Discuss Dwight D. Eisenhower's success in resolving the Suez crisis of 1956 as a pivotal moment in world history.

Eisenhower's resolution of the Suez crisis without resorting to gunboat diplomacy was crucial, as it showed the world that the heyday of old-style Western imperialism was over. The French and the British governments had reacted to Nasser's seizure of the strategically vital Suez Canal in the time-honored fashion of imperial powers: through threats and aggression. Britain and France joined with Israel to form a tripartite military force which invaded Egypt not long after Nasser's momentous decision.
But Eisenhower was strongly opposed to military action in Egypt. For one thing, supporting the tripartite invasion would've undermined the force of his condemnation of the recent Soviet invasion of Hungary, leading to charges of hypocrisy. Furthermore, he believed that if the Americans joined in the invasion, they would lose the support of the Arab world, thus driving the Arabs into the arms of the Soviet Union as part of an anti-imperialist alliance.
Eisenhower made strenuous efforts behind the scenes to work for a diplomatic solution to the crisis through the auspices of the United Nations. He was the main mover behind the convening of a special emergency session of the General Assembly, which would make concrete proposals to end the fighting. Eisenhower's efforts were ultimately successful, and Britain and France withdrew their forces from Egypt (though not Israel).
The diplomatic solution to the crisis and Eisenhower's key role in bringing it about represented the final nail in the coffin of old-style Western imperialism. From now on, a new kind of Western imperialism would emerge, one more subtle and sophisticated, with the United States firmly leading the way.