Figure 1.--Here we see Egyptian Army oifficers with some of their sons, we think in the 1920s. Notice how the boys with the exception of the fezes are dressed like English boys. The Egyptian Army was trained and equipped by the British which hesitated to supply them with heavy arms. The British were aware of anti-British sentiment. In fact as World War II developed, important elements of the Egyptian Army led by the Young Officer's movement were pro-German and preparing to rise against the British when the Afrika Korps broke through at El Alamein. The plotters appear to have been oblivious to what a NAZI dominated world would have meant for countries like Egypt or how the NAZIs treated countries they invaded and controlled. In addition, the Egyptians seems completely unaware of NAZI racial doctrine and how the Arabs figured in NAZI racial rankings. Put your cursor on the image to see the rest of the group.

Egypt has arguably the oldest national army in the world. In more recent times, Egypt along with the Arab heartland was invaded and conquered by the expanding Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) was the second conflict between the Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate and the rusing Ottoman Empire centered un anatolia. The Ottoman victory led to the collaose of the Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman annexation of the Levant, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula into their Empire. The Arab heartland thus became Ottoman privinces. And the Ottomans became a minority in a huge empire with large Balkan Christian and Arab Muslim populations. And it meant that the Egypt and other Arabs no longer had a national army, although Arabs served in the Ottoman Army. This situation continued for four centuries. After Napoleon's incursion in Egypt (1798-1801), Ottomon governor Muhammad Ali Pasha seized of power in Egypt and declared himself Khedive of Egypt. Muhammed Ali essentially declared independence, but nomimally expoused fealty to the Ottoman Sultan. He began building the first Egyptian Army in four centurues knowing that the Ottomans would atempt to restablish control. He purchased modern European weapons and obtaind European military advisers. He was thus able to defeat the Ottoman Army sent to reestblish contol. The Ottomans were by this time a decling power and referred to as the Sick Man of Europe. The Ottomans also began to lose their hold on the Chritian Balkans. Muhammed ali with his modern Army was able to detach the Levant and Hejaz from the Sutn, although the Ottomans were subsequently able to restablish control over these Arab-populated areas. Muhammed Ali's Egyptian Army participated in a sries of wars: the Greek War of Independence (1820s), Egyptian–Ottoman War (1831–33), and the Egyptian–Ottoman War (1839–1841). The Ottomans were unable to reestablish control over Egypt. Muhammed also used his Army to invade and conquer Sudan to the South, uniting with Egypt for the first time in millenia. Britain abd France constructed the Suez Canal whichopened (1869). Britian established a veiled protectorate over Egypt when nationlist forced threatened to seize the Canal (1882). Ahmed Urabi led a revolt against European and Ottoman domination of Egypt. Both Egyptian military officers and civilins were involved, but the Army as a whole did not resist. Egypt did not become a colony, but British advisers wealed great influence. The Egyptian Army did not resist the British and French expeditionry force that put down the nationalist disorders. The British oversaw the modrnization of the Egyptian Army. The Egyptins were conflicted. These resented British interbention, but respected British wepons and professionlism. Egypt was involved in the Mahdist Revolt War (1881-99) in the Sudan which broke out when Islmic tribesmen resisted British effoirts to end the slave trade. Muhammad Ali began the construction of a new professional army along European lines. This process involved separating recruits from civilian life. Seculat military law was imposed. The new recruits were drawn from the Egytian fellah and not from Sudanese slaves or Mamluks. Thus the Army developed as a core institution in developing a sense of Egyptin natiinalism. