes are the ones that are not only detailed, but are also engaging and interesting to read. The Crisis directors represent the outside world, it is up to you to make sure that your actions are delivered to us in a clear and concise manner. We will respond to each note individually: your actions could be set in motion successfully, your note could be accepted with unexpected consequences, or we can ask for further detail. As such, make sure to not put all your eggs in one basket!

For the sake of our committee, crisis notes will be divided amongst three queues:

Military: All orders referring to the use of the military must go through this queue, even if the orders are not about offensive manoeuvres. Please remember that your character might not have access to a military, and the that military that they have access to is accurate to its historical counterpart
Intelligence: All orders referring to the use of espionage will be done through this queue, this also may include assassinations in rare circumstances. However, make sure that whatever intelligence you provide is logical and consistent with the discussion of the committee.
Diplomacy/Politics: All other orders that do not relate to the above will go through this queue. This includes press leaks, requesting meetings with other members of this Committee, or requests to speak with characters outside of this committee.

In order to send a crisis note, please email it to us with the relevant subject line.

Crisis updates will be a regular occurrence throughout the session. These will come in the form of press releases from us directors, and will represent an event that fundamentally upsets the dynamic of the committee. They can be influenced by your actions, or be thrown in by the directors to shake up the committee.

Military Tips

As this crisis committee features a central military campaign, the correct and strategic use of the military forces at your disposal is a key part of your decision-making. Knowing the composition of your forces, as well as tactics and grand strategies is essential to achieving victory on the crisis battlefield.

“No plan survives first contact with the enemy ” – Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Being prepared but adaptable is better than rigid adherence to preset plans, as unforeseen circumstances may ruin these plans.

“If you know your enemy and yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles” – Sun Tzu

Before launching military operations, gather as much information as possible, on both sides. Consider composition of forces, their capabilities and their relative size/strength.

“War is the continuation of politics by other means” – Carl von Clausewitz

Ensure that military actions are aligned with political and diplomatic interests. Threats (or actual use) of military action are valid negotiation tools, but should be used carefully.