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Gamal Abdel Nasser was the President of Egypt from 1956 until his death in 1970.

At the age of eleven he began attending the Ras-el-Tin secondary school in

Alexandria, and he attended his first political demonstration while still at school. At
that demonstration, Nasser was hit in the face by a police baton.

He was then arrested and temporarily detained. Nasser’s political involvement lasted
throughout his school career, and became such a dominant part of his life that during
his last year of secondary school, Nasser “spent only forty-five days actually in
school”. During that same period, 1935-1936, Nasser was elected chairman of a
committee of Cairo secondary school students interested in Egyptian political reform.
Then, in March 1937, Nasser was admitted to the Egyptian Military Academy and,
temporarily, abandoned his political activities in favor of studying to become an army
officer.

World War II

In 1939, shortly after graduating and being commissioned in the army, Nasser and a
friend volunteered to serve in Sudan where they arrived shortly before the outbreak of
World War II. During the war, Nasser and Anwar Sadat, another friend and political
ally, established contact with agents of the Axis powers, particularly several Italian
ones and planned a coup to coincide with an Italian offensive that would expel the
British forces from Egypt; however, the plan was never executed. During the war,
Nasser also began forming a group of other young military officers with strong
Egyptian nationalist feelings that supported some form of revolution.

At the end of WWII, Nasser had no combat experience, having never been stationed
on an actual battlefield; he would gain battle experience during the 1948 Arab-Israeli
War, capturing an area called the Faluja Pocket and its surrounding. After WWII, he
secured a post as an instructor at the Military Academy in Cairo. For the next several
years, Nasser worked to organize his group of other reform minded officers and
recruit new members. After 1949, this group adopted the name “Free Officers”, and
“talked of ... freedom and the restoration of their country’s dignity”.

Revolution

By 1952, "Egypt was ripe for revolution." Nasser and the Free Officers seized on this
situation to launch a coup on July 23, 1952. That night, the Free Officers seized
control of all government buildings, radio stations, police stations, and the army
headquarters in Cairo. The coup installed General Muhammad Naguib, a hero from
the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, as President. In an important move, the newly installed
government immediately assured Britain that it would respect British citizens and
property in Egypt, greatly diminishing the possibility of intervention against the coup.
Nasser and his fellow revolutionaries also bowed to American pressure by allowing
the deposed King Farouk and his family to “leave Egypt unharmed and ‘with
honour’”.

After assuming power, Nasser and the Free Officers were not interested in
undertaking the day to day administration of the Egyptian government. Thus, the Free
Officers passed power to Ali Maher, a long-time political insider, whom they

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appointed as Prime Minister. The Free Officers then formed the Egyptian
Revolutionary Command Council, which constituted the real power in Egypt, with
Naguib as chairman and Nasser as vice-chairman. However, the Revolutionary
Council actually had strong ideological notions, and Maher was forced to resign on
September 7, 1952 because he refused to support agrarian reform laws proposed by
the Council. At that time, Naguib assumed full leadership as the new Prime Minister.

Conflict with Naguib

In June 1953, with land reform fully underway, Naguib announced the official
abolition of the Egyptian monarchy and proclaimed himself President of the Republic
of Egypt. After the establishment of the republic, Naguib and Nasser began to come
into conflict with each other. These troubles culminated in Naguib’s resignation on
February 23, 1954 from his posts as both President and Prime Minister. The
Revolutionary Command Council then “joyfully...proclaimed Nasser as Prime
Minister”; however, they selected no President at that time. Next, the Revolutionary
Command Council placed Naguib under house arrest, hoping to prevent any chance
that he would return to power.

The Revolutionary Command Council had overstepped its popular support in dealing
with Naguib, and large numbers of citizens joined protests demanding that he be
reinstated. As a result of these demonstrations, a sizable group within the
Revolutionary Command Council demanded that Nasser allow Neguib to return to the
Presidency and then hold free elections to select a new President and Prime Minister.
Nasser was forced to agree and Naguib reassumed the Presidency. Several days later,
Nasser was forced to resign as Prime Minister in favor of Naguib, effectively
destroying all progress that Nasser had made towards leadership.

Leader of Egypt

Although it gave him no permanent position, Nasser did use his brief time as Prime
Minister to “purge... pro-Naguib elements in the army”, and over the next eight
months he gradually forced Naguib from power. Finally, in October 1954, Nasser
formally removed Naguib from power and established himself as the effective leader
of Egypt. Nasser remained in power over Egypt for the next fifteen years with no
major domestic challenges to his power.

