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Egypt and the Search for Respect

Modern Middle East

Fall 2002

Background

� The rise of fascism and the fear of Mussolini altered Anglo-Egyptian relations.

� Italy already controlled Libya since 1911.

� Now, after conquering Ethiopia, the situation drastically changed in 1935.

� Now Italy threatened both British and Egyptian interests in the region.

� The British now called for a return to the Constitution of 1923.

� When King Faud died in 1936, hopes rose for political change.

� The new ruler was Faud�s sixteen year old son who ruled through a regency.

� New elections were held and the Wafd won as expected.

� Mustafa al-Nahhas formed a Wafdist ministery.

� Which successfully negotiated with the British.

The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty

� The Treaty was initially popular in both countries.

� The British had a twenty year commitment for a military base to protect the Suez Canal.

� As well as bases in Cairo and Alexandra.

� The issue of the Sudan was put on the backburner.

� For the Egyptians it established a constitutional monarchy.

� With the exchange of ambassadors in both countries.

� It also replaced the �Reserved Points.�

� The Egyptians were now a member of the League of Nations.

� King Farouk was the First Egyptian to have his likeness on a postage stamp.

Farouk Marginalizes the Government

� Farouk was as adapt as his father in finding anti-Wafd politicians who were willing to serve in the government.

� Mustafa al-Nahhas had to many enemies both within and without the government.

� The extremes between the rich and the poor only grew.

� Nearly all of the Egyptian public lived on 3% of the available land.

Economic Development in Egypt

� In 1937, Egypt had a population of about 16 million.

� Foreign influence was still considerable.

� An Egyptian industrial capitalists were growing too.

� An Egyptian middle class were emerging among shopkeepers and civil servants.

� The Capitulations, a drag on the Egyptian economy, was declared null and void in 1937.

� The ratio of Egyptian poor continued to grow, even after independence.

The Failure of Nationalism and Liberal Democracy

� The failure to address the issue of rich and poor and drove many to other ideologies.

� Some even embraced Communism.

� The main weakness for the Communists was their emphasis on Atheism.

� Which won few converts among the Muslim population

� Fascism proved an acceptable alternative.

� As a result a �Young Egypt� movement grew.

The Most Popular Movement

� The movement was totally indigenous to Egypt.

� This was the Society of the Muslim Brothers, aka, the Muslim Brothers.

� Who wanted a return to a true Islamic State.

� They also attacked Christians and Jews.

� They also attacked symbols of Western Culture too.

� Such as motion pictures and female fashions and bars.

� Things un-Islamic.

� Their battle cry was �The Koran is our Constitution.�

The Military Situation

� Like World War I, Egypt in World War II became a main base for the British.

� To attack Italian positions in Ethiopia.

� And protect the Suez Canal from the Italians.

� Popular feelings in Egypt were clearly anti-British.

� Even Farouk and his ministers were attempting to wiggle out of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty in 1936.

� Just as Rommel�s Afrikakorps was posed to strike into Egypt.

Rommel�s Victories

� When it seemed that Rommel might win, popular demonstrations broke out.

� The British ambassador, Sir Miles Lampson, sent tanks to surrounded Farouk�s Palace.

� As well as an ultimatum.

� Either appoint a Wafdist government or abdicate.

� Farouk agreed.

� From this point onward, Farouk turned into a gargantuan monster and playboy.

Background

� Between 1945-1951, Egypt experienced an incredible number of revolts, but no revolution.

� Why?

� Britain was no longer as potent as she had been in the past.

� Many in the West had hoped for a new world order so to speak.

� One that relied on the new United Nations, rather than brute force.

� And Egypt was one of the founding members.

Four Reasons that Explain Why a Revolution was not immediately after World War II

� Britain was no longer feared.

� The prestige of the West grew following the defeat of the Axis.

� The Communists were small and were not an immediate threat in Egypt.

� The Egyptian government adopted Arab Nationalism and redirected the public�s attention from a regime change

Why did this Happen?

� The Egyptians earlier adopted Arab Nationalism as a rallying cry.

� Why now?

� Why not earlier?

� The answer involved the situation that was occurring in Palestine between Arabs and Jews.

� Another element was the call by Nuri al-Sa�id, the Iraqi Premier, 1942 call for an organic union of all Arabic speaking peoples.

The Pan-Arab Dream

� All countries of the Fertile Crescent would be included such as:

The Shattered Dream No. 1

� Not all of the chips were falling for the Egyptians.

� All Egyptians wanted the Sudan returned too.

� The Egyptian government also wanted to reduce the number of British troops in Egypt as well.

� The Egyptians did renegotiate a new treaty which would have removed all British troops except those in the Canal Zone.

� The Egyptians in 1947 took the Sudan issue before the Security Council.

� Claiming that the 1936 Treaty was made under duress.

Being Drawn Into the Palestine Mess

� Egypt was being drawn into the Palestine quagmire less because of the Zionist threat, more to counter other Arab nations who became involved.

� If Egypt abrogated any position on Palestine, then Amir Abdallah of Transjordan would take the leading role.

� King Farouk thought he would be left out if he failed to get involved.

� Farouk did not want to strengthen Abdallah�s hand.

� So in late 1947 when the U.N. agreed on partition, both decided to fight.

The Popular Egyptian Response

� The Muslims Brothers called for a Jihad to free Palestine from the Zionist Colonialists.

� Farouk thought that this would be an essay victory.

� With consulting his cabinet, decided to go to war.

� He didn�t even query his military advisers either.

� The Egyptians were totally unprepared for what had happened.

The Battlefield Record

� The Egyptian Army suffered a crushing defeat.

� Why did this happen?

The Fall of the Old Order

� The defeat in Palestine created the climate for upsurge in anti-democratic feelings among Army officers.

� The government made moves against the Muslim Brothers who they saw as a threat.

� Especially after they assassinated an Egyptian Prime Minister.

� In 1950 the Wafd won and wanted the last British troops in the Nile Valley to leave.

� **The Government then abrogated the 1936 Treaty and then sent in Egyptian Commandos [Fidaiyin] to attack British Troops in late 1951.**

The British Response

� The British attacked and killed over 50 Egyptian Policemen.

� The Egyptians organized a mass riot that burned down much of European Cairo in Jan. 1952.

� No one attempted to stop the rioting and it appeared that the Farouk and his government let it happen.

� It even was speculated the Muslim Brothers were out to gain control.

� This was called �Black Saturday� and indicated that Farouk could no longer govern.

The Coup

� July 23, 1952 the Army seized power.

� The plotters, a group of Army Colonels, used Muhammad Nagib as its front man.

� Neither the U.S. nor the British stopped them.

� Three days later Farouk abdicated.

The Reforms of the Colonels

� Political parties were abolished.

� Parliament was dissolved.

� Military rule would govern until a new political system was in place.

� The officers claimed that the new system would be more democrat than the discredited 1923 Constitution.

� Limited land holding to 200 acres.

� Redistributed all extra land to the poor.

� Soon Nagib, a moderate, was replaced by Col. Gamal Abd al-Nasser.

� The removal and arrest of Nagib damped Western support for the coup.

Nasser the Suez Canal Issue

� The U.S. put considerable pressure on the British to settle.

� John Foster Dulles wanted to bring Egypt into the Baghdad Pact to block the Soviet Union.

� The British agreed to leave the Canal Zone in 1954.

� They could reoccupy the Canal Zone if the Soviets moved into the area.

� The people in the Sudan would decided their fate by plebiscite.

The 1956 Suez Crisis