Modern Middle East History: Cold War and Nasserism
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During the Cold War, Middle East countries aligned themselves with the US or USSR in order to receive aid. This strategy is referred to as:

  • Regionalization
  • Containment
  • Bipolarism (correct)
  • Self-strengthening and consolidation

    • Which doctrine played a major role in shaping US involvement in the Middle East after 1949?

    Truman Doctrine

    Iran's economic development was largely in the hands of European ____________.

    entrepreneurs

    The Iranian Oil Industry was nationalized under Muhammad Mosaddeq in 1951.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ideological position did Nasser and the Free Officers share?

    <p>Pan-Arabism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Nasser's identification with the Egyptian population was mainly for personal popularity.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which organization attempted to assassinate Nasser in 1954?

    <p>Muslim Brotherhood</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ______ is the blueprint for these movements.

    <p>Nasserism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When did Nasser declare Egypt a Republic?

    <p>1953</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main focus of the economic reforms in post-colonial countries?

    <p>Redistribution of wealth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Nasser's form of governing saw the dissolution of the parliament, banning of all political parties, and the abolishment of the constitution in ______.

    <p>1923</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main purpose of the White Revolution in Iran?

    <p>To improve social services and economic performance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Shah of Iran was successful in establishing popular loyalty through the White Revolution.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did the SAVAK play in Iran during the time period discussed?

    <p>Denied Iranians formal channels to express grievances</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In 1942, there were talks in Cairo that the new Prime Minister could sympathize with the Axis powers, posing a threat to the UK's control. The incident that displayed Egypt's colonial hegemony was known as the __________ incident.

    <p>Abdin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following countries with their involvement in the 1948-49 Israeli-Arab war:

    <p>Egypt = Enters the conflict to consolidate its standing and engage in the conflicts Syria = Joined the regional war to show Arab solidarity and support for Palestinians Jordan = Entered to gain advantage over Palestine and appeal to domestic opponents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the major step towards the final aim of Arab political community in 1958?

    <p>Egypt and Syria merging into the United Arab Republic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who introduced the fear of being subjugated to the Communist party as a reason for the merging of Egypt and Syria in 1958?

    <p>Syrian politicians who were members of the dominant Ba'th Party</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The United Arab Republic lasted for more than 3 years.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In 1958, Iraq saw a major popular participation in a violent revolution led by ___________.

    <p>Al-Karim Qasim</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the country with the leader overthrowing the regime between 1949 and 1958:

    <p>Syria = Colonel Abid Shishakli Iraq = Al-Karim Qasim Jordan = Husayn</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the financial reward King Husayin received from the US yearly?

    <p>50 million USD</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Beirut was considered the jewel of the western Mediterranean.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which political party in Lebanon was founded in 1936 and influenced by European Fascists?

    <p>Phalange</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The National Pact ensured that the president of Lebanon would be a Maronite Christian, and conferred strong power relative to the parliament upon the head of the ___.

    <p>state</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following territories with the countries they were taken from during the 6 Days War of 1967:

    <p>West Bank = Jordan Golan Heights = Syria Gaza strip = Egypt</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the approach taken by the CUD, a main party of the right-wing coalition, towards the occupied territories?

    <p>Maximization of resources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During 1977, the Likud party's electoral success was aided by the small Zionist religious parties.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was considered a religious duty by some groups in relation to the occupied territories?

    <p>Occupying and settling in the territories</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Believers Bloc had a maximalist vision of Jewish presence throughout the territory, advocating for the establishment of Jewish settlements in the _____ and the _____ Strip.

    <p>West Bank, Gaza</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who were the two main Jewish communities mentioned in the passage?

    <p>Ashkenazi Jews</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Jewish population of Israel grew from 650K to 1.3 million between 1948 and 1951.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the core principle of Ben Gurionism in defense?

    <p>every Arab act of aggression will be met by an arm of response not proportioned to the initial attack</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The resolution 194 of the 11^th of December 1948 recognized the right to return or recompensated for the Palestinian evicted from their lands. The state of refugees was encountered with the ____.

    <p>UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the concept institutionalized within the security doctrine by 1967?

