A landing ship putting a Centurion tank ashore illustrates the continuing importance of wartime amphibious equipment in 1956. Britain, France, and the United States had limited money for replacement landing systems amid other defence commitments. The Suez operation used much less force than the Anglo-French military could have brought to bear in an all-out campaign. Postwar budget pressure therefore shaped the matériel available for a major expeditionary landing.
Chapter · 10:32-11:46
An amphibious operation built from wartime equipment
The landing force relied heavily on equipment developed during the Second World War, while Britain and France committed much less force than they could have deployed.