Gamal Abdel Nasser

Nasser, a highly revered political figurehead in the Arab/Muslim world, was a prominent leader in freeing the Middle East from European control in the mid-fifties. At the time, Egypt felt colonial overtones from Britain and France, and Nasser dedicated himself to its freedom. In 1952, Nasser aided in the organization of a revolt under General Neguib against the Royal Family of Egypt, who citizens felt were tacitly helping Britain extend its influence into the country. Once the general resigned, Nasser, the shoo-in to replace him, succeeded Neguib in 1954. Nasser subsequently directed his efforts not only toward Egypt, but towards other Arab countries as well. Upon speaking out publicly against the two European powers, Nasser gained huge popularity, and used his new notoriety to effect change in domestic and foreign policies within Egypt. The controversy surrounding Nasser was in his decision to request alliance with America’s Cold War Enemy, the USSR, to help finance and engineer a plan to employ hydro-electric power within the nation. Asking America for help was “politically impossible,” as America openly supported Israel. His latest years were spent trying to modernize Egypt’s militant army.