Use of Force:

The 1967 War began as Syrio-Israeli tensions began to rise after Israel shot down six of Syrias air force.
These incidents put pressure on Nasser to react, as he was considered the acclaimed leader of the Arab
world at this time. Furthermore, since the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) had established
itself in Sinai, hostile Arab leaders accused Nasser of being neutral and hiding behind the UNEF. So, in
order to maintain his position as the acclaimed leader of the Arab world, Nasser acted. Nasser asked the
UNEF to leave and closed the Tiran straits, an Israeli shipping route. Since Israel had made clear in 1956
that if the Tiran Straits were closed, it would be considered an act of war, the 1967 war had officially
begun. As for what happened during the war, its very brief. The 1967 War was also known as the Six
Day War, and as the name suggests the conflict between Israel and Egypt ended with the declaration of
a ceasefire only six days later on June 9th, 1967. The war was a massive loss for Egypt and Nasser. As a
summary, Egypt lost 300 aircraft, 900 tanks, 500 artillery pieces, 10,000 vehicles, and 10,000-15,000
men in less than a week. In what was supposed to be an action that would bolster Nassers leadership
position, Nasser found himself dispirited and ashamed, resigning on public television. However, after
millions of citizens protested on the streets against his resignation, Nasser returned to his position with
even greater fervour. In the ensuing months, accusations, arrests, and trials of those who were deemed
responsible for Egypts defeat by Nasser followed. There was even a purge of high-ranking military
officers from the army and the air force.

Charismatic Leadership
In terms of Charisma, Nasser had it. First of all, his background made him easy to relate to if you were of
the middle and lower-middle class. Nasser came from a poor background, but climbed up the ranks of
the army, and earned his political position. His story was also reflective of one of his most prominent
ideologies: the belief that any citizen could overcome class boundaries. Not only did this make Nasser
and his ideas seem more genuine to the public, he also became easier to sympathize with.

Nasser also bolstered his charisma with his actions, using Egyptian nationalism as his tool. The Czech
arms deal, made in September 1955, is a good example of this. A few months earlier, Israeli armed
forces had attacked Egyptian military headquarters. So, Nasser agreed to buy arms from the Czech
government in return for the sales of cotton and rice. Now, Nasser had the means to secure Egypts
independence from the west and defend itself from Israel. Reportedly, as a result of this, there was
mass rejoicing from the citizens in the streets of Egypt. Nasser was seen as a saviour, throwing off the
domination of the Imperialist West and securing the defence of the Arab world. Often, Nasser made
choices that could have been seen as dangerous. For example, the West did react with worry that Egypt
was arming themselves. However, Nasser knew would inspire nationalism within his citizens and he
knew what could win their favour. Another similar event was the Syrian union with Egypt. Syria
demanded a union with Egypt as they felt more secure joining Egypts 26 million, rather than stand
alone with their population of just 4 million. Nasser wasnt enthusiastic, as Syria shared no common
border with Egypt and it had a completely different political and economic system, however, as the
hero of the Arab world, Nasser was cornered. Despite the risks involved, Nasser agreed to the union
and in 1958, the United Arab Republic was born. Nassers tactics were successful however, and when
Nasser arrived in the Syrian capital a few weeks after the union, he was greeted with citizens pouring
out into the streets to welcome him, with dancing, singing, and chanting. He was the biggest celebrity
of the Arab world.

Heres a video that I found that reflects his charisma and his influence over the Egyptian people:
Dissemination of Propaganda:

Nassers most prominent outlet for propaganda was the media. Specifically, the cinema and the radio
were heavily utilized to spread Nasserist messages. These mediums were excellent tools of persuasion,
as, during Nassers reign, Egypt was primarily a country with low literacy rates and a strong oral tradition
in which images and sounds were more accessible than written word. Furthermore, given that the Arab
world spoke the same language, his messages could spread well beyond Egypt.

Anyways,

The Cinema:
Since the 1930s, Egypt was known as the Hollywood of the Orient
By 1952 Nassers film industry was producing up to 50 films per year
o He had a ready-made platform to influence the masses
Movies often celebrated middle and lower-middle-class virtues
o Overcoming class boundaries
o Critical of the past and painted an optimistic picture of the Nasserist reforms
In 1961, the film industry of Egypt grew even further and was nationalized
o Nassers message travelled beyond Egyptian borders and into the rest of the Arab-
speaking world

The Radio:
Cheap, entertaining, and accessible in remote areas
Sawt al Arab (voice of the Arabs) was aired for the first time July 4 1953
o By the end of its lifetime in 1967, it was being broadcast 15 hours a day and had become
one of the most influential media tools in the Arab world
o The station claimed to have received 3000 letters a day from its listeners
o Ahmad Said, its chief announcer, became a recognizable voice in the Arab world
All programs were directed under the tutelage of the Ministry of National Guidance
Programmes were mainly news, commentary, press reviews, interviews, and, most importantly,
music
o They often played Wataniyyat (patriotic songs)
o Commentaries promoting Nassers views, demonizing imperialists, Zionists, and Arab
reactionary leaders were also prevalent
Examples of Programmes
o Truth and Lies: announcer reads anti-Nasserist articles and then dismiss them as lies
o Do not forget: reminded listeners of all the wrongs that had been done to the Arab
world
The programmes used the collective we, and served Nassers idea of Arab Unity
However, the radio station eventually died when the truths that they were telling turned out
to be lies
o For example, during the 1967 war: the radio announced that the Egyptian forces were
winning, when it was clear that they were massively defeated.