Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

12-2015

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

History

Degree Program

History, MA

Committee Chair

Krebs, Daniel

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Bowman, Brad

Committee Member

Bowman, Brad

Committee Member

Peteet, Julie

Author's Keywords

Middle East; Nasser; Eisenhower; Cold War; Egypt; Suez Crisis

Abstract

This study focuses on the Czechoslovakian-Egyptian arms deal of 1955 and analyzes how it impacted Middle Eastern Cold War policy. Central to the issue is Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser’s approach to garnering Pan-Arab Nationalist support and his decision to approach the Soviet Bloc for weapons and economic aid. Supporting evidence came from several repositories, including the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library. In addition to primary sources, a thorough examination of the existing scholarship was conducted. In conclusion, the Czech-Egyptian arms deal, more than any other event, cemented Nasser's place as champion of Pan-Arab Nationalism, while also shifting Egyptian foreign policy towards the Soviet Bloc, thereby redefining the Cold War in the Middle East.

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