British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden underwent gall bladder surgery in 1953. The surgeon made a mistake * damaged the bile ducts. From then on, Eden struggled with pain until the end of his life. Weakened. I was forced to take painkillers. And their side effects were eliminated with stimulants * amphetamines. This combination caused Eden to experience constant mood swings, euphoria alternating with bouts of melancholy. And he had to take all these medications constantly. Involuntarily, Anthony Eden became a drug addict. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, now 80, resigned. On April 7, 1955, his fellow party conservative Eden replaced him. The Cold War was at its height. Britain was losing its position in the Middle East. In July 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, which had previously belonged to the British and French. Eden called the Egyptian ruler an aggressor and compared him to Mussolini. At the time of the Suez crisis, he was a drug addict. His personal doctor prescribed him an amphetamine stimulant, the so-called benzedrine. This drug was available without a prescription until the late 1950s because it was considered safe. There were no cases of overdose or side effects recorded at that time. “Our old one is completely sick, and all on edge,” * a British foreign intelligence lieutenant wrote about Eden to an American colleague. During the period when Nasser captured the canal, Eden was hospitalized with a temperature of 41. The doses of morphine and benzedrine had to be gradually increased. Soon new symptoms appeared: agitation, insomnia, rapid fatigue. Because of drugs, Eden actually could no longer lead the state. The ministers did not trust him, the American President Eisenhower did not understand * Eden was losing his main ally. They began to put pressure on him. On the one hand, * members of the government: the prime minister must stay in Egypt and recapture the Suez Canal. On the other * Eisenhower, who stopped providing financial assistance. Ultimately, Eden relented and withdrew his troops from occupied Egyptian territory. The ministers did not forgive him for his defeat in the Suez crisis. On January 10, 1957, the prime minister resigned. Nicholas II treated a cold with cocaine During the First World War, Russian Emperor Nicholas II complained of stomach pain and upset. The court doctors prescribed painkillers for the king: opium and morphine. It was impossible to keep track of when and what doses Nicholas II took. Queen Alexandra wrote in her diary that he had high blood pressure and his mood changed surprisingly quickly. However, during the day, especially during receptions and feasts, he was in a good mood and behaved normally. In 1916, during a feast on the occasion of the birthday of Tsarevich Alexei, one of the guests noted that His Majesty hardly drank, but it was as if he was not himself. The eyes seemed to glow, the look was inattentive, absent. Sometimes he smiled, but somehow confused, and it looked very strange. Nicholas II treated colds with cocaine; it was then believed that this substance eliminated the symptoms of the disease. Morphine made Hermann Goering hysterical. German Field Marshal Hermann Goering was plagued by an old wound for more than 20 years. During the Nazi Beer Hall Putsch on November 9, 1923, he walked through Berlin in the front ranks of the protesters. The police opened fire. A large-caliber bullet hit Goering in the thigh, narrowly missing his groin. It rained that day. When the wounded man fell on the pavement, dirt got into the wound. She caused an infection. The doctor prescribed Goering morphine. The pain did not subside, the doses began to be increased. After being wounded, Goering went to Austria for treatment, then Italy, and then to Sweden. In October 1927, the Swedish doctor Carl Lundberg, after examining a patient, wrote down that he had a hysterical temperament, a split personality, and often had a tearful and sentimental mood, alternating with bouts of blind rage; At such moments he can go to extremes. Soon Goering ended up in a mental hospital for several months. -Dangerous antisocial hysteric - * this diagnosis was made by Swedish psychiatrists. The cause was identified as Goering's dependence on morphine. “He swallowed whole handfuls of painkillers every day,” * in 1944, one of the Luftwaffe officers wrote in his diary about the commander of the aviation of the Third Reich. Churchill washed down Benzedrine with beer or absinthe British Prime Minister Winston Churchill lost the election in 1945 and went into opposition. He led a sedentary lifestyle, drank a lot, and this led to problems with excess weight and heart disease. In August 1949, he suffered his first mini-stroke. During a tense political campaign in January of the following year, he complained to his doctor of weakness, dizziness and -fog in his eyes-. The doctor diagnosed cerebral vasospasm. But Churchill still ran for prime minister again. And in 1951 he finally won: he again moved into the building at 10 Downing Street * the residence of the Prime Minister in London. The prime minister was already 77 years old. In the mid-1950s, he became almost completely deaf, had heart failure, and eczema. He often complained of pain and weakness. Doctors prescribed him the same as Anthony Eden - the stimulant Benzedrine, which belongs to the amphetamine family. Secretly, to lift his spirits, the Prime Minister took cocaine, without a prescription and without the supervision of his personal doctor.
