Sandys Defence White Paper

E334963

Sandys Defence White Paper was a landmark 1957 British government policy document that radically reshaped UK defence strategy by emphasizing nuclear deterrence and cutting conventional forces.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Sandys Defence White Paper canonical 1
Sandys White Paper 1

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United Kingdom government policy document
defence white paper
military reform policy
aim maintain strategic nuclear capability
modernise British Armed Forces
reduce defence expenditure
alsoKnownAs 1957 Defence White Paper
Cmnd. 124
Sandys Defence White Paper
surface form: Sandys White Paper
appliesTo British Army
Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
author Duncan Sandys
context Cold War
surface form: Soviet–Western nuclear arms race

post-Second World War British economic constraints
controversy criticised by armed services and defence industries
criticised for undermining conventional military capability
country United Kingdom
doctrine nuclear deterrence over large standing conventional forces
effect acceleration of decolonisation-related force withdrawals
cancellation of several aircraft projects
long-term restructuring of UK defence spending
reduction of British Army manpower
reduction of Royal Air Force manned aircraft programmes
reduction of Royal Navy conventional capabilities
shift towards missile-based air defence
era Cold War
focus air defence rationalisation
emphasis on guided missiles
nuclear deterrence
reduction of conventional forces
restructuring of British Armed Forces
government Macmillan ministry
issuedBy United Kingdom Ministry of Defence
surface form: Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom
language English
legacy influenced subsequent UK nuclear and defence planning
major turning point in British defence policy
legalForm Command Paper
parliament British Parliament
surface form: Parliament of the United Kingdom
policyArea defence policy
military strategy
nuclear weapons policy
positionOfAuthor Minister of Defence of the United Kingdom
presentedBy Duncan Sandys
primeMinisterAtTime Harold Macmillan
publicationDate 1957-04-04
publicationYear 1957
timePeriodCovered late 1950s to early 1960s defence planning horizon

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Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Duncan Sandys notableWork Sandys Defence White Paper
Sandys Defence White Paper alsoKnownAs Sandys Defence White Paper
this entity surface form: Sandys White Paper