Nasser's place in the Egyptian national consciousness was secured following the
failed assassination attempt of October 26, 1954 and his own defiant response in the
immediate aftermath. During a speech in Manshia Square, Alexandria, a volley of
shots rang out. Unharmed, Nasser was heard shouting his defiance over the screams
of the crowd. This event provided the final pretext for the removal of Naguib on the
grounds of his supposed collaboration with the Muslim Brotherhood who were
accused of the failed attempt. In the immediate aftermath numerous members of the
Brotherhood were rounded up, Mahmoud Abdul Latif was found guilty of the attempt
and the Brotherhood was, to all intents and purposes, crushed. There have
subsequently been claims that the whole event was stage managed by Nasser and his
supporters. Claims say that Nasser put Naguib under house arrest for years as he
doubted Naguib's loyalty to him and his supporters. As he also had doubts about

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Naguib taking sides with the British military and against Nasser, Naguib continued
under house arrest through Sadat's rule and was released early in Mubarak's rule.

Domestic Policy

The New Constitution

The story of Egypt's new constitution confirmed this view. The new charter which
was announced on January 16 was the government's second attempt to replace
arbitrary rule with constitutional government. A previous draft constitution, which had
been framed by a commission of distinguished jurists and other experts, was rejected
by the government. The substitute version published in January greatly strengthens
the powers of the President of the Republic at the expense of the Legislature.
Accordingly, the chief executive is to be elected for a period of six years and may be
re-elected. He is to be nominated by a simple majority vote of the National Assembly
and elected by a plebiscite. As part of his executive power, he is given the right to
dissolve the Assembly, as well as to propose, approve, and veto new laws. His veto
may be over-ridden by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.

The new constitution envisages free democratic elections. However, the old political
parties have been dissolved and the formation of new ones is prohibited. Candidates
for the first five-year term of the National Assembly were chosen exclusively from the
lists of the single party, the Liberation Rally, now called the National Union, which is
controlled by President Nasser's henchmen. The constitution nominally protects the
citizen from arbitrary arrest, but in 1956 the Minister of the Interior was given the
power for a 10-year period to arrest anybody charged with counter-revolutionary
activity and to order his confinement at administrative discretion. The rights of free
speech and free press are guaranteed under the new charter and, on June 19, Nasser
announced that the state of martial law which had been imposed at the beginning of
the revolution was ended and that press censorship would be lifted. However,
Egyptian publications continue to be tightly controlled by the government. Press
cables sent abroad must pass the censorship office and are screened for unfavorable
news. The new Egyptian constitution in its preamble proclaims as its objectives "the
eradication of imperialism, the extinction of feudalism, the destruction of capitalistic
influence, and the establishment of a strong national army, of social justice, and of a
sound democratic society." It declares Egypt to be a sovereign Arab state with Islam
as its religion and Arabic as the official language of the country.

On June 24, a plebiscite was held to ratify the new constitution and was
overwhelmingly approved. Of a population of almost 22,000,000, a total of 5,697,467
persons registered and 5,488,225 or 99.8 per cent voted in favor of the new charter.
Only 10,045 voted "No." At the same time, Premier Nasser was elected president by a
still greater majority. He received 5,496,965 ballots or 99.9 per cent of the total vote.
Those who marked their ballots with a red circle approved Premier Nasser's election
to the Presidency of the Republic. A new election law, promulgated in March, made
voting compulsory for all men and gave to the Egyptian women their option of voting.
However, only 150,000 Egyptian women voted. The new election law, therefore, did
little to improve the position of Egyptian women in public life and at home where,
until now, their status has been little better than that of chattels.

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A few days later, after his election as president, Nasser reshuffled his cabinet and
replaced several military members with civilians. On this occasion, he bestowed on
eight of his military associates the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile, Egypt's
highest decoration.

Growing Opposition

The opposition to Nasser's regime inside Egypt was high during the period from
1962-1967. The economic decline under Nasser's last years as well as the suppression
of the opposition increased his unpopularity between the educated class and the Al-
Azhar University religious scholars. Two of the Al-Azhar Grand Imams were forced
to resign because of their opposition to the regime. In 1961, Nasser issued a new Al-
Azhar Law, limiting the power of the Al-Azhar Imams and giving the government
power to appoint the Grand Imam instead of having him elected by the Al-Azhar
scholars.