This drug was recognized as dangerous and illegal only in the 1960s, so the head of government could use the drug in any dose. How and where Churchill obtained cocaine* still remains a mystery. However, the drugs had almost no effect, because Sir Winston had the habit of washing them down with beer or absinthe, and this neutralizes the direct effect of the drugs. Cocaine and benzedrine were addictive, so the prime minister washed down each dose with more and more alcohol. This lasted for several years, until Churchill's death in 1965.
Anthony Robert Eden
Eden Anthony (1897-1977) - British statesman and diplomat. Member of the House of Commons (1923-1957). Minister of Foreign Affairs (1935-1938, 1940-1945, 1951-1955). Prime Minister of Great Britain (1955-1956). Participated in the Moscow (1943), Tehran (1943), Crimean (Yalta) (1945), San Francisco (1945) and Berlin (Potsdam) (1945) conferences.
Eden, Anthony (b. 12.VI.1897) - English statesman, conservative. Comes from an aristocratic family. He graduated from Oxford University, where he studied oriental languages. Took part in the 1st World War. Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party from 1923 to 1957. He began his political activity in 1926 as a parliamentary private secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1934-1935 - Lord Privy Seal, in 1935 - Minister for the League of Nations, in 1935-1938 - Minister of Foreign Affairs. Criticizing the policy of encouraging fascist aggression pursued by the Chamberlain government, Eden differed with Chamberlain mainly on issues of tactics. In 1939-1940, Eden was Minister for Dominion Affairs. In 1940-1945 - Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Churchill government. In 1951-1955 - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister. From 1955 to January 1957 - Prime Minister. He was among the main organizers of the Suez adventure (see Anglo-Franco-Israeli aggression against Egypt), after the shameful failure of which he resigned and withdrew from political activity.
Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 5. DVINSK - INDONESIA. 1964.
A strong supporter of the preservation of the British colonial empire
Eden Anthony Robert (12.6.1897, Windlestone Hall, Auckland, Durham -14.1.1977, Alvedistone, Salisbury), British statesman, 1st Earl of Avon (1961), 1st Viscount Eden of Royal Leamington -Spa (1961), Knight (1954). Son of the 7th Baron Eden. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church College, Oxford (from which Eden's father and grandfather graduated). A participant in the 1st World War, he fought in France from June 1916, major (his brother, Nicholas, died in the Battle of Jutland). For distinction in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross. On December 6, 1923, he was elected a member of the House of Commons from Warwick-Leamington on the Conservative Party list. He devoted his main efforts to issues of military and foreign policy. In 1926-29, parliamentary secretary to the head of O. Chamberlain's Foreign Office. For many years he was closely associated with British foreign policy. In 1931-1934 in the office R. MacDonald served as Secretary of State to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Minister of Foreign Affairs). Since 1 January 1934 Lord Privy Seal. In 1935, when forming the cabinet S. Baldwin received the post of head of the Foreign Office. In February 1938 he resigned due to his tactical differences with the Prime Minister N. Chamberlain who pursued the “policy of appeasement” of Germany. From September 3, 1939, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. After the creation of the coalition cabinet W. Churchill On May 10, 1940 he took up the post of Secretary of State for Military Affairs, but on December 23, 1940 he was transferred to the post of Secretary of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, during the war he was the leader of the House of Commons. In May 1940 he visited the locations of British troops in France. Made a large number of visits, incl. to Greece (Feb. 1941) and the USSR (Dec. 1941). In December 1941, he refused to recognize the pre-war borders of the USSR, but then he managed to reach agreements with the leadership of the USSR, as a result of which the Soviet-British Union Treaty was signed in May 1942. At the same time, in 1942-1945, leader of the House of Commons. He participated in the Tehran (1943), Crimean and Potsdam (1945) conferences, as well as other international conferences. A staunch opponent