Egyptian statesman, prime minister (19546), and president (195670), born in Alexandria, N Egypt. An army officer, he became dissatisfied with the corruption of the Farouk regime, and was the prime mover in the Free Officers' coup of 1952. He assumed the premiership in 1954, and then presidential powers, deposing his fellow officer, General Mohammed Neguib. Officially elected president in 1956, he nationalized the Suez Canal, which prompted Britain and France to seek his forcible overthrow, gaining Israeli co-operation in the invasion of Sinai. In 1958 he created a federation with Syria (the United Arab Republic), but Syria withdrew in 1961. After the six-day ArabIsraeli War (1967), heavy losses on the Arab side led to his resignation, but he was persuaded to stay on, and died still in office.
Gamal Abdel Nasser|
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| Second President of Egypt | |
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In office 23 June 1956 – September 28, 1970 |
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| Preceded by | Muhammad Naguib |
| Succeeded by | Anwar Sadat |
| Born |
January 15, 1918 Alexandria |
| Died |
September 28, 1970 Cairo |
| Political party | Military/Arab Socialist Union |
| Spouse | Tahia Kazem |
Gamal Abdel Nasser (Arabic: جمال عبد الناصر ;
Early life
On January 15, 1918, Gamal Abdel Nasser was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, the son of a postal worker.
Nasser’s political involvement lasted throughout his school career, and became such a dominant part of his life that during his last year of secondary school, Nasser “spent only forty-five days actually in school”. During that same period, 1935-1936, Nasser was elected chairman of a committee of Cairo secondary school students interested in Egyptian political reform. Then, in March 1937, Nasser was admitted to the Egyptian Military Academy and, temporarily, abandoned his political activities in favor of studying to become an army officer.
World War II
In 1939, shortly after graduating and being commissioned in the army, Nasser and a friend volunteered to serve in Sudan where they arrived shortly before the outbreak of World War II. During the war, Nasser and Anwar Sadat, another friend and political ally, established contact with agents of the Axis powers, particularly several Italian ones and planned a coup to coincide with an Italian offensive that would expel the British forces from Egypt; During the war, Nasser also began forming a group of other young military officers with strong Egyptian nationalist feelings who supported some form of revolution.
At the end of WWII, Nasser had no combat experience, having never been stationed on an actual battlefield; For the next several years, Nasser worked to organize his group of other reform minded officers and recruit new members.
Revolution
By 1952, "Egypt was ripe for revolution." Nasser and the Free Officers seized on this situation to launch a coup on July 23, 1952. Nasser and his fellow revolutionaries also bowed to American pressure by allowing the deposed King Farouk and his family to “leave Egypt unharmed and ‘with honour’”.
After assuming power, Nasser and the Free Officers were not interested in undertaking the day to day administration of the Egyptian government. The Free Officers then formed the Revolutionary Command Council, which constituted the real power in Egypt, with Neguib as chairman and Nasser as vice-chairman.
Conflict with Naguib
In June 1953, with land reform fully underway, Naguib announced the official abolition of the Egyptian monarchy and proclaimed himself President of the Republic of Egypt. After the establishment of the republic, Naguib and Nasser began to come into conflict with each other. The Revolutionary Command Council then “joyfully...proclaimed Nasser as Prime Minister”; As a result of these demonstrations, a sizable group within the Revolutionary Command Council, demanded that Nasser allow Neguib to return to the Presidency and then hold free elections to select a new President and Prime Minister. Nasser was forced to agree and Naguib reassumed the Presidency. Several days later, Nasser was forced to resign as Prime Minister in favor of Naguib, effectively destroying all progress that Nasser had made towards leadership.
Although it gave him no permanent position, Nasser did use his brief time as Prime Minister to “purge... Finally, in October 1954, Nasser formally removed Naguib from power and established himself as the effective leader of Egypt.Nasser remained in power over Egypt for the next fifteen years with no major domestic challenges to his power.
Nasser's place in the Egyptian national consciousness was secured following the failed assassination attempt of 26th October 1954 and his own defiant response in the immediate aftermath.
Suez Canal
Shortly before his full assumption of power, Nasser signed an agreement with Britain that provided for the withdrawal of all British uniformed military personnel from the Suez Canal Zone, although a small civilian force was allowed to temporarily remain. Shortly after the treaty with the British, Nasser won forty million dollars in combined financial aid for economic development from the British and Americans.
The next year, 1955, the United States promised fifty-six million dollars, along with two-hundred million dollars through the World Bank, to aid in financing the construction of the Aswan High Dam , which Nasser and his allies had begun planning shortly after the revolution. In September 1955 Nasser shocked the West by signing an arms deal with the Eastern bloc country Czechoslovakia. Consequently, in July 1956, the Western Powers retracted their financial offers, forcing Nasser to search for alternate methods to finance the dam. On July 26, as part of a plan to raise money for the dam, and as a powerful reminder to the west that Egypt would do as it pleased, Nasser announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal.
