On this day in ...... 1952, revolution broke out in Egypt as military officers seized control. Within days, deposed King Farouk I would go into exile, the monarchy would be abolished, and a republic declared. General Mohammed Naguib was its 1st President, though he'd be replaced within 2 years by another officer, Gamal Abdel Nasser. The website of the National Archives of Egypt attributes the 1952 takeover to "[p]olitical, economic and social circumstances in Egypt during the late 1940s and the early 1950s, in addition to Egypt's defeat at war in Palestine (1948) ..." In curious contrast is this New York Times commentary, published as the coup unfolded; it treated the news as further evidence of "[t]he violent cross-currents of nationalism, religious fanaticism and revolt against political incompetence and corruption that sweep through the Middle East ..." Today remains a national holiday, Revolution Day, in Egypt.
(Prior July 23 posts are here, here, and here.)