of post-war concessions to the USSR in Eastern Europe. In September 1944 he opposed the “Morgenthau Plan” and the proposed dismantling of German industry after the war. In July 1945, the Conservatives lost the elections and the government resigned. In 1945-1951 deputy leader of the parliamentary opposition. Since October 27, 1951, Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister. On April 6, 1955 he replaced Churchill as Prime Minister. A staunch supporter of the preservation of the British colonial empire, as well as policies aimed at creating a coalition of European powers against the USSR. One of the initiators of the Anglo-French-Israeli aggression against Egypt in 1956. After its failure, he was forced to resign on January 9, 1957, leave the House of Commons on January 11 and withdraw from active political activity. Author of "Memoirs" (vol. 1-3, 1960-65).
Zalessky K.A. Who was who in the Second World War. Allies of the USSR. M., 2004.
Eden, Anthony (b. 1897) - English statesman and diplomat. He graduated from Eton College and then from Oxford University. Married to the daughter of the Yorkshire banker Beckett, owner of the influential conservative newspaper The Yorkshire Post. Participated in the First World War with the rank of captain. In 1922 he was elected to parliament from the Conservative Party. In 1926-1929, Eden was parliamentary secretary O. Chamberlain, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Eden was the most prominent representative of the group of "young conservatives" who demanded greater flexibility from the party and put forward a program of positive reforms. In 1931, Baldwin, in order to smooth out the impression of the appointment of Simon, known for his pro-German sympathies, to the post of Foreign Minister, appointed Eden as his deputy. Eden, however, did not exert any influence on Simon's policy either during the discussion of the "Manchurian incident" or at the disarmament conference. Baldwin, who patronized Eden in those years, chose him to establish personal contact with the heads of a number of governments. To give Eden more authority, Baldwin appointed him Lord Privy Seal in 1934. In 1935, Eden accompanied Simon on a meeting with Hitler in Berlin. Eden then headed to Moscow, Warsaw and Prague. As a result of the Moscow negotiations, a communiqué was published (IV. 1, 1935), which indicated the interest of both countries in strengthening collective security; to the absence of conflicting interests between both countries in all major issues of international politics and to the mutual understanding that “the integrity and success of each correspond to the interests of the other.”
For the Baldwin government, Eden's trip to Moscow was primarily a diplomatic gesture. Foreign policy was carried out at that time Simon, and Eden’s mission was supposed to calm public opinion and create a kind of diplomatic reinsurance in case the policy of “appeasement” did not justify itself. British diplomacy at that time bore the mark of political and organizational duality. This situation was revealed even more clearly when, in mid-1935, Simon was replaced by Samuel Hoare, also a supporter of “appeasement.” Eden was simultaneously appointed Minister of Affairs League of Nations. In October 1935, after the scandalous exposure of the "Hoare-Laval Plan" aimed at dividing Ethiopia, Eden was appointed Foreign Minister. The general course of English policy, however, did not undergo significant changes. This is evidenced by such Facts as the position of England during the dissolution of the Locarno Pact in the spring of 1936 and the sending of Lord Halifax(...) at the end of 1937. The coming to power of Neville Chamberlain in May 1937 marked the final turn towards the policy of “appeasement” of the aggressors. On January 20, 1938, Eden defiantly resigned. The immediate reason for the resignation was disagreements between the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in connection with the Anglo-Italian agreement being prepared. As Eden pointed out in his speech in parliament on 21.2.1938, it was not only a matter of disagreement on the Italian question. There were differences between him and the prime minister on a number of other issues, in particular on the issue of Austria: Chamberlain decided not to interfere with the then-prepared seizure of Austria by Hitler. Even before that, Chamberlain, without consulting Eden, in the latter’s absence, rejected the proposal Roosevelt about joint diplomatic pressure on Germany.
