Polaris, East of Suez: British Plans for a Nuclear Force in the Indo-Pacific, 1964–1968

Jones, Matthew; Young, John W.

Abstract

This article investigates the little-known plans formulated by Harold Wilson's Labour government to deploy Polaris submarines in the Indo-Pacific region. The scheme was first proposed in 1965 as a response to several problems faced by British policy-makers, including China's acquisition of a nuclear capability, Britain's wish to maintain a meaningful position ‘East of Suez’ at reduced cost, and German pressure for equal treatment within NATO on nuclear matters. Despite extensive high-level discussion, the plans were finally abandoned in mid-1968, as Labour moved more decisively to forsake the world role.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Aug 17, 2010
• Publication Date: 2010-12
• Deposit Date: Aug 23, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 23, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Strategic Studies
• Print ISSN: 0140-2390
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-937X
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 847-870
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2010.498284
• Keywords: Political Science and International Relations; Sociology and Political Science
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2482477
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01402390.2010.498284
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Strategic Studies on 17 Dec 2010, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/01402390.2010.498284