The British Imperial Establishment, Post Imperial Era, and the ‘Churchillian’ World View, 1945-2016. (Adjustments & Challenges in Contemporary British Diplomatic Strategy)

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except
British personnel, but the warheads would be in the control of the United
States.

The
‘dual-key’ system meant that each side held a veto over the use of the
weapon, and each benefited
from the deal. America had missiles within reach of
Russia, and Britain shared a missile deterrent. The
Bermuda treaty was only the
beginning of the U.S./U.K. nuclear relationship. However, by the
time
Eisenhower’s term of Presidency finished, there was full nuclear co-operation
between
Britain and the United States. The relationship between Britain and
America became even more co-operative
when Kennedy came to office in 1960.
Despite the great difference in age, MacMillan and Kennedy became
close
friends. In 1961, Kennedy visited MacMillan in London for informal talks, which
marked the
beginning of what became Kennedy’s closest link with any foreign
leader.

Despite his close relationship with President Eisenhower, and an even
closer One with President
Kennedy, and a strong belief in the Anglo-American
‘special relationship’, MacMillan, no less
than Eden, refused to be a lackey of
Washington, and was still ready to take an independent line when
British interests
dictated. For example, during the Suez Canal crisis, he supported Eden in
not
consulting America; he believed that consulting America might result in U.S.
domination of the
Canal zone. However, during his premiership, the lessons of
Suez were always a reminder to MacMillan.
Moreover, the ‘special relationship’
between the U.K. and the U.S. became the focus of much
criticism, both in Britain
and in the United States, and put both leaders, MacMillan and Kennedy,
under
considerable pressures in their own countries. In Britain many criticisms were
advanced on the
subject of Britain becoming a U.S. base and, as a result,
becoming both subordinate to Washington and
more vulnerable to an attack from
the U.S.S.R..

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