Nassau Agreement

Quick Facts: Who was Nassau Agreement?

Subject:

Nassau Agreement

Known for:

1962 US-UK treaty ending the Skybolt Missile Crisis and securing the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Nassau Agreement, concluded on 21 December 1962, was an agreement negotiated between President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and Harold Macmillan, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to end the Skybolt Crisis. A series of meetings between the two leaders over three days in the Bahamas followed Kennedy's announcement of his intention to cancel the Skybolt air-launched ballistic missile project.

Career & Major Achievements

The US agreed to supply the UK with Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missiles for the UK Polaris programme. Under an earlier agreement, the US had agreed to supply Skybolt missiles in return for allowing the establishment of a ballistic missile submarine base in the Holy Loch near Glasgow.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The British Government had then cancelled the development of its medium-range ballistic missile, known as Blue Streak, leaving Skybolt as the basis of the UK's independent nuclear deterrent in the 1960s. Without Skybolt, the V-bombers of the Royal Air Force (RAF) were likely to have become obsolete through being unable to penetrate the improved air defences that the Soviet Union was expected to deploy by the 1970s.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1962: 1962 Milestone — The Nassau Agreement, concluded on 21 December 1962, was an agreement negotiated between President of the United States, John F.

Notable Quotes by Nassau Agreement

“The Nassau Agreement was concluded on 21 December 1962.” (1962)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Nassau Agreement

True or False: “True or False: The Nassau Agreement was primarily about the US supplying Skybolt missiles to the UK in exchange for a missile base.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): False. While Skybolt was initially involved, the final agreement secured the supply of Polaris missiles, which replaced the canceled Skybolt capability, ensuring the UK's deterrent.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. K. Fazlul Huq — Historical peer (Died in 1962) (1962): Pakistani statesman and jurist, known as Sher-e-Bangla, a founding father of Pakistan.
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