The postage-stamp on this envelope commemorates the nationalisation of the Suez Canal in July 1956. This bold move by General Nasser of Egypt was the trigger for a crisis of tension among world powers centred on Egypt. In October 1956, Israel, with military support from Britain and France, invaded Egypt in order to regain control of the canal and remove Nasser from power. The resulting international crisis led to an eventual withdrawal forced on Britain, France and Israel by the UN, the USA and the Soviet Union. This object allows us to explore this important moment in twentieth century history and the shift in the balance of power from the old European empires to new global powers.