When Guns Are Not Enough: Britain’s Response to Nationalism in Bahrain, 1958–63

Abstract

Despite efforts to publicly downplay its significance, the threat of nationalism in Bahrain was never underestimated by the British. At the height of Nasserism, Bahrain was swept by nationalist and anti-imperial fervour channelling the population’s frustration towards the reliance of the ruling family on Britain. This article contextualises this period within the Cold War, while framing British responses and policies within London’s wider strategy in the Arabian Gulf. It reveals that in the ten years leading up to the formal withdrawal from the Gulf, the British were not winding down their commitments; instead, London was increasing its presence in Bahrain, and by extension, the rest of the region. Although this initially meant a military increase, it was diversified to promoting reforms and the establishment of a more modern style of government that was similar to a Western model. This ensured the continuing reliance of the political elite in Bahrain on Britain but also seemed to respond, at least superficially, to Bahraini nationalism.