In 1969, after a group of reformers and critics of the regime’s authoritarianism won an
election for the board of the Egyptian Judges Club, the direct challenge posed by the
vocal judicial leadership proved intolerable to Nasser regime. Nasser responded with
a series of measures subsequently referred to as the “massacre of the judiciary,”
including the dismissal of over a hundred sitting judges.

Economy

The Egyptian economy was dominated by private capital until the revolution of 1952,
which replaced the monarchy with a republic. The new government began to
reorganize the economy along socialist lines in the late 1950s. The state played an
increasing role in economic development through its management of the agricultural
sector after the land reforms of 1952 and 1961. These reforms limited the amount of
land an individual or family could own. In the early 1960s the government
nationalized much of the industrial, financial, and commercial sectors of the economy.

Egyptian industry progressed very much during Nasser's rule. Capital Investment in
industry and mining increased considerably. The National Production Council
allocated the equivalent of $36,700,000 in 1954-1955 and $55,100,000 in 1955-1956
for developing electric power, industry, and mining. Private local investment, as
reported by the Federation of Egyptian Industries, rose from $8,500,000 in 1953 to
$18,000,000 in 1954. Foreign investment amounted to $2,000,000 in 1954, including
$1,800,000 in the petroleum industry.

There was also considerable growth in industrial production. Electricity consumption

increased from 978,000,000 kW in 1952 to 1,339,000,000 kW in 1954. The cotton
yarn output increased from 49,200 to 64,400 tons, and cotton fabric output increased
from 157,800,000 meters to 240,900,000 meters. Cement production reached a new
high of almost 1,500,000 tons.

In the 50's, Several important power projects were under construction. Their total
ultimate cost had been estimated at $166,000,000. The Talkha station had a capacity
of 42,500 kW and supplied electricity to the Northern Nile region. The Northern Cairo
station operated at a capacity of 60,000 kW. The Southern Cairo station, was planned

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to have a capacity of 120,000 kW. A thermal plant at El Tabinne was also planned,
with a capacity of 45,000 kW used gases released from the projected steel factory of
Helwan. Ongoing construction on the proposed Aswan Dam hydroelectric project
aiming at a capacity of 345,000 kW which would supply energy to a nitrogen fertilizer
plant. This plant, was to ba a major source of artificial fertilizer for Egyptian
agriculture and was supposed to produce 370,000 tons of nitrate annually by 1960.

On the other hand, construction of the giant steel mill at Helwan, 20 miles south of
Cairo, was proceeding very slowly. It was supposed to have an initial output capacity
of 220,000 tons of steel. The plant was scheduled to start operation in 1957, but
construction work had been lagging behind considerably because of engineering
difficulties in the location chosen.

Egypt's petroleum refining industry produced approximately 2,203,000 tons in refined

products in 1956, but Egyptian domestic consumption amounted to 3,410,000 tons.
There had been reports of new petroleum reserves discovered in the Sinai Peninsula
and in the Suez desert at that period.

In 1955, the country had a large deficit in its foreign trade balance, amounting to
$126,000,000 as compared to $63,000,000 in the preceding year. As a result of this
unfavorable trade balance, Egypt's gold and currency reserves dwindled rapidly,
falling from $732,000,000 in 1954 to $594,000,000 in August 1956. The blocking of
Egypt's sterling accounts abroad, after Nasser's seizure of the Suez Canal, aggravated
the currency situation. In 1955, Egypt's balance of payments showed a deficit of
$95,200,000. However, during the first half of 1956, Egypt increased its exports to
$255,000,000 as compared to $186,000,000 during the corresponding period of 1955
and accordingly reduced its deficit to $40,880,000 as compared with $51,530,000 in
1955.

Egypt continued to spend lavishly on the modernization of its armed forces. The
Egyptian budget for the year 1955-1956 foresaw an outlay of £75,400,000
($216,000,000) for defense as compared to £53,000,000 ($152,000,000) in 1954-
1955. The Egyptian army of 200,000 had 50,000 first class combat troops.

