1952

Nasser's Free Officers seize Egypt

July 23, 1952

A group of young Egyptian army officers led by Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew the corpulent King Farouk, who sailed into exile on his yacht. Within two years Nasser had the top job. He would nationalize the Suez Canal, lead pan-Arabism, and become the Middle East's most magnetic voice for a decade.

More from 1952 Modern Era

In context

Also in 1952 (3 other events on record)

First hydrogen bomb test · Oceania · War
Elizabeth II ascends the British throne · Europe · Politics
Great Smog of London · Europe · Disaster

Before and after in Middle East

Before: March 23, 1949: Arab-Israeli Armistice agreements
After: August 19, 1953: CIA coup topples Mossadegh in Iran

Before and after in Politics

Before: September 8, 1951: Japan signs San Francisco Peace Treaty
After: March 5, 1953: Stalin dies at Kuntsevo

Era

Modern Era (1901–2000), one of 590 events from that era on Saeculum.