| Description | Bound typescript diary, with contemporary documents added, beginning on 1 January 1955 and ending on 22 Dec 1955. January to July entries are copies of MS191/1/1/6. The page numbering begins at /138 and ends at /330.
In 'Descent to Suez', Shuckburgh summarises 1955 as follows: 'On the subject of Palestine Eden and Dulles at this time saw eye to eye. On other aspects of Middle East policy, however, British and American views were beginning to diverge. Dulles was increasingly dubious about British attempts to organize the northern tier of State (Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan) into a defence pact against Russia, and steadfastly resisted pressure for the US to join the Baghdad Pact. The conflict of British and American oil interests was also affecting the situation.' (p. 242)
'From July 1955 to the end of the year the situation in the Middle East became increasing confused. 'Alpha' was still under discussion and the diaries continue to show some optimism over it. But its prospects were fading. Opposition to the Baghdad Pact began to place a heavy strain on Britain's friends in the area (and notably on Jordan) and the Americans continued to refuse to join it. The conclusion by Egypt in September of an arms deal with the Soviet satellite Czechoslovakia revealed the Russian intention to play an increasingly active role in the Middle East. Difficulties with the World Bank over the financing of the High Dam at Aswan were to result eventually in a deal with the Soviets. All this led to recriminations between the United States and the United Kingdom Governments and to growing British impatience with Dulles.' (p. 268)
Documents bound with the diary include:
/153a cuttings reporting on the decision not to use Christmas Common in Oxfordshire as an air base, nd
/219a Drawing of Shuckburgh's house by Robin Shuckburgh [his son]
/256a Draft telegram from Harold Macmillan to John Foster Dulles, 3 October 1955
/263a Memo by Shuckburgh summarising the British response to 'the Soviet threat in the Middle East', 14 October 1955
/303a Letter to Shuckburgh from Sir Gerald Templer concerning the possible appointment of a Turkish Security Adviser, 22 November 1955
/303b Letter to Shuckburgh inviting him and others to lunch with the Queen, 4 July 1955
/303c Press cutting from the Times reporting that Shuckburgh has travelled to Geneva with Harold Macmillan for talks on the Middle East crisis, 8 November 1955
/317a Cutting from the Jewish Observer entitled 'Macmillan's Middle East Advisers', summarising Shuckburgh's career, 25 November 1955
/321a Telegram to Shuckburgh from Sir I Kirkpatrick: 'I made a fairly savage attack on the American Minister this morning emphasising that America was playing the Russian game and violating justice', 15 December 1955
Loose, at the back of the volume, there is a memo by Shuckburgh written in preparation for a meeting with the Secretary of State which discusses 'the Alpha Plan', 13 April 1955. In the introduction to 'Descent to Suez', Shuckburgh describes the Plan as 'a Plan whereby in return for minimal Israeli concessions and with various forms of economic and material assistance from the West the Arabs might be induced to make peace with Israel and the US and UK would guarantee the settlement'. (p. 211) |