    <p>Iron Wall</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Six-Day war and Israel's self-declaration of independence showed the international community that Israel was there, strong, and independent, consolidating itself as a ________ ________ state.

    <p>sovereign nation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Israel's political leadership under Ben Gurion led to internal disagreements within the Yishuv community.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What incident occurred in 1949 right after the proclamation of the state, involving the Haganah paramilitary groups and dissident right-wing groups?

    <p>Incident of Altalena</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the main characteristics of the Israeli political system by 1949?

    <p>Parliamentary democracy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following components of the Israeli political system:

    <p>Knesset = Legislature Ben Gurion = Labor Party Leader Altalena = Weapon Incident Coalition Government = Result of Low Thresholds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Israel's electoral system encourages party orthodoxy and discourages individual political careers.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What decision was taken regarding the identity of the state of Israel in terms of religion and nationality?

    <p>compromise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The Independent Middle East in the Cold War: Nasserism and the Radicalization of Arab Politics

    Cold War and Bipolarism in the Middle East

    • The Cold War shaped the Middle East by allowing countries in the region to play between the US and USSR, using them as instruments for their own state interests.
    • Bipolarism brought states in the region together, aligning with one of the two blocs to gain aid (economic or military) and consolidate their national power.

    Regionalization and National Interest

    • The 1950s-60s saw regionalization of politics, with states trying to counterbalance the power of the blocs and create a third pole of power.
    • States in the region used bipolarism as an opportunity for their own national interest, particularly in the context of pan-Arabism.

    Iran

    Crisis with the US and USSR

    • Iran's crisis with the US and USSR was occasioned by Soviet troops' presence in the region post-WW2.
    • The Iranian government lodged a complaint with the UNSC, and the USSR troops agreed to withdraw from the country.
    • The US responded with the Truman Doctrine, an application of containment policy to prevent states from falling under Communist influence.

    Muhammad Mosaddeq and the National Front

    • Muhammad Mosaddeq succeeded in controlling oppositional voices and formed the National Front in 1949.
    • The National Front was composed of middle-class people, Ulama, and Western-educated professionals.
    • Mosaddeq called for the nationalization of the Iranian oil industry, leading to boycotts and financial crisis.

    The CIA-Backed Coup and the Royal Dictatorship

    • The US and UK dispatched CIA agents to assist Iranian officers in organizing a coup against Mosaddeq.
    • The royal dictatorship returned to rule the country, and the National Front was disbanded.
    • The Tudeh Party was destroyed, and SAVAK was established as an internal security organization.

    Egypt

    1942 Cairo Chances and the Abdin Incident

    • In 1942, the new PM of Egypt, Ali-Maher, was seen as a threat to the UK's control over the country.
    • The UK deployed its army in front of the royal palace, demonstrating its power and control over Egypt.

    The Muslim Brotherhood

    • The Muslim Brotherhood profited from the political distance between the population and the government, radicalizing their views and ideology.
    • The Brotherhood created militias and carried out guerrilla attacks along the Suez Canal.

    The 1948-49 Arab-Israeli War

    • Egypt, Syria, and Jordan entered the conflict to consolidate their standing vis-à-vis the rising radical cells within the military.
    • The defeat of the Arab armies in 1949 delegitimized the governments.

    The Free Officers and Nasserism

    • In 1952, a group of young military officers, including Gamal Abdel Nasser, carried out a coup d'etat and seized control of the government.
    • The Free Officers' 6-point program called for the destruction of British colonialism, removal of Egyptian collaborators, end of feudalism, and establishment of social justice and a strong national army.

