Gamal Abdel Nasser

(1918-1970)
Born in Alexandria on Jan. 15, 1918. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy, in 1938 he served in the army in Egypt and Sudan. In 1942 he became an instructor in the College of General Staff. In 1948 was sent to the Negev desert to participate in the war against Israel.
July 23, 1952 Nasser, along with members of the organization he created 'Free Officers' coup d'etat carried out and forced King Farouk I to abdicate. In February 1954 Abdel Nasser was ousted by General Naguib as prime minister. In June 1956 in Egypt adopted a new constitution, which states that Egypt Arab Socialist State. The country was introduced one-party system, the official religion of Islam became. In the ensuing presidential elections won the only candidate for the post - Abdel Nasser. The new president has limited private ownership of land, confiscated the surplus land and distributed them among the poor peasants and landless peasants, has made an agreement with Britain on the withdrawal of British troops from the Suez Canal zone.

When Britain and the United States withdrew their proposal to finance the construction of the Aswan Dam, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal Company July 26, 1956. After the Israeli troops invaded the Sinai Peninsula, and British and fratsuzskie virtually destroyed the Egyptian air force military airfields, broke an international crisis. Under intense pressure from American and Soviet occupation forces were forced to leave the Canal Zone, which remains the property of Egypt.

In 1958, Abdel Nasser became president of the United Arab Republic (UAR) - the federation of Egypt and Syria. Syria Out of OAP in 1961 dealt a blow as by the idea of Arab unity, and the prestige of Abdel Nasser. In May 1962 Abdel Nasser announced the program of political, economic and social development in accordance with the principles of 'Arab socialism'.

The conflict with Israel and a defeat in the Six Day War of 1967, Egypt and bled the stalled implementation of plans for economic development. Egypt started the rearmament of the army with the help of the USSR, but the consequences of the conflict to convince Abdel Nasser in the need to achieve peace. Umer Abdul Nasser in Cairo on 28 September 1970.