Page "Jawaharlal Nehru" Paragraph 95

In 1956 Nehru had criticised the joint invasion of the Suez Canal by the British, French and Israelis.

The role of Nehru, both as Indian Prime Minister and a leader of the Non Aligned Movement was significant ; he tried to be even-handed between the two sides, while denouncing Eden and co-sponsors of the aggression vigorously.

Nehru had a powerful ally in the US president Dwight Eisenhower who, if relatively silent publicly, went to the extent of using America ’ s clout in the IMF to make Britain and France back down.

The episode greatly raised the prestige of Nehru and India amongst the third world nations.

During the Suez crisis, Nehru's right hand man, Menon attempted to persuade a recalcitrant Gamal Nasser to compromise with the West, and was instrumental in moving Western powers towards an awareness that Nasser might prove willing to compromise.