    Revolutionism and the Revolutionary Command Council

    • The Free Officers' revolution was a top-down process of change, using the concept of mass politics as a political instrument to legitimize themselves as the new political leadership.
    • The Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) served as the executive body of the government.### Social Contract and Progressive Social Contract
    • The concept of social contract between rulers and the population was introduced in the Middle East
    • Progressive social contract is based on ideas of:
      • State protection towards individuals
      • Granting socio-economic rights
      • Redistribution of state wealth through sovereignty and nationalization

    Populist Authoritarian Regimes

    • Brought about new social contracts that were egalitarian in terms of class relationships but detrimental to democracy and individual agency
    • Leaders used harmonic politics to co-opt the population, suppressing dissonant voices
    • Examples of populist authoritarian regimes include:
      • Nasser's regime in Egypt
      • Ba'athist regimes in Syria and Iraq

    State-Centered Politics

    • The state became the center of power in the Middle East, especially in post-colonial times
    • Political elites used state institutions to control the system and population
    • The state was used to co-opt and control the masses, often depriving them of political agency

    Transformation of Elite Groups

    • New elites emerged from the lower middle classes, primarily rural backgrounds
    • They were empowered by their revolutionary visions and modernist projects
    • Examples of new elites include:
      • Nasser and the Free Officers in Egypt
      • Ba'athist cells in Syria and Iraq

    Nasserist Ideology

    • Key elements of Nasserist ideology include:
      • Pan Arabism
      • Nationalism
      • Anti-colonialism
      • Anti-imperialism
      • Nativism
      • Populism
      • Charismatic leadership
    • Nasserist ideology was a blueprint for similar movements in the region
    • The ideology emphasized the importance of self-realization and cultural authenticity

    Arab Socialism

    • Arab socialist regimes aimed to bridge the gap between "property groups" and "unproperty groups" through welfare distribution
    • The regime's focus was on redistribution of wealth, rather than elimination of private property
    • Arab socialism was distinct from orthodox socialism and communism

    Nasser's Form of Governing

    • Nasser's regime was marked by:
      • Abolition of the monarchy and declaration of the Republic
      • Dissolution of the parliament and ban on political parties
      • Creation of the Liberation Rally and later the National Union
      • Agrarian law reform to limit land ownership and benefit peasants
      • Introduction of services to co-opt the population and buy their allegiance### The Egyptian Bill of Rights
    • Avoided discrimination on the basis of sex, race, and religion
    • Designed to represent the will of the president, not the population

    Post-Revolution Egypt (1956)

    • Nasser became president with 99.99% of the vote
    • Authority was undisputed and limitless

    The Sudanese Cause and the Suez Canal Crisis

    • Relationship with Britain was a pressing foreign policy matter for the RCC
    • Britain recognized Sudan's right to self-determination in 1953
    • Sudan declared independence in 1954
    • Suez Canal Crisis: Egypt and Britain signed a treaty in 1954 for the evacuation of British troops from the Suez Canal

    Nasser's Foreign Policy

    • Wanted to launch state consolidation, modernization, and progress
    • Needed aid and used "active neutrality" to get funds
    • Refused to join the Baghdad Pact, which was seen as an extension of Western imperialism
    • Concluded an agreement with Czechoslovakia in 1955 to purchase Soviet military equipment
    • Nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956, proclaiming that revenues would be used to fund development projects

    The Suez Crisis (1956)

    • Israel, Britain, and France launched a tripartite aggression against Egypt
    • The US and USSR called for an immediate cease-fire, which was eventually accepted
    • Egypt was defeated, but Nasser emerged as a moral and political victor

    Pan-Arabism and Nasserism

    • Nasser validated a new norm of international conduct, pan-Arabism
    • Created the United Arab Republic (UAR) with Syria in 1958
    • Engaged in the Yemen War (1962-1968) and created the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964
    • Sought to regionalize politics and implement pan-Arabism, which was seen as a destabilizing factor in the region

    Consequences of the Suez Crisis

    • Egypt: Nasser emerged as a pan-Arab hero, and pan-Arabism was seen as a threat to conservative and pro-Western regimes in the region
    • Israel: enhanced its image as an aggressor in the Middle East
    • Britain and France: alliance with Israel was seen as an immense offense to Arab states

    Regional Impact of Nasserism

    • Lower middle classes were inspired by Nasser's ideology
    • Conservatives and pro-Western regimes felt threatened by Nasserism
    • Iraq and Jordan were vulnerable to the resonance of pan-Arabism and the impact it had on delegitimizing their elites

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    This quiz examines the impact of the Cold War on the Middle East, particularly the role of Nasserism in shaping Arab politics and the region's ability to navigate between US and USSR interests.

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