1956 : NASSER ELECTED PRESIDENT:
On June 23, 1956, 99.95 percent of Egyptian voters mark their ballots
to elect Gamal Abdel Nasser as the first president of the Republic of
Egypt. Nasser, who toppled the Egyptian monarchy in 1952 in a military
coup, was the only presidential candidate on the ballot. In the same
ballot, Nasser's new constitution, under which Egypt became a
one-party socialist state with Islam as the official religion, was
approved by 99.8 percent of voters.
Gamal Abdel Nasser was born in Alexandria in 1918. As a youth, he
participated in demonstrations against British rule in Egypt. After
secondary school, he studied at a law college for several months and
then entered the Royal Military Academy. In 1938, he graduated as a
second lieutenant. While serving in the Sudan during World War II, he
helped found a secret revolutionary organization, the Free Officers,
whose members sought to overthrow the Egyptian royal family and oust
the British. In 1948, Nasser served as a major in the first
Arab-Israeli war and was wounded in action.
On July 23, 1952, Nasser led 89 other Free Officers in an army coup
that deposed the regime of King Farouk. A new government was formed by
the Nasser-led Revolutionary Command Council, of which Major General
Muhammad Naguib was the figurehead leader. In 1954, Nasser emerged
from behind the scenes, removed Naguib from power, and proclaimed
himself prime minister of Egypt. For the next two years, Nasser ruled
as an effective and popular leader and promulgated a new constitution
that made Egypt a socialist Arab state, consciously nonaligned with
the prevalent communist and democratic-capitalist systems of the Cold
War world. On June 23, 1956, Egyptian voters overwhelming approved the
new constitution and Nasser's presidency.
One month later, President Nasser faced a major crisis when the United
States and Great Britain reversed their decision to finance a high dam
on the Nile River in light of an Egyptian arms agreement with the
USSR. In response, Nasser nationalized the British and French-owned
Suez Canal, intending to use tolls to pay for his high dam project. At
the end of October 1956, Israel, Britain, and France attacked Egypt in
a joint operation. The Suez Canal was occupied, but Soviet and U.N.
pressure forced Israel, Britain, and France to withdraw, and the Suez
Canal was left in Egyptian hands in 1957.
The episode greatly enhanced Nasser's prestige in the Arab world, and
in 1958 he oversaw the unification of Egypt and Syria as the United
Arab Republic, of which he became president. He dreamed of bringing
all the Arab world into the United Arab Republic, but in 1961 Syria
withdrew from the entity following a military coup, leaving Egypt
alone. From 1962 to 1967, Egypt intervened in a civil war in Yemen on
behalf of the anti-royalists.
In 1967, increased Arab-Israeli tension led Egypt to mobilize its
forces and demand the withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers from Egypt's
Sinai Peninsula. Egypt and five other Arab nations prepared for a
united strike against Israel, but Israel preempted the attack,
beginning the Six-Day War with the destruction of Egypt's air force on
June 5. Egypt and the other Arab belligerents were decisively
defeated, and Israeli forces captured all the Sinai and crossed the
Suez Canal. In the aftermath of the military disaster, Nasser
attempted to resign, but popular demonstrations and a vote of
confidence by the Egyptian National Assembly persuaded him to remain
in office. After the Six-Day War, Nasser accepted greater Soviet
military and economic aid, compromising Egypt's status as a
"nonaligned" state, such as Josip Broz Tito's Yugoslavia or Jawaharlal
Nehru's India.
In July 1970, the Aswan High Dam was completed with Soviet assistance,
providing a major boost to the Egyptian economy. Two months later,
Nasser died of a heart attack in Cairo. He was succeeded by Anwar
el-Sadat, a fellow Free Officer. Despite his military defeats, Nasser
was a consistently popular leader during his 18 years in power. His
economic policies and land reforms improved the quality of life for
many Egyptians, and women were granted many rights during his tenure.
