Nasser
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(Alexandria 1918- Cairo 1970) Egyptian president 1954-1970. Nasser came from a
modest background as a son of a postman.
He got his education from the Military Academy 1938- 39. He participated in the
war against Israel in 1948 as a major.
In 1949 he joined the Free Officers, who plotted against the non-constitutional
British all- pervasive presence, the landowning elite and the weak and morally
corrupt king. The Free Officers were responsible for the coup that deposed King
Faruk from the throne in 1952, and it was Nasser who was the real leader, yet he
still remained in the background. After a long fight over power with president
Naguib he ousted him in the second attempt, on November 14, allegedly for
having known of the Muslim Brotherhood's attempt on Nasser's life in the month
before.
Soon after taking power Nasser negotiated an agreement with the British, ending
their 72- year presence in Egypt. After being officially elected president in 1956,
he also promulgated a new constitution, that gave the presidency more power.
Nasser's political system was called Arab socialism. With this program he
confiscated 243,000 hectares (2,430 km²) farm land from a small group of rich
landowners. Later on in his presidency he nationalized banks and industries. In
1956 USA and Britain withdrew a promised support for the construction of a new
Aswan Dam, and Nasser responded with nationalization of the Suez Canal
Company, as he wanted to finance the construction of the dam with the income
from tolls on the traffic on the canal.
The nationalization of the Suez Canal was met by an Israeli invasion of the Sinai
peninsula and an Anglo-French invasion of the Canal Zone. But the invading
forces were put under pressure from the UN, and had to withdraw. Egypt kept the
full ownership of the Suez Canal, and managed also to get Soviet support for the
construction of the dam, which was completed 14 years later. Following this,
Nasser rose to stardom in the Arab world.
In 1958 Egypt and Syria formed the United Arab Republic, with Nasser as the head.
This was at this time considered as the first step towards Arab unity. When it
broke up in 1961, after a coup in Syria, Nasser kept the name United Arab
Republic even if it was only Egypt left. This was meant as a symbol for his
aspirations of Arab unity (the name was changed the year after his death).
Nasser's ideas were laid down in his book of 1959, The Philosophy of the
Revolution.
He precipitated the third war with Israel, when he in 1967 both expelled United
Nations peace keeping forces from the Gaza Strip and blockaded the Gulf of
Aqaba for traffic on Israel's port Eilat. But when Israel attacked Egypt on June 5, it
was so strongly the first day that Egypt was in reality beaten already. Still the
fightings continued for five more days more. The only effective action of the
Egyptians was to close the Suez Canal for all ships.
The humiliation of Egypt was so deep that Nasser offered to resign, but the
people demonstrated in such numbers in his favour, that he continued, and also
took the position as prime minister. From this time on Nasser's government
became increasingly dependent on military and economic aid from the Soviet
Union.
Nasser died on September 28. 1970 of heart attack, while still in office.