The Thirty Years Peace

Abstract

Abstract Between 1963 and 1992, the British army helped to keep the peace in Europe while waging numerous little wars elsewhere. Its strength declined from 170,000 to 153,000. Its capabilities were enhanced by excellent equipment which could be used as effectively in Europe as it could in the South Atlantic or Arabia. Although small the army led the world in experience. Its soldiers saw much active service as the campaign medals on their tunics showed. Composed entirely of volunteers, organized in regi-ments and corps with fiercely guarded tradition and spirit, it spread itself round the world and adapted itself to tasks as various as those in Cyprus, Belize, Borneo, the Falkland Islands, Arabia, Northern Ireland, and BAOR. In 1963 Macmillan’s Government argued that the Suez crisis had emphasized Britain’s economic weakness. Military expenditure would have to be cut. This meant reducing overseas commitments. Moreover, it was decided to end national service. These measures were given effect by the Sandys White Paper of 1957, and determined the army’s composition in the early 1960s. There was still much for the now all-regular army to do. In all 55,000 troops made up the British Army of the Rhine. In June 1961, 6,000 soldiers had been sent to Kuwait to meet a threat from Iraq. British forces were still committed in 1963 to support Aden’s joining the Federation of South Arabia. There were bases in Kenya, Hong Kong, Malaya, and Singapore. The British army was soon to be heavily engaged in both the Middle East and Far East.