ABSTRACT
In the Cold War it was easy: the United States (US) led and its allies followed, with only relatively minor ripples disturbing the surface of the Atlantic political pond that bounded Western Europe and North America. Of course there were differences and, at times, significant difficulties in some parts of the relationship-Gaullist France was never comfortable that its equality with the US in Enlightenment philosophical roots, as well as in the generation of revolutionary, republican, liberal democracy for the world, did not translate into equal power and influence after World War II. But, with one clear exception, whenever there was a major international crisis, the allies would fall into line. The one significant exception was the Suez Crisis of 1956, which led the United Kingdom (UK) and France to similar conclusions regarding the reliability of American engagement, but also to sharply divergent proposals over how to ensure that engagement.
