September 14, 1952 Anti Nasserist
Dear President Nasser,
You have recently executed two men that were involved in a riot in Kafr el-Dawwar. These men that you have killed were innocent people who stood up for what I thought you did. You said that Egypt was going to change for the better with Farouk gone. You point to us and paste criminal on our actions when it is you that went against the nation. Where is the reform you promised us? It has been nearly two months since the British came and nothing has changed for us. In-fact, Egypt is in a farther declining state then when “they” were here. When we first heard that you sent Ali Mahir to make a civilian government, we thought that we would have more civil rights, better incomes and sanitary conditions in the factories. We patiently waited and kept tell ourselves that it was going to happen very soon. Well, we are tired of waiting and so we had to do something about it. We have refused to work in the factories and we will continue our riots until reform happens. You see these riots as a work of defiance, but they are necessary to illustrate that we will not be fooled by false statements of reform. So you can keep telling us that reform is on its way. We will just continue to revolt until you actually deliver you end of the deal.
Sincerely,
A former believer
March 3, 1953
March 3, 1953 Muhammad Naguib
Today the Revolutionary Command Council voted on the new government for Egypt. The majority including myself choose a dictatorship. Abdel Nasser chose a democracy.He stormed out of the meeting looking very distressed. Now I see where Nasser is going with a democracy; more civil liberties, universal male suffrage and it was also favored by the citizens. The problem is, a democracy will not maintain order or end corruption. We need a strong and decisive leader to rule the government and maintain order. Egypt is in a very fragile state right now so it is important that a government be issued immediately in order to prevent hell from breaking loose. I do agree with Nasser that the only way to convince the people that there is hope.
Today the Revolutionary Command Council voted on the new government for Egypt. The majority including myself choose a dictatorship. Abdel Nasser chose a democracy.He stormed out of the meeting looking very distressed. Now I see where Nasser is going with a democracy; more civil liberties, universal male suffrage and it was also favored by the citizens. The problem is, a democracy will not maintain order or end corruption. We need a strong and decisive leader to rule the government and maintain order. Egypt is in a very fragile state right now so it is important that a government be issued immediately in order to prevent hell from breaking loose. I do agree with Nasser that the only way to convince the people that there is hope.
July 26-November 7, 1956
July 26, 1956 Ysalamir Hassan
Nasser has just nationalized the Suez Canal. He must be really serious about his goal for Pan-Arabism. With Foreign access to the canal banned, we might finally get that economic reform Nasser had promised us. With all the economic trouble Egypt has faced, it must be a relief that Egypt will have a stable economy.
September 18, 1956
Thank to Egypt’s improved educational system I was able to joined the Suez Canal Authority. After seeing the economic growth over the past month, I hope to make a strong income on this job. All I have to do is regulate goods that come in and out of the Suez Canal. Soon I will live the life of the rich.
October 30, 1956
There was panic in the SCA headquarters. News spread that Israel had invaded Egypt and captured the entire Sinai Peninsula. Their intentions are probably related the closing of the Suez Canal. The government said that Cairo and Ismailia; location of SCA head quarters, have the highest risk of invasion. We were forced to clear out of the building and relocate. I am now currently living with my cousin in Port Said. I hope that Egypt’s military are able to stop Israel before they reach Egypt’s major cities.
November 5, 1956
I heard voices yelling from outside. I looked out my cousin’s window and was surprised when I saw hundreds of British soilders parachuting down in Port Said. England must be here for the Canal as well. I fear for the life of my cousin and mine as well. He led me to a small underground bunker that he built under his home. We should be safe down here, I think.
November 6, 1956
It was a hard night in the bunker. Neither my cousin nor I was able to sleep. The loud sounds of gunfire mixed with a twisted feeling of anxiety and fear made it incredibly difficult to rest. After many hours, the guns stopped. I dared to open the bunker door and look outside. When I gazed outside, I didn’t see Port Said, I saw a battle field. Smoke filled the air, bodies lay in the streets and buildings were in ruins.
November 7, 1956
The British Prime minister unexpectedly called the evacuation of all British Soldiers. I am glad that the crisis is over. Though the fighting has come to a stop, this occurrence has put a damper on any hope for Egypt I once had. When will we be able to just live in peace? It seems that the British and Israel will never leave us alone. This is why I have decided to stay in Port Said and quit my job in the SCA. It is too risky for me to keep working there and I do not want to deal with another Suez conflict. I might focus more attention on my education so that I can get a better and less life threatening job.
