Nasserism

Question 1

what is Arab Nationalism?

Answer 1

-Arabs push for an Arab political unity and one Arab state.
-rooted in the feeling of sharing the same language Arabic and the same Religion Islam.

Question 2

when did the Arab Nationalism grow the most?

Answer 2

-in the 1930s as a result of Jewish immigration to Palestine.

Question 3

what was the main causation of Nasser’s anger towards the western powers?

Answer 3

-in 1942 they insisted that the Egyptian King replace his Prime Minister who they saw as Pro-German to a Pro-British one.
-British troops surrounded the royal palace and the King gave in.

Question 4

what was the main causation for the overthrow of the Egyptian government?

Answer 4

-the 1948-9 war
-Nasser and his Free Officers were appalled by the incompetence of the Egyptian Government in the 1948-9 war.

Question 5

how did the Free Officers manage to overthrow the Government?

Answer 5

-got rid of British troops stationed on the Suez Canal did this peacefully by agreeing with the British Government in 1954, but British still operated the canal.
-overthrew the gov in 1952

Question 6

what was the Bagdad Pact and why was Nasser against it?

Answer 6

-1955 British formed an anti-soviet alliance with Turkey and Iran and tried to persuade Iraq to join.
-Nasser was furious he did not want any Arab state to join and saw it as an instrument of western interference.
-launched a massive propaganda campaign

Question 7

how did Nasser use propaganda?

Answer 7

-through the ‘voice of the Arabs’ radio station, broadcast from Cairo and reached millions in the Arab world.
-radios were set up in cafes and village squares
-Nasser mesmerised people with his speeches and Arab masses responded with enthusiasm.

Question 8

how was egypt aligned under Nasser?

Answer 8

-non-aligned
-1955 Nasser attended the first conference for non-aligned states in Indonesia

Question 9

what events further accelerated Arab-Nationalism?

Answer 9

-the Czech arms deal of 1955
-Suez crisis of 1956
-merging of the states of Egypt and Syria in 1958

Question 10

what was the Czech arms deal?

Answer 10

-September 1955 Nasser announced he had agreed to buy arms from the Czech government.
-in return for cotton and rice Egypt was supplied with weapons.
-on the streets of Damascus, Amman and Bagdad there was rejoicing.

Question 11

what did the west leaving the Suez Canal do?

Answer 11

-Arab cities erupted in anti-western demonstrations and riots, Nasser’s name was chanted and Arab governments came under huge pressure to bring their policies into line with Egypt.
-Jan 1957, ‘Treaty of Arab Solidarity’ signed by Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Question 12

when and what was the UAR?

Answer 12

-February 1958 joining of Syria and Egypt.
-merge of their political and economic systems

Question 13

what was Nasser’s opinion on the UAR?

Answer 13

-not enthusiastic as Syria had no common border with Egypt and had completely different political and economic systems

Question 14

how did the UAR end?

Answer 14

-Nasser had imposed the Egyptian political system and army and government were dominated by Egyptians.
-landowners and businessmen have been resentful as Egypt insisted that Syria carry out land reform by breaking up big estates and redistributing the land to the peasants like Egypt.
-1961 Syrian army officers carried out a coup against the Egyptian forces, who did not intervene.

Question 15

what was Nasser’s political system like?

Answer 15

-he and his free officers had formed a revolutionary command council after they took power in 1952.
-Nasser dominated the government and most of the senior positions were held by army officers.
-Jan 1953 political parties banned, created the national union
-Parliament not abolished but severely limited.

Question 16

what did Nasser think of the Muslim Brotherhood?

Answer 16

-did not consent to Nasser’s rule.
-Nasser feared the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood as it represented an alternative to his national union.

Question 17

what did the Muslim Brotherhood do in 1954?

Answer 17

-Oct 1954 shot at Nasser whilst he was making a speech, Nasser continued to speak and his speech made him even more a champion of the people.
-Nasser then arrested thousands of members and six of them were hanged for their part in the assasination.

Question 18

how did Nasser distribute the land?

Answer 18

-passed a law which limited land-owning to 200 acres per person and was later reduced to 100 acres, confiscated land was then distributed amongst the poorer farmers.

Question 19

what other changes to society did Nasser make?

Answer 19

-built up industry by nationalising the export of cotton, banks, many large industrial companies, transport and the press by 1967.
-expansion of schools and hospitals.
-plans to industrialise Egypt depended on reliable energy sources which was why the Aswan Dam was crucial and its completion was a huge achievement and allowed for over 2000 villages to have electricity by Nasser’s death

Question 20

what caused the conference that created the PLO?

Answer 20

-the Israelis were about to complete a project which would divert 75% of the water from the river Jordan which was a great threat to Syria and Jordan.
-conference of Arab leaders in Jan 1964 led to PLO

Question 21

what did Nasser do in 1966?

Answer 21

-August, signed a peace agreement with Syria which stated that aggression against either state would be considered an attack on the other.

Question 22

when did Nasser resign?

Answer 22

-third evening on the Six-day war

Question 23

evidence that nature of Arab nationalism was opposition to zionism?

Answer 23

-the creation of the state of Israel was opposed throughout the Arab world.
-hatred of zionism led to the invasion of the new state in 1948.
-formation of the PLO in order to liberate Palestine helped sustain Arab nationalism while the wars of 1976 and 1973 helped intensify anti-Israeli and Arab nationalism.

Question 24

evidence that the nature of Arab nationalism was due to opposition to western intervention?

Answer 24

-desire on the part of Nasser and his government to be completely free and independent of the western powers that did the most to fuel the rise of Arab nationalism.
-Nasser’s campaign against the Bagdad pact and his perceived victory over the British and French after the Suez crisis.
-Nasser shared his hatred of western dominance through the voice of the arabs
-created also through the west’s creation of Israel and continued support.