Gamal Abdel Nasser 1918-1970

1. Gamal Abdel Nasser1918-1970 Susan Tarabishi James Byrne

2. Emergence of Nasser • Grievances of poverty, imperialism, and the power of the aristocrats • Did not favor British Army’s rule on Egypt • Peasants were angered at their lack of political representation • Anger towards failure of the Egyptian Army • Anger towards western values influencing Arab culture (Muslim Brotherhood) • Opposition towards Israel because of the way they took Arab land

3. How he gained power • Gained power by force: led government coup d’etatstaged by the Free Officers (1952) • Nasser believed in left-wing politics (communist) • He led via dictatorship • Began to eliminate any ideas that went against his political policies • Told Egyptians to dismiss Western influences • His ideologies were nationalistic • He believed in Islam and the abolition of imperialism

4. The Rule Of Nasser • Provided power for industries, and land reclamation in agriculture through the Aswan High Dam to protect the Nile from overflowing • Led to an increase in crop production • Nationalized the Suez Canal to obtain money • Nasser made Egypt less dependent on Western nations • Established Revolutionary Command Council to secure the military’s hold on government. • Average of living standard was increased • Made education more available for lower classes • Supported the arts of theater, film, and music

5. Education and Propaganda • Nasser used propaganda through the airwaves and Egyptian broadcasting through the Middle East. • Education was offered to both genders and for free.

6. Treatment Towards Minorities • Women achieved an education and worked because Nasser knew that would stimulate the economy. • The Copts faced obstacles and most fled to America because Nasser made Egypt an Islamic nation.

7. Nasser’s Foreign Policy • Lost the six day war with Israel • Entered the Yemen civil war • Strong ties to Communist Soviet Union • Attacked Israel in 1967 only to be defeated

8. Regime’s impact outside the country • Nasser created the United Arab Republic by merging with Syria. He became supreme leader of the Republic. (1958) • Created disputes with Britain, France, and Israel by nationalizing the Suez Canal.

9. Why Nasser..? • He wanted free education for all • Unified Egypt with his strong nationalistic ideas which people loved • Provided more availability of jobs and removed class divisions through land reforms • Improved their quality of life • Gave Egypt back to Egyptians and eliminated Western influence

10. “Compare and contrast the rise to power of one right wing, and one left wing, leader of a single party or authoritarian state.” • Thesis: Although Nasser and Hitler were from completely opposite sides of the political spectrum, the way they both rose to power does result in some similarities. However, it is inevitable that in most cases they do differ. This will be shown through the nature of support they both had, the methods and force they used to gain power, and how they treated the opposition. • Nature of Support: • Hitler: • Mostly gained support from all of Germany…through lies. • Popular among the unemployed, lower class, middle class, workers etc. • Promised that life in Germany would get better • Nasser: • At first only had a small number of supporters • “Free Officers” • Originated in the army…didn’t have a public political organization

11. Similarities: • Both gained support by trying to unite their countries • Hitler: Pure Germans vs. others • Nasser: Egyptians vs. influence from Great Britain in the govt. • Blamed conditions on the previous govt • Hitler: Rallied Germans to blame failure of WWI on Weimar Repub. And conditions in Germany were because of the ToV • Nasser: Blamed corruption on the previous govt for the Egyptian loss in the Arab-Israeli War • Methods/Force used to gain power • Hitler: • Changed the system from within…legally • Used proper governmental procedures from the Weimar Republic • Legal passing of the Enabling Act • Appointed as chancellor legally • Nasser: • Illegal gaining of power • Led a military coup on the previous government. • Changed the system from the outside • Similarities: • Both used violence to establish single party state • Hitler: Reichstag fire-led to arrests of political opponents • Nasser: Crushed Textile Strike (Aug 1952.)- led to arrests of the organizers

12. Treatment of Opposition • Hitler: • Purging of non-aryans (Holocaust) • Purging of own political party (Nigh of the Long Knives) • Nasser: • Didn’t purge and one single group (although country was in a police state) • Still had Elections, although the only people that could run had to be part of the National Union • Similarities: • Both expanded the jurisdiction and power of their police forces (the SS, SA for Hitler…The Egyptian police and the Minister of the Interior for Nasser)

13. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Nasser.htmlhttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Nasser.html • "Gamal Abdel Nasser." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale World History In Context. Web. 6 Jan. 2013.