Land Reform

Financial hurdles have considerably delayed the progress of the much publicized land
reform which was the cornerstone of President Nasser's social program. The land
reform as promulgated by the Revolutionary Command Council in 1952 proposed two
basic steps to improve the lot of the Egyptian peasant:

1. dramatic reduction of agricultural rents

2. expropriation of all landed property-holdings above 200 feddâns (1
feddân = 1.038 acres)

By the end of 1955, of the total of 567,000 feddâns subject to sequestration, 415,000
feddâns had been expropriated by the government. However, only a part of this land
has been distributed among the small landholders, and the government held most of
the expropriated land. By the end of the year 1955, 261,000 feddâns had been
reallocated from the government reserve. In addition, 92,000 feddâns had been sold

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by large to small landowners just prior to the requisition. The government was
attempting to organize the beneficiaries of this plan in cooperatives and also to
continue the maintenance of the existing irrigation and drainage systems. The land
reform of the revolutionary government had undoubtedly benefited the Egyptian
peasantry. An Egyptian government source estimated that the new farmers have
doubled their incomes, and that setting a limit on rents has reduced the total amount of
land rent by $196,000,000.".[citation needed](Citation Needed....other than from a
government source...this appears to be a political statement)

Foreign Policy

Relationship with the Soviet Union

The Suez Crisis also drove Egypt into a closer relationship with the Soviet Union.[24]
As a part of this new relationship, the Soviets agreed to provide approximately one-
third of the cost of the Aswan High Dam and provided four hundred technicians to aid
in the construction.[25] Construction of the dam began on January 1, 1960[26] and was
completed in 1970. Its reservoir was named Lake Nasser, honoring Nasser. As it was
hoped, the dam was able to produce substantial electric power, 2.1 gigawatts, and is
still standing today.[27]

The Aswan Dam was not the only result of the Egyptian relationship with the USSR.
As a result of Soviet influence and domestic factors, Nasser gradually began to move
Egypt toward a socialist economic system, at least somewhat shaped by Marxism-
Leninism. By 1962, this had led to a minimum 51% government ownership of
virtually all Egyptian business.[28] During his official visit to Egypt on May 9-26,
1964, Nikita Khrushchev awarded Nasser the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union and
the Order of Lenin.[29]

Most historians agree that Egypt under Nasser never truly reached socialism, and
under Nasser’s successor, Anwar Sadat, the economy moved back to a more firmly
capitalist system.[30]

Suez Canal

Shortly before his full assumption of power, Nasser signed an agreement with Britain
that provided for the withdrawal of all British uniformed military personnel from the
Suez Canal Zone, although a small civilian force was allowed to temporarily remain.
This agreement finally gave Egypt true full independence and ended tensions between
Britain and Egypt.[31] Shortly after the treaty with the British, Nasser won forty million
dollars in combined financial aid for economic development from the British and
Americans.[32]

The next year, 1955, the United States promised fifty-six million dollars, along with
two-hundred million dollars through the World Bank, to aid in financing the
construction of the Aswan High Dam[33] [1], which Nasser and his allies had begun
planning shortly after the revolution. The planned dam would create the largest man-
made lake in the world, generate electric power for much of Egypt, provide water for
irrigation, and control flooding along the Nile River.[34] In September 1955 Nasser
shocked the West by signing an arms deal with the Eastern bloc country

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Czechoslovakia. Consequently, in July 1956, the Western Powers retracted their

financial offers, forcing Nasser to search for alternate methods to finance the dam.[35]
On July 26, as part of a plan to raise money for the dam, and as a powerful reminder
to the west that Egypt would do as it pleased, Nasser announced the nationalization of
the Suez Canal.[36]

Nasser realized that the nationalization of the canal would provoke a strong reaction
from the West, especially Britain and France that had major shareholdings of the Suez
Canal. However, Nasser believed that Britain would not be able to intervene militarily
for at least two months after the announcement, and dismissed Israeli action as
“impossible”.[37] In early October, the United Nations Security Council met on the
matter of the Suez Canal and adopted a resolution recognizing Egypt’s right to control
the canal as long as it continued to allow passage through it for foreign ships.[38] After
this agreement, “Nasser estimated that the danger of invasion had dropped to 10 per
cent”.[39]

France approached Israel and Britain secretly with a plan to gain control over the Suez
Canal. The plan was that Israel would finally counter attack the daily attacks on her
from the Egyptian controlled Gaza strip. The Israelis were to seize the Sinai Peninsula
and when they reached the Suez Canal British and French forces would enter as a
buffer zone between the two countries and thus retake control over the Suez Canal.
On October 29, Israeli forces moved into the Sinai Peninsula, and on October 31, a
joint force from Britain and France entered the Canal Zone. President Eisenhower,
however, was enraged by this secret plan he was not aware of, and the American
government urged the three nations to withdraw their forces. On November 5, 1956,
the Soviet Union issued an ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of all-foreign forces
from Egypt. Britain, France, and Israel complied, after Britain was forced "into a
corner" by the United States threat of destabilizing the British economy and gradually
removed their forces, ending what became known as the Suez Crisis.[40] Nasser was
perceived as the hero and winner, this heightened his status as the leader of the Arab
world.

