Suez CrisisThe Suez Crisis marks a major shift in Western European power relations, signaling the growing importance of Cold War politics in international crises. The crisis has a major impact on Canada and our peacekeeping capabilities. Lester Pearson's idea to stop the crisis helps prove that we are a peaceful nation. First, the Suez Crisis began on July 26, 1956, when the United States' decision to withdraw. After offering a grant to help build Egypt's Aswan High Dam, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal.( 1) The governments of Great Britain and France secretly began planning an invasion of Egypt. Israel soon began planning its invasion, completing its final plan on October 5. After several attempts at international mediation had failed, in mid-October 1956 Great Britain and France decided to undertake a joint intervention in Egypt. Aware of Israel's impending plan to invade the Sinai, French officials suggested that a Franco-British force could enter Egypt and separate the combatants, effectively taking control of the entire Suez waterway.(2) On the 26th October, the United States became aware After Israel's military mobilization, President Dwight Eisenhower sent the first of two personal messages to Israeli Prime Minister Ben Gurion demanding that Israel do nothing to endanger the peace. In the Mediterranean on the 28th, the US Sixth Fleet was placed on alert.(3) Undaunted by US diplomatic maneuvers, Israeli forces began attacks in Egypt on 29 October. The canal had many useful reasons, such as trade, and for Nassar to take control of Israel it prevented any other country from trading with countries like Israel and this also prevented Israel from exporting its own goods. No one had foreseen Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal on July 26, 1956.(4) Four interconnected events paved the way for Nasser's greatest moment: the 1954 Evacuation Treaty, the Baghdad Pact, the Czech arms and negotiations on the Aswan Dam. Nasser began a diplomatic campaign to restore Egyptian dignity and get the British out of Egypt. The British planned to create a collective security organization in the Middle East similar to that of NATO and SEATO to protect their interests in the region. The United States has supported the idea but would not consider joining such an agreement. The President traveled to Egypt in 1953, because he believed that Britain should consider Egypt as a base for the organization.(5) He quickly realized that neither Nasser nor his people would ever agree to such an agreement..