After his resignation, Eden did not lead an active struggle against Chamberlain, the main inspirer of the policy of “appeasement,” citing the need to maintain the unity of the Conservative Party. In 1939, as soon as the war began, Eden, at the same time as Churchill, entered Chamberlain's government and became Minister of Dominion Affairs. In 1940, he took over as Secretary of War in Churchill's cabinet. In December 1940, Eden returned to the post of Foreign Minister and held it until the defeat of the Conservatives in the parliamentary elections in July 1945.
During the war against Nazi Germany, Eden took an active part in concluding the 1941 Anglo-Soviet agreement on joint actions in the war against Germany and the 1942 Anglo-Soviet alliance treaty. In December 1941, Eden visited Moscow and had conversations with I.V. Stalin and V.M. Molotov. Eden also took an active part in the Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Three Powers (19-30. X 1943), in the Tehran Conference of the Leaders of the Three Allied Powers (28. XI-1. XII 1943), in the Crimean Conference in February 1945, the conference in San -Francisco and in the first part of the Berlin Conference of the Three Powers, which took place on 17. VII - 2. VIII 1945. In connection with the formation of the Labor government, England at the end of the Berlin Conference was represented by Attlee and Bevin instead of Churchill and Eden.
Throughout the war, I. strove in every possible way to strengthen British positions in different parts of the world, and above all in the Mediterranean region, in the Near and Middle East, in Latin America, in the dominions and colonies of England.
The strengthening of reactionary anti-Soviet tendencies in the policy of British conservatives towards the end of the Second World War also affected Eden’s position. In the spring of 1945, he gave a speech at a conference of the Scottish Conservative organization in which he stated that England had always created coalitions against powers that “claimed dominance in Europe” and would create them in the future if such a threat arose. The reactionary press in England and abroad interpreted this speech as a threat to the Soviet Union.
After the formation of the Labor government in July 1945, Eden went into opposition, becoming Churchill's deputy for leadership of the Conservative Party. Eden fully supported Churchill’s position aimed at fomenting a new war and creating the “United States of Europe” without and against the Soviet Union and the countries of the new democracy.
Tehran – Yalta – Potsdam: Collection of documents/ Comp.: Sh.P. Sanakoev, B.L. Tsybulevsky. – 2nd ed. – M.: Publishing House “International Relations”, 1970. – 416 p.
Essays:
Full circle, L., 1960; The Eden memoirs. Facing the dictators, L., 1962; in Russian lane - (Memoirs), "MJ", 1963, No. 1-5.
Literature:
Trukhanovsky V., Eden makes excuses before history, "MG", 1963, No. 5.
Eden, A. Foreign affairs. London. 1939. XVI, 356 p. - E d en, A. (and oth.). Britain peace aims. Speeches by Anthony Eden and others. London. 1942. (Nat. peace Council. Peace aims documents, No. 2).-
America looks to the future. With an introduction. by Anthony Eden. London. 194 2. -
Johnson, A. C. Anthony Eden. A biography. London. 1939. 362 p. - Raskay, L. Anthony Eden. London. 1939. 128 p.
