January 15
Gamal Abdel-Nasser
Revolutionary Leader of Egypt (1918-1970)
The first real Egyptian ruler of Egypt, the most outstanding national anti-colonialist leader and most
influential advocate of Arab nationalism and unity in the middle of the 20th century, Gamal Abdel-Nasser stands out as a prominent
landmark in Egypt's contemporary history.
His tenure, starting with the liberation of Egypt from British colonialism, liberation movements around
the world and socio-economic development of Egypt and establishment of non-alignment as universally-acknowledged world policy
has been highly eventful and influential on both regional and international levels.
Nasser's rule, with all its achievements and set-backs, has both firmly implanted Egypt in its strategic
position on the world chart and turned the leader into a sort of a legend for generations to come.
Born in Alexandria on January 15, 1918 to a family originating in Beni Morr, Assuit governorate, Nasser
received his secondary education in Alexandria.
At the age of fifteen, he participated in anti-British demonstrations, expressing popular indignation
at colonialism conspiracies with the collusion of the Royal Palace against the freedom of the nation.
When he moved to Cairo, he pursued his patriotic activity and head the executive committee for secondary
school students. In a demonstration against British occupation in November 1935, he received a bullet, which left behind a
scar on his forehead.
In 1938, Nasser graduated from the Royal Military Academy and joined the Infantry Corps at the Manqabad
barracks, Assuit province, where he started to mediate of revolution as a means of changing the deteriorating conditions of
the country.
On February 4, 1942 the British Ambassador, supported by an armed escort, entered the Royal Palace and
forced King Farouq to agree on the formation of a Wafdist government headed by Nahas pasha.
This incident was a departing
point in Nasser's revolutionary thought.
The period from 1942 to 1948 was decisive for both his personal life and the revolution. During this
period, he formed the nucleus of the Free Officers who later led the 1952 Revolution.
His work as an instructor at the Army Staff College gave him an added advantage in enlisting new members
of the movement. In 1948, Britain renounced its mandate over Palestine, which was followed immediately by the declaration
of the state of Israel. Nasser was sent to Palestine to participate in the war staged by the Egyptian and other Arab armies
against Israel.
There, he held the first meeting of the Free Officers. Strongly affected by the defeat of Arab armies
and the scandal, later disclosed, of the supply of faulty arms, in which members of the Palace clique were implicated, Nasser
made up his mind to accelerate the implementation of his plan for the Revolution.
In his book, "From Giza Pyramids to Nasser's", Mathew Renato Bistoni says,"British occupation of Egyptian
territories and the Palestine problems have strongly affected Gamal Abdel-Nasser since he was a child and throughout his military
service. This has led Nasser to believe that it was inevitable that the army should itself take up the national assignment
of salvaging the country from corruption."
Thanks to his organizational and leadership skills, Nasser successfully managed to form the Free Officers
cells within and outside the army, leading ultimately to the success of the July 23, 1952 Revolution.
In 1949, Nasser pursued the secret activity of the Free Officers who issued their first public statement
in November.
In "Nasser's Egypt", Peter Mansfield says, " Egypt has revived a nation, where corruption and deterioration
were rife and almost disconnected it from its past glory. In leading the country, he deliberately endeavoured to left it from
the bottoms of poverty, ignorance, oblivion, neglect and revive the sense of integrity and international identity."
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