Weeks 32-35 Modern History IDs

 

The President of Egypt

 

• Born on January 15, 1918 in Alexandria
• Was interested in politics from a young age and that's what he focused on through school
• Was the President of Egypt from 1956 until his death in 1970
• Resigned from presidency in 1967 after a humiliating defeat in the 6 Day War
• Well-known for Arab nationalist and anti-colonial foreign policy
• Seen as a symbol of Arab dignity and freedom even now after his death
• Idealogy named after him: Nasserism
  • major influence on Arab politics in the 1950s and 1960s (died out by now)
  • argued for modernization, industrialization and the abolishment of traditional society
  • very opposed to imperialism
  • major part of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
• Very controversial achievement: Aswan Dam
  • built to aid the then growing economy and reduce the flooding along the Nile
  • created major ecological problems though
• An agreement he made with Britain allowed for complete independence of Egypt (Suez Canal)

 

Nasser (in the middle) with Nikita Khrushchev