Sir Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon(eng. Sir Anthony Eden, June 12, 1897 - January 14, 1977) - British statesman, aristocrat, member of the Conservative Party of Great Britain, in 1935-1938 (Baldwin's cabinet), in 1940-1945 (Churchill's wartime government) and in 1951-1955 Foreign Secretary, Deputy Prime Minister in 1951-1955, 64th Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1955-1957. He was one of the first to tell the whole world about the Nazi plans to destroy all European Jews. It is he who is credited with saving several hundred thousand Jews from the Holocaust.
Graduated with honors from the Faculty of Oriental Languages at Oxford.
From 1945 to 1973 he served as rector of the University of Birmingham.
Political career
He resigned as Foreign Secretary of the Chamberlain Cabinet on February 20, 1938 due to disagreement with the Prime Minister's policy of “appeasement” towards Italy and Germany. During Churchill's premiership, Eden was considered his successor, but distinguished himself primarily as Foreign Minister in the war. His premiership turned out to be short-lived and unsuccessful, both from a foreign policy point of view (the Suez crisis of 1956, which ended catastrophically for Great Britain) and from a domestic political point of view (he had to resign after mass uprisings of the population and cede leadership in the party to Macmillan).
Film incarnations
- Jeremy Northam - "The Crown" (USA, UK, 2016)
Bibliography
- Trukhanovsky V. G. Anthony Eden. Pages of English diplomacy, 30-50s. - M.: International relations, 1976; 2nd ed. 1983.
Anthony Eden was born on June 12, 1897 on the family estate Windleystone Hall, located in one of the northern counties of England - Durham. Anthony's father, the 7th Baron Eden, William, was married to Sybil Gray. Representatives of the Gray family also held high government positions.
Anthony was the fourth child in the family. His father had a tough temper. Anthony inherited from his father not only a love of painting, but also a difficult character. It is known that Eden Jr.’s tension and fatigue sometimes resulted in an explosion of irritation.
At the age of eight, Anthony was sent to a preparatory school in South Kensington, and a year later to a boarding school in Sandroyd, in Surrey, where children of the English nobility were educated. Here he stayed for four years. He did not stand out among his peers. As, indeed, at Eton, where Anthony continued his studies, he is an exemplary, disciplined, but not a bright student.
Straight from school, when he was barely 18 years old, Eden volunteered for the front of the First World War. Brothers John and Nicholas died in the battles. Anthony's service began in September 1915 in an infantry battalion. He ended the war with the rank of captain, at the headquarters of the 1st British Army.
After demobilization, Eden entered Oxford, Christ Church College, and chose an unusual specialization - oriental languages. He studied Persian and Arabic. Knowledge of the East opened up good prospects for advancement in the diplomatic service.
His first attempt to enter parliament ended in failure. But his marriage turned out to be successful. Anthony's chosen one was Beatrice Beckett, the daughter of a banker. And soon Eden entered parliament from the constituency of Warwick and Leamington. His position in this constituency subsequently became so strong that he represented it in parliament continuously for 33 years.
In 1925, Eden became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Undersecretary for the Home Secretary Locker-Lampson and then, on the latter's recommendation, Parliamentary Secretary to Foreign Secretary Austin Chamberlain.
Soon Eden, as a representative of Great Britain, was sent to Geneva, to the headquarters of the League of Nations. At the beginning of September 1931, he was already Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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Eden's speeches in Geneva were widely advertised in the press. The newspapers were filled with photographs of the young, elegant minister. His partners in Geneva were major figures and diplomats of those years, such as the Frenchman Boncourt, the German Neurath, the Austrian Dollfuss, the Italian Aloisi, the Czech Benes, the Romanian Titulescu and the American observer Davis.
As the international situation deteriorated, Eden's stock rose rapidly. By January 1, 1934, he received a magnificent New Year's gift - the place of Lord Privy Seal. His responsibilities remained the same - representation in the League of Nations and the problem of disarmament.
By this time, Anthony Eden was only 36 years old. Over the years, he acquired solidity. In the eyes of ordinary people, Eden was the embodiment of aristocracy; petty officials imitated him.
