Gamal Abdel Nasser

About Gamal Abdel Nasser

The Egyptian President who was the foremost Arab leader of the 20th century. Nasser overthrew the monarchy in 1952 and became president in 1956. He nationalized the Suez Canal, triggering the Suez Crisis. Nasser promoted Pan Arabism and socialism. He built the Aswan High Dam and implemented land reform. Egypt and Syria united as the United Arab Republic from 1958 to 1961. The disastrous Six Day War in 1967 was a devastating defeat. Nasser died suddenly in 1970 at age 52. His funeral drew millions of mourners across the Arab world. Nasserism inspired Arab nationalism for decades.