Part A

The cartoonist supported the American involvement in the Vietnam War. Source
A depicts the US holding a pair of scissors titled Air Strikes, cutting of the
tentacles of Ho Chi Minh, who is trying to keep his grasp over and engulf the
island of South Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh, who is an active communist is depicted
as an octopus with long tentacles presiding over South Vietnam indicating that
Communism was expansionistic in nature and that US involvement was
essential to hamper the spread of conflicting ideologies in Vietnam, which were
against the American interest. Hence, this meant that the cartoonist was in
favour of American involvement in the War.

Part B
1. A proxy war is a conflict between 2 nations where neither country directly
engages in armed conflict with the other.
2. The Suez Crisis happened in 1956.
3. Parties involved included the French, the British, the Egyptians, The Soviet
Union and the Americans.
4. The Suez Crisis was about fighting the evils of Soviet influence. Do you
agree with this statement?
Yes, the Suez Crisis was about fighting the evils of Soviet Influence. Initially, the
United States, the British and the World Bank had decided to fund Egyptians to
build the Aswan Damn. However, upon learning of Soviet connections with
Egpyt, all three parties withdrew their promise, angering Nasser. After Nasser
decided to seize and nationalise the canal, the French, British and Israeli
decided to attack Egypt on the issue of the canal. At the same time, the Soviet
Union was invading Hungary. The Soviet Union threatened to enter the Suez
crisis on the side of the Egyptians. Khrushchev also threatened Nuclear strikes
on Europe if the hostility did not end immediately. The United States, after
condemning Soviet influence in Hungary, was not in favour of soviet influence
spreading into the Middle East, thereby scolding the Soviet Union for their
reckless threats. Therefore, it can be said that the Suez Crisis was partially
about the US attempt as a world superpower along with Russia, to hinder
Soviet Unions communist influence in the Arab region.
No, the Suez Crisis was also about fighting against the evils of colonial rule.
Nassers Government had never been popular amongst the French, British and
Israeli Government. Nasser was asserted to have supported rebels fighting
French colonial forces in Algeria, and the French were thirsty for revenge. When
the US and Britain decided to back out of sponsoring the building of the Aswan

dam, Nasser was furious and decided to build the dam by nationalising the
canal, which angered the British, who had been presiding over the area for a
long time. Nassers move gained him popularity and support of the masses, as
it showed that his leadership and the Egyptian Government were independent
from maintaining close ties with the colonial powers. After Israel, Britain and
France launched an attack against the Egyptians, the United States condemned
the use of military power and financially sanctioned these countries,
diminishing their status and power on the international level playing field,
making these previous colonial powers appear weak and incomparable to the
superpowers of Russia and America. Therefore, the Suez Crisis was also about
going against the evils of colonial rule.
No, the Suez Crisis was also about fighting for Israels legitimacy as a nation.
After Nasser rose to power, he cut off Israeli shipping through the Suez Canal
and the Straits of Tiran. In retaliation, the Israelis struck first on October 26
1956, eventually joined by the French and British troops. After the War, the
conflict was not completely settled but dragged till the six day war in 1967
under the Israel-Jordan Water Conflict. Therefore, the Suez Crisis was also a war
between the Arab powers and the newly established Israel.
In conclusion, the Suez crisis was a combination of 3 different forms of conflicts
converged into one.