In the 1930s, London pursued the so-called policy of “appeasement” of aggressive powers. The meaning of this policy was to moderate their aggressive aspirations through territorial, military, economic and political concessions to Germany, Italy and Japan.
On February 16, 1934, British government minister Anthony Eden went on his first tour of the capitals of Europe. In Berlin he was greeted solemnly and warmly. In a conversation with Hitler, details regarding the weapons of various countries were discussed.
From Berlin Eden headed to Rome. Mussolini supported Hitler's demands for German armament. In general, Eden's interviews in Berlin and Rome did not produce any practical results. But they showed the readiness of the British government to follow the path of “appeasement” of fascism.
On September 17, 1934, the Soviet Union joined the League of Nations. On this occasion, Eden made a speech in which he stated that this was a step towards the universality of the organization.
He was very hardworking and devoted his whole life to the interests of business. Eden worked to the point of exhaustion and hardly rested. Constant travel left very little time for communication. His wife called herself "the widow of a diplomat." Two sons grew up: Simon, born in 1925, and Nicholas, born in 1930. Eden loved sports, especially tennis on weekends. However, Eden spent a significant part of his time on the road.
At the beginning of 1935, Eden again traveled around the capitals of European powers. These trips were caused by the decision of the British government to achieve an agreement with Nazi Germany. In N. Chamberlain's cabinet, Eden becomes British Foreign Secretary. But this did not mean a change in the course of “appeasement.” The young minister, who had no real power, began to understand that the policy of “appeasement” was doomed to failure. Eden resigned in February 1938 as an opponent of the policy of “appeasement” and a supporter of energetic resistance to aggressive powers.
In December 1938, Eden and his wife went to the United States. Things were clearly heading towards war, in which the interests of England and the United States had to coincide. The American side showed special attention to Eden. He addressed the National Business Association and gave speeches at numerous dinners and receptions. In the English diplomat, Americans saw the embodiment of the ideal American.
In March 1939, Hitler captured Czechoslovakia. He did not even think of coordinating this action with the participants in the Munich agreement. Germany’s liquidation of the Munich agreements finally convinced Eden that the policy of “appeasement” had put England and France in a very dangerous position and its continuation, even in the form of “guaranteed pacification,” would only aggravate the danger. He called for a “triple alliance between England, France and Russia on the basis of complete reciprocity,” that is, “if Russia is attacked, England and France must come to her aid.” At the beginning of May, Eden spoke in the House of Commons in favor of an early conclusion of an agreement with the USSR.
Eden believed that fascism's attempts to expand its conquest in Europe by intimidating England with war must be put to an end. Eden later wrote to one of his correspondents: “If we can make Germany believe that we will fight, then in the end we will be able to do something to prevent the outbreak of war.”
On September 3, 1939, Great Britain entered the war, and on the same day Eden received the portfolio of Minister of Dominions. And after the resignation of N. Chamberlain and the coming to power of Churchill, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The official historian of British foreign policy during the war, L. Woodward, wrote that “Eden was able to balance and often correct Churchill’s quick approach to events and the same quick conclusions.” According to Woodward, Eden was “a realist, temperamentally inclined to reason in terms of long-term consequences and ultimate considerations.”
“In wartime,” Eden wrote, “diplomacy and strategy are twins.” However, the success of foreign policy depends not only on the skill of diplomats, but on the economic, military and political power on which diplomacy relies. The British Foreign Secretary during the First World War, Arthur Balfour, once wrote: “If the failures of diplomacy can complicate the actions of the army, then the failure of military actions makes the Foreign Office helpless.” This was precisely the situation in which British foreign policy found itself in the period between the capitulation of France and the entry of the Soviet Union into the war.
