Lester B Pearson and the Suez Canal

Canada had many Prime Ministers, some very good and some not so good. Among these members of parliament, there was Lester Bowles Pearson. A Torontonian man who had made many important decisions in the Suez Canal Crisis. Lester B Pearson prevented another world war from occurring with the decisions he made during the Suez Canal Crisis. Pearson prevented the war from occurring by his overall personality, his achievements before the Suez Crisis, and him forming the United Nation Peacekeeping Force. His overall personality helped him mentally prepare for and keep him calm during the Suez Canal Crisis. Pearson had a deep personal reserve that people found difficult to penetrate (Bothwell). It would be hard to persuade him into doing something that he didn’t want to do, in this case anything that might cause a war. Pearson was the most gregarious of men, quick to lighten serious moments with self-deprecating humor and breaking frequently into an irresistible smile (Granatsien and Hillmer). When the Suez Crisis preparation got out of control, all Pearson did was tell a joke or even smile to change the moods of everyone. â€Å"Politics is the skill use of a blunt object. † In his quote Pearson says, to be a politician it takes skill. Pearson’s personality and skill helped him stay calm and relaxed upon making decisions during the Suez Canal Crisis, which in turn helped him think up of the United Nations Emergency Force. Pearson’s achievements before the Suez crisis helped him make decisions toward the Suez Crisis. He helped in stopping the Korean War (Bothwell). Pearson’s dislike of war is shown in the quote, â€Å"the grim fact is that we prepare for war like precautious giants, and for peace like retarded pygmies. † He served on a United Nation commission that helped draw up the plan to cease fire in the Korean War. This gave him experience in handling orld issues. Before he dealt with the UN organization he was involved with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO (Granatstien and Hillmer). Fearful of the soviet but still skeptical of the American, Pearson contributed patience, tolerance, flexibility, and a sense of preparation to the formation of the NATO (Granatstien and Hill mer). Pearson joined the army in 1915 and served in WWI (Waite. ) He says, â€Å"As a soldier, I survived World War I when most of my comrades did not. † Serving as a soldier taught him how horrible war is, and how if the Suez Canal Crisis turned into a war, man lives would be lost. All of these little problems helped Pearson prepare for the Suez Crisis. Lester B Pearson created the UNEF in 1956, which prevented another world war from occurring. When the Suez Crisis erupted Pearson knew something was going to happen. He immediately started to propose the idea of the UN Peacekeeping Force, UNEF (Antony). When he was going through all the preparation to make this force he says, â€Å"As for promotion of peace congresses we have had out meetings and assemblies, but the promotion through them of the determined and effective will to peace displaying itself in action and policy remains to be achieved. He wanted to convert British and French invading soldiers into peacekeepers at first but then decided to make the UNEF out of the volunteered Canadians. When the Suez Crisis was being debated in the Security Council, Pearson couldn’t do anything because Canada lacked a permanent seat (Antony). Since Canada lacked a seat in the debate, Pearson couldn’t add his input to the situation. He worked closely with all his parties across all division and put together a coalition of support over sleepless days and nights (Antony). In the early hours of November 4th, 1956 the General Assembly overwhelming, supports Pearson’s proposal for the world’s first peacekeeping force. Bowing to the international pressure and the arrival of UNEF, British and French forces complete their withdrawal from Egypt by the end of 1956. Pearson is praised at the UN for his brilliant his brilliant efforts but he is condemned by some at home for betraying the motherland. Even though he was condemned and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1957. His overall personality and skill, his achievements before the Suez Canal Crisis, and the creation of the United Nation Peacekeeping Force were only three of many reasons that helped Lester B Pearson prevent another world war from occurring during the Suez Canal Crisis. The world today would have been different if the Suez Crisis had started a world war, if what happened in World War II where the atomic bombs were dropped in Japan was to of happened because of the Suez Canal Crisis there would be many different effects on the life that is being lived today.