Yemen War and Six Day War

Nasser had wanted a regime change in Yemen since 1957. Seeing an opportunity, he
finally put his desires into motion in January 1962 by giving the Free Yemen
Movement office space, financial support, and radio air time. Nasser saw
opportunities in Yemen to settle a score with the Saudi royal family, who Nasser felt
had undermined his union with Syria. Ambassador Ahmed Abu-Zeid, who served as
Egypt's ambassador to Royalist Yemen from 1957 to 1961, warned Egyptian officials
in Cairo that the Yemeni tribes were difficult and had no sense of loyalty or
nationalism. The Ambassador was against sending Egyptian combat forces, arguing
that only money and equipment be sent to the Yemeni Free Officers. Abu Zeid warned
that the Saudis would flood Yemen with money to combat Egyptian presence and turn
the revolution in Saudi Arabia's favor. Nasser refused Abu-Zeid's ideas and was
adamant about the need to protect the Arab nationalist movement in Yemen with
Egyptian military force.

Nasser was convinced that a regiment of Egyptian Special Forces and a wing of
fighter-bombers would be able to secure the Yemeni Republican coup d'etat. Within

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three months of sending troops to Yemen, Nasser realized that this would require a
larger commitment than anticipated. By early 1963, he would begin a four-year quest
to extricate Egyptian forces from Yemen, using an unsuccessful face-saving
mechanism, only to find himself committing more troops. A little less than 5,000
troops were sent in October 1962. Two months later, Egypt had 15,000 regular troops
deployed. By late 1963, the number was increased to 36,000; and in late 1964, the
number rose to 50,000 Egyptian troops in Yemen. Late 1965 represented the high-
water mark of Egyptian troop commitment in Yemen at 55,000 troops, which were
divided into 13 infantry regiments of one artillery division, one tank division and
several Special Forces as well as paratroop regiments. Egypt paid a very high price in
the Yemen war and the Egyptian army sustained high losses during this war.

After the USSR informed Nasser of Israeli plans to attack Syria, Nasser, under
pressure from the Arab world, sought to use the situation to boost his declining
popularity. He sought the re-militarization of the Sinai peninsula and demanded that
UNEF evacuate the Sinai, a request with which UN Secretary-General U Thant
complied. Nasser then began to re-militarize the Sinai. On May 23, he closed the
Straits of Tiran, through which Israel had gained access after the 1956 war, to Israeli
shipping, blockading the Israeli port of Eilat at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba,
Israel's only access to the Indian Ocean. The closure was considered by Israel to be a
casus belli.

During this period, Nasser continually stated his intention to attack Israel, and
declared that other Arab nations should support him. Israel responded preemptively to
the imminent attack in what became known as the Six Day War. The first wave of
attacks by the Israeli air force destroyed most of the Egyptian air forces on the
ground. A withdrawal order was issued by the defense minister Abdel Hakim Amer
which was a disaster to the Egyptian troops. Most of the Egyptian losses were during
this withdrawal. The loss in the Six Day War was one of the most disastrous political
blows in Egyptian history and a humiliation to the leaders and people of Egypt. Abdel
Hakim Amer tried to overthrow Nasser in a couple of days after the war ended but he
failed and was forced to commit suicide by taking poison.[41]

Arab Leader

With his rhetoric and the Suez success, Nasser developed a following throughout the
Arab world, inspiring "Nasserist" political parties dedicated to Arab unity. Many saw
Nasser as the leader of the Arab world, representing a new, defiant era in Arabic
politics.

Nasser's policies became associated with Pan-Arabism, which promoted aggressive

action by Arab states to confront the "imperialist" West, and urged that the resources
of the Arab states should be used for the benefit of the Arab people and not the West.
In a 1967 speech, Nasser declared, "We can achieve much by Arab action, which is a
main part of our battle. We must develop and build our countries to face the challenge
of our enemies."