Nasser realized that the nationalization of the canal would provoke a strong reaction from the West, especially Britain. However, Nasser believed that Britain would not be able to intervene militarily for at least two months after the announcement, and dismissed Israeli action as “impossible”.
Relationship with the Soviet Union
The Suez Crisis also drove Egypt into a closer relationship with the Soviet Union. Its reservoir was named Lake Nasser, honoring Nasser.
The Aswan Dam was not the only result of the Egyptian relationship with the USSR. As a result of Soviet influence and domestic factors, Nasser gradually began to move Egypt toward a socialist economic system, at least somewhat shaped by Marxism-Leninism. During his official visit to Egypt on May 9-26, 1964, Nikita Khrushchev awarded Nasser the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Soviet Golden Star.
Most historians agree that Egypt under Nasser never truly reached socialism, and under Nasser’s successor, Anwar Sadat, the economy moved back to a more firmly capitalist system.
Arab Leader
With his rhetoric and the Suez success, Nasser developed a following throughout the Arab world, inspiring "Nasserist" political parties dedicated to Arab unity. Many saw Nasser as the leader of the Arab world, representing a new, defiant era in Arabic politics. Nasser's policies became associated with Pan-Arabism, which promoted aggressive action by Arab states to confront the "imperialist" West, and urged that the resources of the Arab states should be used for the benefit of the Arab people and not the West. In a 1967 speech, Nasser declared, "We can achieve much by Arab action, which is a main part of our battle.
In 1958, Syrian military and civilian leaders requested a merger of Syria and Egypt. Somewhat surprised by the sudden request and unsure as to whether the time was ripe, Nasser nevertheless agreed and the United Arab Republic came into being.
During the 17-day official visit of Egypt by Nikita Khrushchev that began on May 9, 1964, Nasser was awarded (May 13) the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Soviet Golden Star (number 11224) .
Six Day War
Nasser, who had long urged the destruction of Israel, was a leading actor in provoking the Six Day War in 1967. Nasser convinced Jordan and Syria to join him in united Arab action against Israel and declared in a speech, "The battle will be a general one and our basic objective will be to destroy Israel."
Resignation and aftermath
The humiliating defeat in the Six-Day War was so devastating that it compelled for a domestic political action. On the evening of June 9, 1967 Nasser's resignation statement was broadcast live on Egyptian television and radio, leaving office to his then vice president Zakaria Mohiedin.
Nasser's surprising address and resignation had made the people realize just how devastating the defeat was and how their national dignity had been shattered.
No sooner was the statement broadcast, however, than millions were pouring into the streets in mass demonstrations not only in Egypt but in streets across the Arab World. As a consequence, Nasser led Egypt through the War of Attrition in 1969-1970.
Later life
Nasser died of heart attack on September 28, 1970 at the conclusion of Cairo meeting of leaders of Arab countries regarding Israel and the Black September in Jordan. Sadat, who had been interim President following Nasser's death, was officially selected to succeed him on October 5.
Legacy
Nasserism
Nasser's legacy is much debated even today in the Arab World. Thus, many argue that Nasser freed Egypt from European domination and reformed its economy through his agrarian reform, projects such as the Aswan High Dam, and his moves towards greater government economic involvement. In addition, Nasser's suppression of the political opposition and the massive expansion of the police and security apparatuses left a legacy of political repression exploited by his successors until the present. Nasser's role in inciting the Six Day War, which led to tremendous losses for the Arab states, tarnished his legacy and reduced his power in the Middle East. In the last years of his rule, Nasser came to rely increasingly on aid from the Soviet Union.
On the other hand, Nasser's role in modernising Egypt's education system - making education freely available to the poorer masses, and his avid support of the arts, such as the theater, the film and music industries, as well as literature, is seen as having a positive impact on Egypt and the Arab world as a whole.
Aswan Dam
One of the most controversial of Nasser's achievements is the creation of the Aswan Dam and the eponymous lake in southern Egypt. Still, the dam helped provide electric power to Egypt's then growing economy, and was essential in modernizing rural Egypt through the introduction of electricity.
Family
Nasser was married to Tahia Kazem, who is the daughter of a humble clerk of Iranian origin. Hoda Abd El Nasser, became a researcher in politics and a professor of Political Science in Cairo University.
Writings
President Nasser authored several books during his life.
"Gamal Abdel Nasser Memoires on the 1948 Palestine war" (published 1955) "Towards freedom" (published 1959) "Egypt's Liberation The Philosophy of the Revolution" (published 1955) link:http://nasser.bibalex.org/nasserBooks/BookView.aspx?BID=1 (Arabic)
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