The Suez Crisis was an event in the Middle East in 1956. It began with Egypt taking control of the Suez Canal which was followed by a military attack from Israel, France, and Great Britain. The Suez Canal is an important man-made waterway in Egypt. It connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The 1956 Suez Crisis, when Britain along with France and Israel invaded Egypt to recover control of the Suez Canal, was arguably one of the most significant episodes in post-1945 British history. It's outcome highlighted Britain's declining status and confirmed it as a 'second tier' world power.