His ascendance ended 2,300 years of rule by foreigners, and his
independent policies won him respect not just in Egypt but throughout
the world.
history.com/tdih.do
1959 : Klaus Fuchs released
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5117
1992 : Teflon Don sentenced to life
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5118
#########################################
On June 23, 1956, 99.95 percent of Egyptian voters mark their ballots
to elect Gamal Abdel Nasser as the first president of the Republic of
Egypt. Nasser, who toppled the Egyptian monarchy in 1952 in a military
coup, was the only presidential candidate on the ballot. In the same
ballot, Nasser's new constitution, under which Egypt became a
one-party socialist state with Islam as the official religion, was
approved by 99.8 percent of voters.
Gamal Abdel Nasser was born in Alexandria in 1918. As a youth, he
participated in demonstrations against British rule in Egypt. After
secondary school, he studied at a law college for several months and
then entered the Royal Military Academy. In 1938, he graduated as a
second lieutenant. While serving in the Sudan during World War II, he
helped found a secret revolutionary organization, the Free Officers,
whose members sought to overthrow the Egyptian royal family and oust
the British. In 1948, Nasser served as a major in the first
Arab-Israeli war and was wounded in action.
On July 23, 1952, Nasser led 89 other Free Officers in an army coup
that deposed the regime of King Farouk. A new government was formed by
the Nasser-led Revolutionary Command Council, of which Major General
Muhammad Naguib was the figurehead leader. In 1954, Nasser emerged
from behind the scenes, removed Naguib from power, and proclaimed
himself prime minister of Egypt. For the next two years, Nasser ruled
as an effective and popular leader and promulgated a new constitution
that made Egypt a socialist Arab state, consciously nonaligned with
the prevalent communist and democratic-capitalist systems of the Cold
War world. On June 23, 1956, Egyptian voters overwhelming approved the
new constitution and Nasser's presidency.
One month later, President Nasser faced a major crisis when the United
States and Great Britain reversed their decision to finance a high dam
on the Nile River in light of an Egyptian arms agreement with the
USSR. In response, Nasser nationalized the British and French-owned
Suez Canal, intending to use tolls to pay for his high dam project. At
the end of October 1956, Israel, Britain, and France attacked Egypt in
a joint operation. The Suez Canal was occupied, but Soviet and U.N.
pressure forced Israel, Britain, and France to withdraw, and the Suez
Canal was left in Egyptian hands in 1957.
The episode greatly enhanced Nasser's prestige in the Arab world, and
in 1958 he oversaw the unification of Egypt and Syria as the United
Arab Republic, of which he became president. He dreamed of bringing
all the Arab world into the United Arab Republic, but in 1961 Syria
withdrew from the entity following a military coup, leaving Egypt
alone. From 1962 to 1967, Egypt intervened in a civil war in Yemen on
behalf of the anti-royalists.
In 1967, increased Arab-Israeli tension led Egypt to mobilize its
forces and demand the withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers from Egypt's
Sinai Peninsula. Egypt and five other Arab nations prepared for a
united strike against Israel, but Israel preempted the attack,
beginning the Six-Day War with the destruction of Egypt's air force on
June 5. Egypt and the other Arab belligerents were decisively
defeated, and Israeli forces captured all the Sinai and crossed the
Suez Canal. In the aftermath of the military disaster, Nasser
attempted to resign, but popular demonstrations and a vote of
confidence by the Egyptian National Assembly persuaded him to remain
in office. After the Six-Day War, Nasser accepted greater Soviet
military and economic aid, compromising Egypt's status as a
"nonaligned" state, such as Josip Broz Tito's Yugoslavia or Jawaharlal
Nehru's India.
In July 1970, the Aswan High Dam was completed with Soviet assistance,
providing a major boost to the Egyptian economy. Two months later,
Nasser died of a heart attack in Cairo. He was succeeded by Anwar
el-Sadat, a fellow Free Officer. Despite his military defeats, Nasser
was a consistently popular leader during his 18 years in power. His
economic policies and land reforms improved the quality of life for
many Egyptians, and women were granted many rights during his tenure.
His ascendance ended 2,300 years of rule by foreigners, and his
independent policies won him respect not just in Egypt but throughout
the world.
history.com/tdih.do
1959 : Klaus Fuchs released
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5117
1992 : Teflon Don sentenced to life
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5118
#########################################
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