Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Suez Crisis, and Arab Nationalism

Abstract

Egypt, long celebrated as the cradle of civilization, flourished along the Nile River but endured centuries of foreign domination that diminished its cultural prominence. Autonomy briefly resurfaced after Napoleon's 1798 expedition, yet Western imperial control soon prevailed, especially following the construction of the strategically vital Suez Canal. By the early twentieth century, Egypt had become an Arab nation striving for independence. Three milestones marked this process: the establishment of a British-protected monarchy in 1922, the Free Officers' Movement of 1952 that founded the republic, and the 1956 Suez Crisis. The latter, provoked by Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal, ended with the failure of a joint British, French, and Israeli invasion under pressure from both the United States and the Soviet Union. This moment signified Egypt's true independence and a triumph for Arab nationalism. While most studies emphasize Britain's decline or U.S. opposition to the invasion, this paper adopts an Arab-centered perspective. It investigates Egypt's motives for nationalizing the canal and shows how the Suez Crisis elevated President Gamal Abdel Nasser as the leading figure of the Arab world. The discussion highlights economic, social, and political dimensions of how the crisis advanced Nasser's vision of Arab nationalism.