July 27, 1956
July 27, 1956 Anthony Eden
I am displeased with Egypt’s decision to nationalize the Suez Canal. Nasser has intended to close all foreign trade within the canal. Nasser’s plan is a problem for England’s vital oil trade and must be stopped. Action must be taken in order to win back the canal. Since we do have the support of the United States I have agreed to join the Protocol of Sevres with France and Israel. We have formulated a military plan, Operation Kadesh. That should ensure the capture of the Suez Canal. Israel will first invade the Sinai Peninsula and take over the territory. Britain and France will then give Egypt an ultimatum to stop the fighting in exchange for control of the Canal. If Egypt refuses, we will have no choice but to commence Operation Musketeer. In this case, Britain and France will invade Egypt and forcefully take control of the canal.
Hopefully this action will cause the Egyptian people to overthrow Nasser. I have come to believe that the nationalization of the canal this was an act of Fascism and that Nasser also has secret ties with the Soviets. With Nasser as the most popular figure in the Arab world, this aggression is a potential threat to Western security and cannot be allowed to continue. If Operation Kadesh succeeds,England will regain control of the Suez Canal thus the oil trades will be completely in our control and England will remain a superpower in the Western world.
I am displeased with Egypt’s decision to nationalize the Suez Canal. Nasser has intended to close all foreign trade within the canal. Nasser’s plan is a problem for England’s vital oil trade and must be stopped. Action must be taken in order to win back the canal. Since we do have the support of the United States I have agreed to join the Protocol of Sevres with France and Israel. We have formulated a military plan, Operation Kadesh. That should ensure the capture of the Suez Canal. Israel will first invade the Sinai Peninsula and take over the territory. Britain and France will then give Egypt an ultimatum to stop the fighting in exchange for control of the Canal. If Egypt refuses, we will have no choice but to commence Operation Musketeer. In this case, Britain and France will invade Egypt and forcefully take control of the canal.
Hopefully this action will cause the Egyptian people to overthrow Nasser. I have come to believe that the nationalization of the canal this was an act of Fascism and that Nasser also has secret ties with the Soviets. With Nasser as the most popular figure in the Arab world, this aggression is a potential threat to Western security and cannot be allowed to continue. If Operation Kadesh succeeds,England will regain control of the Suez Canal thus the oil trades will be completely in our control and England will remain a superpower in the Western world.
July 23, 1952
July 23, 1952
We are on the verge of success. The events that transpired on Black Saturday in Cairo have allowed us to retake Egypt. At this very moment, General Muhammad Naguib has led the Free Officers in overthrowing the government. Key buildings that the British have used as governmental strongholds are being occupied and overseen by both General Naguib and General Anwar Sadat. I intended this revolution to be bloodless; so far Naguib has guaranteed that no one has been harmed.
More importantly, we have exiled the villain whose banishment is the center point of the revolution. Farouk, the greedy pig, sat on his mountain of riches while we lived in poverty. He took every bit of wealth we owned. He was the puppet figure of the people of Britain who truly ruled our nation. Farouk has ruined this country’s reputation throughout the world with government scandals and interference in court affairs. He also deserves the full blame for out unspeakably humiliating loss in our war between Egypt and Israel in 1948. Many of us have also have been victim of Farouk’s Kleptomania. Farouk has stolen a ceremonial sword from the Shah of Iran and a pocket watch from Mr. Winston Churchill. Farouk even stooped so low that he began pick pocketing his own citizens.
Britain no longer has any authority in Egypt at this point. All the British have ever brought us was conflict and governmental tension. They were not interested in improving our way of life but used us for cheap labor and trading their goods or repairing their military equipment. The only credit that I can give to the British is defending Egypt from Germany during the World War II, but even this protection is not enough to make up for all the fighting, and killing they have caused in Egypt. Now that the British are gone, all the meaningless fighting can stop and there can be unity in Egypt.
Our newly earned independence will allow us to reform Egypt and create a prosperous society. The poverty that has stricken us because of Farouk’s tyranny will be the first problem that I intend to fix. Wealth will be redistributed to the people, and land will be given back to peasants. We will have an anti-imperial government that will care for the well being of the citizens and resolve problems instead of creating them. The nationalization of the Suez Canal will be spearheading our economic reform which will help us accomplish these reforms. Moreover I intend to bring back this nation’s reputation and fight for nationalism for all Arabs. We are finally free and there is so much that needs to be done. I am optimistic to what the future holds for Egypt. In all my thirdly four years, I have never seen a British free Egypt. I am looking forward to seeing what this is like.
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