The same uncertainty remained after the signing on July 12, 1941 of an agreement on joint actions by the governments of the USSR and England in the war against Germany, according to which the parties pledged to provide each other with assistance and support in this war, and also not to negotiate or conclude a separate truce or peace agreement with Germany.
In December 1941, Eden visited front-line Moscow, and in May 1942, V.M. arrived in London on a return visit. Molotov. On May 26, he signed with Eden the Treaty between the Soviet Union and England on an alliance in the war against Nazi Germany and its accomplices in Europe and on cooperation and mutual assistance after the war.
In March, Eden arrived in the United States to discuss post-war problems with American colleagues.
Roosevelt talked a lot with his London guest during his 18-day visit, preferring to talk about the future of the world in a relaxed atmosphere - over tea or lunch. Eden's biographers quote Roosevelt's telegram to Churchill, in which the president reported that he had spent three evenings with Eden, that Anthony was a "great guy" and that they agreed on 95% of the issues discussed.
The contradictions between the participants in the anti-Hitler coalition were relegated to the background under the pressure of the main task - to ensure victory over Germany, Italy, Japan and their allies. Many conferences of the Big Three were devoted to this, at which foreign ministers were present along with heads of government, as well as similar independent meetings of ministers.
Eden persistently and not without success sought to ensure that the tripartite meetings were preceded by bilateral meetings, at which representatives of England and the United States prepared joint decisions on the issues under consideration. This meant that at the final stage they acted by prior agreement. “In the event that the Americans and the British could agree,” writes the American historian G. Kolko, “and the containment of Bolshevism was certainly one of the few issues on which they were unanimous, in reality there were two coalitions fighting against the Axis powers. The First Coalition - between England and the United States - was a true alliance in the sense that both countries shared a common view on fundamental problems, which, however, did not exclude conflicts of a serious nature between them. The second coalition was between the Anglo-American bloc, in which both countries acted. in agreement, and the Soviet Union."
Using alliance relations with the USA and the USSR in the interests of England was, perhaps, the main, but far from the only task of the department headed by Eden. The war became global in scope, and British interests were present in all corners of the globe. Eden's relationship with General de Gaulle, who headed the Committee of Fighting France, required a lot of strength and endurance from Eden. The war in the Pacific and Asia, although primarily an American concern, posed numerous problems for the Foreign Office.
Eden participated in the Moscow, Tehran, Crimean (Yalta), San Francisco and, finally, Berlin (Potsdam) conferences.
The war ended in “triumph and tragedy” for capitalist England. A triumph was the victory over the most dangerous enemy in the entire history of the country, a tragedy - the “dramatic decline of British power” that was revealed after the end of the war. This expression belongs to one of the Prime Ministers of England - Harold Macmillan.
After the war, Eden took part in numerous conferences. In 1955 he became Prime Minister of Great Britain. However, after an unsuccessful attempt, together with France and Israel, to resolve the Suez crisis by force, he was forced to resign. For his services to the country, Eden was awarded the title of count and began to be called Count Avon.
After his resignation, Eden wrote memoirs and traveled a lot.
In January 1977, Eden vacationed in Florida, at the villa of the famous American millionaire and diplomat Averell Harriman. By that time, Eden had been diagnosed with liver cancer. Here he felt very bad. The British government sent a military plane for Eden, which took him to England. Anthony Eden died in his sleep, aged 79, at his home in Alvidiston. 20 years have passed since his resignation as prime minister.
Anthony Eden was buried here, in Alvidiston. The title of Lord Avon was inherited by his son Nicholas, who became a banker.
Eden (English: Eden), Robert Anthony, 1st Earl of Avon (06/12/1897 Windlestone, Durham - 01/14/1977 Alvidiston, Wiltshire) - statesman and political figure in Great Britain, one of the leaders.
