East of Suez facts for kids
East of Suez is a phrase used in Britain when talking about its interests and military presence far away from Europe. It refers to places located east of the Suez Canal, which can include the Middle East and beyond. The writer Rudyard Kipling made this phrase famous in his 1890 poem Mandalay. Later, in 1907, a tune was added to the poem, making it a popular song.
Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,
Where there aren't no Ten Commandments an' a man can raise a thirst;
Contents
East of Suez: A Look Back
The 1800s: A New Waterway
The Suez Canal opened in 1869. This was a huge deal for Britain! It created the shortest ocean route from Britain to the Far East. Before the canal, ships had to travel all the way around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
In 1882, Britain took control of Egypt after a battle. This also gave them shared control of the Suez Canal with France. The canal was super important. People even called it the "jugular vein of the Empire" because it was vital for trade and military travel.
The canal and the lands east of it were very important for the British Empire. Britain used sea routes through the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal. These routes led to India and then further east. This included places like Brunei, Burma, Malaya, Hong Kong, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Australia.
The 1900s: Changes and Withdrawals
A big turning point was the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942. This event during World War II really hurt the British Empire. It showed that Britain's power was weakening.
After the war, India gained its independence in 1947. This led to Britain slowly reducing its military presence "East of Suez." It marked the beginning of the end for the British Empire.
In 1956, the Suez Crisis happened. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser took control of the Suez Canal. This led to a conflict. In the end, Egypt gained full control of the canal. Britain's economic and military power in the region became much smaller. This limited their control over military bases in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
In January 1968, Prime Minister Harold Wilson announced a big change. British troops would leave major military bases in Southeast Asia by 1971. This included places like Malaysia, Singapore, the Persian Gulf, and the Maldives. This is when the phrase "East of Suez" became very common in everyday talk.
However, in 1970, Edward Heath's government came to power. They decided to keep a small military presence in Southeast Asia. This was done through the Five Power Defence Arrangements. Before 1997, Britain also had several military units in Hong Kong before it was returned to China.
East of Suez: Today
A Return to the East?
In April 2013, a British research group called the Royal United Services Institute said something interesting. They believed Britain was starting to shift its focus back "East of Suez." Their report noted that the Royal Air Force was setting up a permanent military presence in the United Arab Emirates. Britain was also increasing its troops in the Persian Gulf states. This was happening as Britain pulled its troops out of Afghanistan.
The report also suggested that British troops moving from Germany by 2020 might make the UAE base their permanent home.
The research group explained why this was happening. The United States was focusing more on the Asia-Pacific region. This was to balance China's growing power. This created a gap in the Persian Gulf region. Britain was slowly starting to fill this gap. This shift of troops to the UAE happened at the same time the Royal Navy set up its UK Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) in Bahrain. In December 2013, a top British military leader said the Persian Gulf would become Britain's main military effort after Afghanistan. This showed a reversal of Britain's earlier withdrawal from "East of Suez."
Current British Presence
In 2014, the UK announced it would make its naval facilities in Bahrain bigger. This was to support larger Royal Navy ships in the Persian Gulf. HMS Jufair is Britain's first permanent military base "East of Suez" since 1971. This base is big enough for powerful ships like Type 45 destroyers and Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
A 2015 defense review stated that new British defense teams would be set up in the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa in 2016. In 2017, the UK Joint Logistics Support Base was created in Oman. This was followed by a new Omani-British Joint Training Area in 2019.
Britain still has a Jungle Warfare Training School in Brunei. There is also a battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles and some aircraft from the Army Air Corps there. This is all part of the British Military Garrison Brunei.
There is also a small British military presence on Diego Garcia. This island is in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Finally, a refuelling station is in Sembawang, Singapore. This station is staffed by Royal Navy personnel and is part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.
See also
- British foreign policy in the Middle East
- Indo-Pacific
