Free Officers Movement (Egypt)

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Free Officers Movement
حركة الضباط الأحرار
1952 Egyptian Revolution
Commanders
CommandersMohamed Naguib
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Abdel Hakim Amer
Abdel Latif Boghdadi
Zakaria Mohieddin
Revolutionary Command Council after the overthrow of Farouk that was later succeeded by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces[3]

Background

Front row from left: Abdel Latif Boghdadi, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Mohamed Naguib, Abdel Hakim Amer, Salah Salem. Mohamed Anwar Sadat. Back row from left: Hussein el-Shafei, Khaled Mohieddin, Gamal Salem, Kamal el-Din Hussein, Hassan Ibrahim, Zakaria Mohieddin.
Abdel Latif Boghdadi (left) Gamal Abdel Nasser (center left) Salah Salem (center right) Abdel Hakim Amer (right).

The

Arab World and Middle East began removing institutions for economic development after some positive advancement became evident. This encouraged many political groups to organize against the politicians who dominated the parliamentary politics of the time. Workers had become accustomed to development efforts which were meant to stabilize the economies of the region. These state-led initiatives set the standard for what the people expected of their government, including the regulation of imports, industrial investment, commodity distribution, production supervision.[4]

Formation

Politicians and government bodies were forced to respond to the demands of groups who were directly affected by the initiative changes and withdrawals. Some of these groups included military officers. While the first military coups began in Syria in the late 1940s, it was the Free Officers coup in Egypt and the revolution of 1952 that would have the greatest impact, and encourage later movements.[4] The members were not from the wealthy elite, but rather the middle class, young workers, government officials and junior officers.[2] The movement, which began and spread throughout the 1940s, came to fruition with the leadership of Gamal Abdel Nasser. Nasser, who commanded the loyalty and respect of the other members, formed a coordinating committee (1949), which he was later asked to lead (1950).[5]

Coming from a modest background, he represented the group's majority: the hard-working middle class. The Free Officers consisted of urban dwellers and educated militants with a lower-middle-class upbringing. Nasser was a war hero who rose quickly in military rank to colonel. He, like many others, dedicated his time and energy to reversing the corruption seen on the part of the government throughout the

1947–1949 Palestine war by restoring a democracy. He saw the problem of domestic passivity towards imperialism as being as much a problem as imperialism itself.[4] The Free Officers strengthened a "new" middle class. Due to this dedication to change, the Free Officers referred to their group and its entirety as simply a "movement." Later however, it would become a revolution
. The Free Officers Committee enlisted General
Khalid Mohieddin (1922–2018), and Wing Commander Abdel Latif Boghdadi (1917–99); Major Hussein el-Shafei (1918–2005) and Lieutenant Colonel Zakaria Mohieddin
(1918–2012) joined the committee later.

In 1951, while operating covertly within the military, the Free Officers formulated a six-point plan to direct their administration following the coup. The program called for the destruction of

British colonialism and the removal of its Egyptian collaborators, the elimination of feudalism, the ending of the political control of the state by foreign capital, the establishment of social justice, the formation of a strong national army, and the creation of a healthy democratic life.[7]

The continued agitation within Egypt as a result of British control led to a series of revolts in which British military outposts were attacked. During 1950–52, workers in the

Revolution of 1952. The revolutionaries publicised the need for reform and social justice, marched on Cairo and forced King Farouk to abdicate his throne. The revolution led to the end of British control over Egypt, which had begun in 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War.[4]

Legacy

Similar movements were organised by other groups of junior officers seeking to mimic the Free Officers' ascent to power. In Iraq, a faction of

Abd al-Karim Qasim
, who was killed by the organizers of the coup.

In Syria a coalition of Arab nationalist officers, including

Prince Talal invoked a similar idea, the Free Princes Movement
, in an unsuccessful effort to overthrow his country's conservative monarchy. He was exiled to Egypt as a result and was given asylum by Nasser.

Then

King Idris
in 1969.

The anniversary of the

public holiday in Egypt
on 23 July.

The name was consciously assumed by the Free Officers and Civilians Movement, led by Brigadier-General Najib al-Salihi who opposed Saddam Hussein.

Members

This is a list of some of the major officers of the movement:

  • Major General
    Muhammad Naguib
    (Border Guards)
  • Brigadier General
    Youssef Seddik
    (Infantry)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser (Infantry)
  • Lieutenant Colonel
    Anwar El-Sadat
    (Military Communication)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Zakaria Mohieddin (Infantry)
  • Major Abdel Hakim Amer (Infantry)
  • Major Salah Salem (Artillery)
  • Major Kamal el-Din Hussein (Artillery)
  • Major
    Khalid Mohieddin
    (Armoured Corps)
  • Major
    Hussein Al Shafei
    (Armoured Corps)
  • General Ali Elbana
  • Major Hamdy Ebeid
  • Captain Abdel Moneim Abdel Raouf (Air force)
  • Wing Commander Gamal Salem (Air force)
  • Wing Commander Abd al-Latif al-Boghdadi (Air force)
  • Squadron Leader Hassan Ibrahim (Air force)
  • Amin Shaker (Military Communication)
  • Mashhour Ahmed Mashhour
  • Aly Mansour (Air Force)
  • Mounier Shash (Artillery)
  • Major General Mohamed Uthman (Infantry)

See also

References

  1. ^ Hussein Mohamed Ahmed Hamouda, Asrār Ḥarakat aḍ-Ḍubbāṭ al-ʾAḥrār wa l-Ikhwān al-Muslimūn, al-Zahrā' al-i'lām al-'arabī (1994), Chapter 6, section 4: see http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9434122
  2. ^ , retrieved 2023-08-29
  3. ^ Stenner, David (2019). Globalizing Morocco. Stanford University Press. p. 72.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ a b c d Gelvin, James L. The Modern Middle East: A History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
  5. ^ Cleveland, William L.; Bunton (2016). A History of the Modern Middle East (6th ed.). London: Routledge. pp. 288–289.
  6. ^ All the revolution's men. Al Ahram Weekly. Issue No. 595, 18–24 July 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  7. ^ Cleveland, William L.; Bunton (2016). A History of the Modern Middle East (6th ed.). Routledge. p. 289.
  8. ^ Cleveland, William; Bunton (2018). A History of the Modern Middle East (6th ed.). Routledge. p. 310.

External links