Which change in world power balance was revealed by the Suez Crisis?

Correct answer: Declining power of Britain and France and Egypt’s challenge of sovereignty

Direct answer: A. The Suez Crisis of 1956 began after Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal. Britain, France and Israel attacked Egypt, but international pressure, including pressure from the United States and the Soviet Union, forced the attackers to withdraw. The episode showed that Britain and France could no longer act as they had during the height of European imperialism. It also demonstrated Egypt’s determination to defend its sovereignty and the growing importance of anti-colonial nationalism. A is correct because it captures both sides of the power shift: the decline of old European imperial powers and Egypt’s assertion of control over its national affairs. B is wrong because Britain and France did not achieve a complete victory. C is wrong because Egypt did not suffer colonial collapse; it resisted the intervention. D is wrong because the United Nations did not end and international diplomacy remained important. Memory cue: Suez, 1956—Nasser, canal nationalisation, declining old imperial power.