Nasser
1 Colleen Mainger, The Things I Do For This Class, (Aurora, Self Published, 2014)
1
• 1919 Zaghlul & Wafd Party attend Paris Peace Conference
to demand self-determination for Egypt/freedom from
Britain – largely ignored by Allies2
• 1922/23 Britain releases Egypt from Protectorate and they
write a constitution where Britain still has rights over Suez
Canal & foreign affairs
• 1936 King Faud dies, King Farouk takes over; AngloEgyptian Treaty signed which reduces Britain's presence
to the Suez Canal only (initially popular) 3
• 1939—WWII Egypt remains neutral but controlled &
used by Allied Britain
Summary of Nasser’s Rise
2 https://ia600404.us.archive.org/35/items/cu31924027900921/cu31924027900921.pdf
3 Arthur Goldschmidt, A Concise History of the Middle East (Boulder: Westview Press, 2002), p. 249.
• 1942 Feb. 4 Incident—Britain forces Egypt to promote the
Wafd Party back to leadership
• 1948 War loss to Israel, plus economic problems, plus British
presence in Suez area creates tension, anxiety to be free
• 1951 Wafd Party ends Anglo-Egyptian treaty, British refuse to
negotiate
• 1952 Free Officers, including Nasser, take over government
creating the Revolutionary Command Council
• 1954 Nasser becomes President of Egypt4
Summary of Nasser’s Rise
4 Mariam Habibi, History of Europe and the Middle East (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010), p. 314-317.
• Born 1918, raised in the time of Egypt’s protectorate status;
participated in anti-British demonstrations in the 30s
• Young soldier in the 1948 war, fought in the Negev, blamed
King Farouk & current government for the loss5
• Nasser was one of the Free Officers who helped overthrow the
King in 1952
• Muhammad Naguib elected as President—popular war hero6
and older-give more legitimacy to the revolution?7
• Nasser as VP
• Considered a military coup, often called the
1952 Revolution*
• *What constitutes a revolution?
Gamal Abdel Nasser
5 Habibi, Mariam, History of Europe and the Middle East p. 317.
6 “Free Officer Coup in Egypt 1952” http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/echo/egypt1952b.htm
7 http://news.egypt.com/en/egyptian-revolution-of-1952.html
• U.S. goals in 1952 revolved around containing communism,
including stabilizing weak countries susceptible to socialist
ideals
• Egypt was beholden to Britain, and angry at Israel
• If the US put someone compliant in charge of Egypt they
would have an Arab/Middle East ally
• The US also wanted to end British colonial interests and oil
dominance in the region, and enter it themselves8
• CIA operatives met with Nasser in 1952 to discuss the coup of
King Farouk; mostly let the coup happen9
• Money was involved; Nasser had access to millions of $US10
Did the CIA help in 1952?
8 http://www.khilafah.com/index.php/news-watch/middle-east/16906-the-cia-said-find-an-islamic-billy-graham
9 http://www.surrenderingislam.com/essential-reading/1951-1953-egypt-nasser-moslem-billy-graham
10 I read it somewhere but now I can’t find it. Don’t judge.
• By 1954 Nasser had moved Naguib from power and
outlawed all opposing political parties
• Muslim Brotherhood attempted an assassination
(staged?)11 which solidified people’s love for Nasser
• “They can kill Nasser but another will take his place! The
revolution will live on!”12
Final Moves
11 http://www.khilafah.com/index.php/news-watch/middle-east/16906-the-cia-said-find-an-islamic-billy-graham
12 Michael Oren, Six Days of War (USA: Presidio Press, 2003), p. 9
Cornell Library. “Egyptian Delegation to the Paris Peace Conference” Accessed January 18, 2014.
https://ia600404.us.archive.org/35/items/cu31924027900921/cu31924027900921.pdf
Egypt News. “Egyptian Revolution of 1952”, Accessed January 17, 2014.http://news.egypt.com/en/egyptianrevolution-of-1952.html
Goldschmidt, Arthur. A Concise History of the Middle East, Boulder: Westview Press, 2002, p. 249.
Habibi, Mariam . History of Europe and the Middle East . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, p. 314-317.
Khilafah. Accessed January 15, 2014. http://www.khilafah.com/index.php/news-watch/middle-east/16906-the-cia-saidfind-an-islamic-billy-graham
Mainger, Colleen, The Things I Do For This Class, Aurora, Self Published, 2014.
On War. “Free Officer Coup in Egypt 1952” http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/echo/egypt1952b.htm
Oren, Michael. Six Days of War. USA: Presidio Press, 2003 p. 9.
Surrendering Islam. “Find a Muslim Billy Graham”. Accessed January 20, 2014.
http://www.surrenderingislam.com/essential-reading/1951-1953-egypt-nasser-moslem-billy-graham
Works Cited
• Half the class will determine the long-term causes, half
will determine the short-term causes.
Long- & Short-term Causes