The Special Relationship
THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
The U.K and the U.S are two different countries, with a lot in common. They have the same language, share almost the same popular culture, religions and values. The political relationship between these two nations has been scrutinized by many, and is a big part of the media focus. Churchill and Roosevelt, Thatcher and Reagan, Blair and Bush, all these couples represent British Prime Ministers and American Presidents who has in different ways, put something into the use and definition of the term “ the special relationship”. However it has been claimed by critics that it is not a relationship consisting of equal partners. Looking at different historical events, such as World War II, the Suez Crisis, the Cold War, and in particular the Iraq War, the term the special relationship will be put up to the test.
During WWII Prime Minister Churchill understood that he needed the support from President Roosevelt if Britain was going to stand a chance. Before France was about to fall, Churchill wrote a letter to Roosevelt indirectly asking for help, but America as a whole was comfortable with still being isolated and passive part of the War. After a while Roosevelt offered Britain sea, air and land equipment to Britain, but still not participating active in the war. It would take a Japanese attack against the American fleet in Pearl Harbor in 1941 for the Americans to fully join in on the war and support the allies and the Soviet Union (Lukacs, 2008). Some might say that the U.S was the big hero of the WWII, saving Britain and France from Germany and helping the war struck countries get on their feet after the war. On the contrary, it was economically beneficial to the U.S that the countries in Western Europe got their economy up and running again, so that the states could still have an export market. Looking at this situation we can conclude that the U.S did not join in on the war merely on the basis just to help Britain, but to revenge the attack
The U.K and the U.S are two different countries, with a lot in common. They have the same language, share almost the same popular culture, religions and values. The political relationship between these two nations has been scrutinized by many, and is a big part of the media focus. Churchill and Roosevelt, Thatcher and Reagan, Blair and Bush, all these couples represent British Prime Ministers and American Presidents who has in different ways, put something into the use and definition of the term “ the special relationship”. However it has been claimed by critics that it is not a relationship consisting of equal partners. Looking at different historical events, such as World War II, the Suez Crisis, the Cold War, and in particular the Iraq War, the term the special relationship will be put up to the test.
During WWII Prime Minister Churchill understood that he needed the support from President Roosevelt if Britain was going to stand a chance. Before France was about to fall, Churchill wrote a letter to Roosevelt indirectly asking for help, but America as a whole was comfortable with still being isolated and passive part of the War. After a while Roosevelt offered Britain sea, air and land equipment to Britain, but still not participating active in the war. It would take a Japanese attack against the American fleet in Pearl Harbor in 1941 for the Americans to fully join in on the war and support the allies and the Soviet Union (Lukacs, 2008). Some might say that the U.S was the big hero of the WWII, saving Britain and France from Germany and helping the war struck countries get on their feet after the war. On the contrary, it was economically beneficial to the U.S that the countries in Western Europe got their economy up and running again, so that the states could still have an export market. Looking at this situation we can conclude that the U.S did not join in on the war merely on the basis just to help Britain, but to revenge the attack