How complex was the world 70 years ago, when Elizabeth II began to reign? (and what happened in Peru)

They are often mentioned when talking about the queen Isabel II the historical events she has witnessed since she became monarch. Wars, natural disasters, creation and disappearance of countries and tragedies such as the Chernobyl nuclear explosion have been the backdrop for a reign that has just turned 70 in the midst of a global pandemic and that began at a time as complex as the current one. .

Isabel II, 95, became monarch of the United Kingdom and from more than a dozen other kingdoms at the time her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952. The then 25-year-old was in Kenya on an international tour with her husband, so she left her country as princess and returned as queen, although her coronation took place more than a year later, on June 2, 1953. Her enviable longevity has allowed her to have the longest reign in British history .

In his seven decades on the throne Isabel II he has dealt with fifteen prime ministers, but the one in charge when he became monarch was Winston Churchill. The context was challenging. The Second World War had ended in 1945. The United Nations had only been created for a short time and the Cold War (1947-1991) was in its first years. The United States created the NATO military alliance in 1949, with the aim of curbing Soviet influence in Europe.

“Contrary to what was believed, immediately after the end of the Second World War a serious period of tension began“, he says Trade the historian Héctor López Martínez.

The United Nations was supposed to be the great tool that would prevent new confrontations throughout the world. But a discord arose between the former allies. “Russia, which had a communist regime, launched its contacts on Eastern Europe and the United States responded by trying to save Western Europe. The so-called Cold War had begun. The Cold War is the great backdrop against which his reign will begin. Isabel II”.

At that time, Harry S. Truman held the presidency of the United States and the Marshall Plan promoted by that country to rebuild Western Europe had been carried out successfully. In fact, Europe experienced the period of maximum economic growth in its history between 1948 and 1952.

As an antecedent to the Marshall Plan, López Martínez recalls that England – which had been the most important traditional ally of the United States in Europe since the First World War – was in a chaotic economic situation after the war.

“In this scenario, the United States Congress makes a very important loan to Britain so that you can balance your budget and help stop communism in Europe and in that sense England is in charge of ensuring that Greece and Turkey do not fall into the hands of communism”.

This was proven on February 16, 1952, 10 days after Elizabeth II became queen, when Greece and Turkey officially joined NATO.

Years of tension and transformation

They are years of transformation that had as a backdrop the fear of a new war due to the aggressive tone of the Russian and Western communists.

“There is no peace. The war theme is always present. There was always the risk of a Soviet attack, that’s why NATO had been created. It should be noted that very soon Russia will also have the atomic bomb, and then other countries. There was already a very dramatic balance in that sense. The atomic terror marked the 50’s, until after the 60’s”, recalls the historian.

Meanwhile, in the East, there were remnants of a Chinese civil war between General Chiang Kai Shek, who had the support of the United States and was a rather corrupt pro-Western regime, against a communist regime led by Mao Tse-Tung, who at end will end up prevailing.

The Korean War also took place in Asia, which lasted between June 1950 and July 1953, and which consummated the dispute between South Korea, which was pro-United States and received the support of the Americans, and North Korea, which received the support of the Chinese communists and Russia.

Culturally it was also a time of many changes. The World Cup was already returning after the war and in the United States the rise of television was beginning.

The 1950 World Cup was the fourth edition of the championship organized by FIFA, which was held again after the editions planned for 1942 and 1946 were suspended due to the Second World War.

“A normalization begins, already in 1948 the Olympics returned, the first great Olympics returns precisely in London in 1948 and the next one will take place in Helsinki 1952. Television would be basically in the United States in the early years of the 50s and then it was spread rapidly through Europe and then to America”, says López Martínez.

the year that Isabel II The beginning of his reign coincides with other events, such as the start of Che Guevara and Alberto Granado’s journey through America, the coup d’état in Cuba led by General Fulgencio Batista and the death of Argentine first lady Eva Perón from cancer.

back to United Kingdom and also in 1952, Isabel II had to face the Great Smog of London when a bitter cold hit the city in December and caused the population to burn much more coal than usual in winter. The increase in pollution was aggravated by a higher thermal inversion, caused by the dense mass of cold air. Coal pollution is estimated to have killed 12,000 people.

In Peru

At that time, Peru was governed by General Manuel Odría, who had staged a coup and overthrew President José Luis Bustamante y Rivero in 1948. His government would later be known as the Ochenio de Odría.

“Odría immediately aligned himself with the United States and that will come in handy because in 1952 he will begin to receive military aid from the United States. In other words, from that moment there is a position regarding the Cold War between the two great powers”, says López Martínez.

Odría harshly repressed opponents, especially the communists and APRA members. Another event derived from this is that Haya de La Torre takes refuge in the Colombian embassy, ​​where he will remain for five years, from 1949 to 1954.

Of those years, the historian highlights the growth of the population. Between the years 40 and 70 the population of Peru will double due to several factors, the main one being the decrease in infant mortality. The action of antibiotics is also very important, since penicillin is already being used to stop infections. It also highlights the decrease in illiteracy and the improvement in the quality of housing and the construction of large school units, many of which last until today.

These are years in which the struggle of women for their rights is increasing. Although the female vote has been required for a long time, since the 1920s, it is in 1955 that its approval is achieved. At that time, the importance of women as professionals and their presence in faculties also began to grow.

“Then, regarding the economic aspect, from 1950 the fishing boom began. The Korean war is going to favor Peru a lot because the price of minerals skyrockets. The war needs copper, silver, zinc and as there is this great mining growth in Peru, mining also pushes the economic growth of other items in our country”says Lopez Martinez.

“It was a time of chiaroscuro, positive things happened, but there were no freedoms, especially for those who had marked political positions”, adds the historian.

Another important event occurred in Peru in 1952. On October 27, the National Stadium was inaugurated, replacing the old National Stadium in Lima and its old wooden stands. The 1952 stadium was remodeled in the second government of Alan García and the result is the current colossus.

“The queen has shown resilience and commitment”

Kate Harrison

Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Peru

Queen Elizabeth II has had and has a very strong commitment to service to the country and maintains a very important relationship with the nations of the Commonwealth. I think we’re going to continue to see that compromise for as long as the queen can, in terms of her own health.

The queen has always been very focused on international affairs and has stayed very close to the people in difficult times, this was the case after the world wars and also in the battle against COVID-19. The population recognizes this important value of service, because sometimes in that world the values ​​are a little left behind and Isabel II He has always put his values ​​at the center and in the most obvious way. That is important.

The queen is a very resilient person. We are always experiencing complex moments in the world and the queen has experienced that even in her own life, in her close surroundings. These two years have been very difficult, but the queen has always shown resilience and commitment.

__________________