Born into an aristocratic family, his father - William Eden - the seventh Baron Eden, his mother - Sybil Gray - belonged to the influential Gray family, its representatives in the 19th - early years of the 20th centuries. occupied high government positions. He received his primary education at Sandroyd and Eton boarding schools. During this time, he volunteered to join the army, participated in hostilities on French territory, was awarded the Military Cross (1916), and graduated from the war with the rank of captain. In 1919-1922 he studied at Christ Church College, Oxford, studying Persian and Arabic. He began his political career with defeat in the general elections to parliament in 1922. From 1923 to 1957 he was a member of parliament from the Conservative Party. In 1925, parliamentary secretary to the Deputy Minister of the Interior O. Locker-Lampson, from 1926 to 1929 parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs O. Chamberlain.
In 1931-1934 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs as part of the national government R. Macdonald. From 31 December 1933 to 6 June 1935 Lord Privy Seal (Minister for Special Purposes); June 7 - December 22, 1935 Minister of Affairs (a position specially established for him). December 22, 1935 - February 20, 1938 Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government, which he headed from June 1935 S. Baldwin, from May 1937 - N. Chamberlain. He took an active part in the formation and implementation of the policy of “appeasement” of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. Supporter of the position of non-interference in the remilitarization of the Rhineland by Germany (1936); one of the initiators of the lifting of sanctions against Italy imposed in connection with Italy’s aggression against Ethiopia; participated in the preparation of an agreement on “non-interference” in Spanish affairs in August 1936, which actually meant support for Italian-German assistance to supporters of the rebellion. Disagreements on tactical issues with N. Chamberlain, and the latter’s desire to make decisions on the most important issues of foreign policy alone forced I. on February 20, 1938 to leave the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs.
From September 3, 1939 - May 13, 1940, Minister of Dominion Affairs in the government of N. Chamberlain, May 11 - December 21, 1940, Minister of War in the coalition government of W. Churchill, December 22, 1940 - July 26, 1945, Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1942 he was declared Churchill's successor as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party. In December 1941 he visited Moscow, where he negotiated with and; in May 1942 in London he signed the Treaty between the USSR and Great Britain on an alliance in the war against Germany and its allies in Europe and on cooperation and mutual assistance after the war. Participated in the Tehran Conference of 1943, the Yalta Conference of 1945, the Berlin (Potsdam) Conference of 1945, the San Francisco Conference of 1945. After the defeat of the Conservatives in the elections in July 1945, he was deputy leader of the opposition in the House of Commons, a member of the so-called “shadow cabinet”. From October 1945 he was a member of the board of directors of Westminster Bank, and later was a member of the management of the Phoenix insurance company and the Rio Tinto Zinc non-ferrous metals mining concern. From October 28, 1951 to April 5, 1955, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of W. Churchill. In 1954 he contributed to the conclusion of the Italian-Yugoslav agreement on Trieste; took an active part in the preparations that put an end to the war in Indochina (1945-1954), contributed to the creation of the military-political grouping South-East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). On April 6, 1955, he took the post of Prime Minister, and from April 22, 1951 to January 21, 1957, he was also the leader of the Conservative Party. April 18-27, 1955 I. received the Soviet delegation in Great Britain led by; Anglo-Soviet negotiations did not have serious practical results for both sides. On 26 May 1955 he led the Conservative Party to victory in the general election. One of the organizers of the Anglo-French-Israeli aggression against Egypt in 1956 (See. Suez crisis). After the failure of this action, he resigned (January 9, 1957) and withdrew from active political activity. He has published several books of memoirs. Since 1954 - knight, since 1961 - count.
Op.:Full Circle. Boston, 1960, Facing the Dictators London, 1962, The Reckoning. London, 1965. Another world, 1897—1917. London, 1976.
Lit.: Trukhanovsky V. Anthony Eden. M., 1983. Carlton D. A. Anthony Eden, a biography. London, 1981. Dutton D. Anthony Eden: a life and reputation. London, New York, 1997. Rothwell V. Anthony Eden: a Political Biography, 1931–57. Manchester, 1992.