The end of empire and the problem of neocolonialism - Anticolonialism and nationalism in the Middle East - Egypt and the Arab leadership

8 important questions on The end of empire and the problem of neocolonialism - Anticolonialism and nationalism in the Middle East - Egypt and the Arab leadership

Who became the leader of the Arab struggle against Western imperialism?

Nasser's Egypt became the leader in the Arab struggle against Western imperialism.

Who was the main symbol of imperialist presence in Egypt?

The main symbol of that imperialist presence in Egypt was British control over the strategically important, and economically profitable, Suez Canal.

What did Nasser do with the Suez Canal?

  • When the US and Britain subsequently withdrew their financial support for Nasser's centerpiece infrastructure project, the massive Aswan Dam, the Egyptian leader announced that the Suez Canal was being nationalized.
  • However, Nasser maintained that foreign shareholders would be compensated and freedom of navigated preserved under Egyptian supervision. 
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Why was nationalizing the canal a bold gamble by Nasser's military government?

Almost two-thirds of Western Europe's oil imports passed through the Canal from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and whoever controlled this potential choke point could inflict serious damage on the economies of an increasingly oil-hungry Europe.

What happened when British and French invaded Egypt?

  • When the British and the French, in alliance with the Israelis, invaded Egypt at the end of October 1956, both superpowers condemned the action and called for a ceasefire resolution at the UN.
  • Although the Israelis had rolled back Egyptian forces in the Sinai while the British and French forces landed at Port Said, the Americans pressured their NATO allies to withdraw, allowing Nasser to snatch an unlikely victory from the jaws of military disaster at the eleventh hour.

How did Nasser intensify the pan-Arab rhetoric?

He now envisioned a future in which an economically potent Egypt led an expansive state that would stretch eastward to the Tigris and Euphrates and involve the removal of the Western-appointed Hashemite monarchs in Jordan and Iraq.

How did the Egypt-Israel conflicts end?

  • After another failed attempt to destroy the state of Israel in 1973, the Egyptian government slowly came to terms with its archenemy, becoming the first Arab country to recognize the State of Israel in 1978.
  • Sadat ended his predecessor's close ties with the Soviets and made Egypt heavily dependent upon American economic and military aid.
  • Considered a traitor by fellow Arab states, Egypt was expelled from the Arab League.

How did Egypt end up in terms of economic stability?

Egypt became the world's second largest recipient of US aid (after Israel), but with an escalating population and rising unemployment, the country had failed to achieve lasting economic and political stability.

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