Maurice Harold Macmillan Biography and Timeline

Nuclear Power

Finishes off the debate in Parliament, "we have to prevent hot war & win the cold war"

Nuclear Power

Produces a White Paper for the adoption of the British hydrogen bomb

Meeting with President Eisenhower at Bermuda & reaffirms the

Meets President Eisenhower at Bermuda & reaffirms the freedom of the Suez Canal

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Suez Canal

Meets President Eisenhower at Bermuda & reaffirms the freedom of the Suez Canal

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Nuclear Power

Agrees with President Eisenhower to test the British hydrogen bomb on Christmas Island

Free Trade Area Proposal

Promotes an alternative free trade area rather than joining the supranational common market.

Role range: 1956-1958 – 1957-1963

Nuclear Power

Announces a nuclear test ban for 1 year

Role range: 1957-1963

European Free Trade Association

Supports creation of EFTA after Britain remains outside the Treaty of Rome framework.

Role range: 1959-1960 – 1957-1963

Nuclear Power

Attends but a Treaty is not agreed due to US opposition, the "big hole" theory

Summit Meeting at Washington

Visits Eisenhower & gets agreement for a meeting of Foreign Minister's at a summit

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1959-1963

Blue Streak

The British Government cancels Blue Streak as a land based missile system and searches for an alternative nuclear delivery system

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Nuclear Power

"Blue Streak" is cancelled, threatens an independent British deterrent

Role range: 1957-1963

Holy Loch

The American Polaris submarine USS Patrick Henry reaches Holy Loch as the United States establishes a forward submarine base in Scotland

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Nassau Conference

Macmillan meets Kennedy at Nassau to negotiate continued British access to a strategic nuclear delivery system

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Nassau Agreement

Macmillan secures agreement for Britain to acquire Polaris missiles for its strategic deterrent

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Purchase of Polaris

Britain agrees to purchase Polaris missiles while building its own submarines and nuclear warheads

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Skybolt Crisis

Macmillan faces a strategic crisis when the United States moves toward cancellation of Skybolt

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Nuclear Power

Visits de Gaulle to discuss Anglo-French co-operation in nuclear weapons

Polaris Sales Agreement

The Polaris Sales Agreement is signed to implement the Nassau understanding between Britain and the United States

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963

Polaris

Macmillan presents Polaris as the successor to Skybolt and as protection for Britain's independent nuclear role

Role range: 1957-1963 – 1957-1963