In 1958, Syrian military and civilian leaders requested a merger of Syria and Egypt.
Somewhat surprised by the sudden request and unsure as to whether the time was
ripe, Nasser nevertheless agreed and the United Arab Republic came into being. Many

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saw it as the first step towards the establishment of a pan-Arab state. Attempts were
also made to include Yemen. However, the UAR was not a success; In Syria, Egyptian
bureaucrats and officers were seen as acting dictatorially, and the rapidly expanded
secret police harshly repressed opposition groups including the Muslim Brotherhood
and the Syrian Communist Party. Meanwhile, the Syrian bourgeoisie did not gain the
access to Egyptian markets that it had hoped for. Discontent among the Syrian
bourgeoisie and officer corps led to secessionists taking control in Damascus, and the
UAR was dissolved in 1961, although Egypt continued to use the name until 1971.
Egyptian intervention in Yemen involved the UAR in a bloody civil war in that
country.

Resignation and aftermath

The humiliating defeat in the Six-Day War was so devastating that it compelled a
domestic political reaction. On the evening of June 9, 1967 Nasser's resignation
statement was broadcast live on Egyptian television and radio, in which Nasser
declared that he was leaving the office of president to his then vice president Zakaria
Mohieddin.

"I have taken a decision with which I need your help. I have decided to withdraw
totally and for good from any official post or political role, and to return to the ranks
of the masses, performing my duty in their midst, like any other citizen. This is a time
for action, not grief... My whole heart is with you, and let your hearts be with me.
May God be with us – hope, light and guidance in our hearts."

No sooner was the statement broadcast, however, than millions were pouring into the
streets in mass demonstrations not only in Egypt but in streets across the Arab World.
Their rejection of Abdel-Nasser's speech was expressed in a battle cry: "We shall
fight".As a consequence, Nasser led Egypt through the War of Attrition in 1969-1970.

In 1969, after a group of reformers and critics of the regime’s authoritarianism won an
election for the board of the Egyptian Judges' Club, the direct challenge posed by the
vocal judicial leadership proved intolerable to the Nasser regime. Nasser responded
with a series of measures subsequently referred to as the “massacre of the judiciary,”
including the dismissal of over a hundred sitting judges [5].

Death and Funeral

Nasser died of a heart attack on September 28, 1970 at the conclusion of a meeting in
Cairo of leaders of Arab countries regarding Israel[42] and of the Black September in
Jordan. He suffered from hemochromatosis, or Bronze diabetes, a hereditary disease
related to excessive iron in the body.

Because of his ability to motivate nationalistic passions, as a testament to what one

would call the future of his influence, "men, women and children wept and wailed in
the streets"[43] after hearing of his death. His funeral on October 1 was one of the
largest in history, attended by an estimated five million people. The six-mile
procession to his burial site began at the Revolutionary Command Council with MIG-
21 jet fighters flying overhead. Emotions, which included telecasters crying on the air,
boiled over in the 80-degree heat as thousands swarmed the soldiers who were

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carrying the coffin and began what was described as "the people's procession". Sadat,
who had been interim President following Nasser's death, was officially selected to
succeed him on October 5.

Legacy

Nasserism

Nasser's legacy is much debated even today in the Arab World. For many people, he
was a leader who reformed his country and re-established Arab pride both inside and
outside it. Thus, many argue that Nasser freed Egypt from European domination and
reformed its economy through his agrarian reform, projects such as the Aswan High
Dam, and his moves towards greater government economic involvement. But others
see his policy as one of forceful militarism that led Egypt to grave defeats and losses
rather than peace and prosperity. In addition, Nasser's suppression of the political
opposition and the massive expansion of the police and security apparatuses left a
legacy of political repression exploited by his successors until the present. Nasser's
role in the Six Day War, which led to tremendous losses for the Arab states, tarnished
his legacy and reduced his power in the Middle East. In the last years of his rule,
Nasser came to rely increasingly on aid from the Soviet Union.

On the other hand, Nasser's role in modernising Egypt's education system - making
education freely available to the poorer masses, and his avid support of the arts, such
as the theater, the film and music industries, as well as literature, is seen as having a
positive impact on Egypt and the Arab world as a whole.

Aswan Dam

One of the most controversial of Nasser's achievements is the creation of the Aswan
Dam and the eponymous lake in southern Egypt. Built to provide electricity for heavy
industry and reduce the risk of flooding along the Nile River, the dam submerged
most of Nubia's archeological remains (except the ones saved by UNESCO). It also
created major ecological problems. The lake's huge surface lets a significant part of
the Nile's water evaporate in vain, while the dam prevents sediment from enriching
the delta soil. According to some agronomists, the Nile valley's agricultural
productivity subsequently decreased. Still, the dam helped provide electric power to
Egypt's then growing economy, and was essential in modernizing rural Egypt through
the introduction of electricity. The dam also spared Egypt from many floods that
plagued the countries through which the Nile flowed

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