Eden’s reputation has never recovered from the disastrous Suez adventure in 1956.
In particular, the military action was halted by the furious Americans, whose Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, had preferred diplomacy as the response to Nasser’s nationalisation of the Suez Canal. With active collaboration from Macmillan, the Americans forced Eden from office just a few months later on the spurious grounds of ill health.
Historians have struggled to rehabilitate Eden’s Suez policy, but recent scholarship has focused on his successes which Suez overshadowed. Eden presided over a strong economy with full employment and rising spending on the NHS and pensions. His European policy, while controversial, can been regarded as prescient. His achievements as a three-time Foreign Secretary have also attracted considerable respect.
This lecture is part of the 'One-Term Prime Ministers: Their Reputations Revised?' lecture series, taking place on Fridays from 30th January 2026 to the 6th March 2026. You may either register for individual lectures or the entire lecture series at a reduced price.
This lecture will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT on 27 January 2026.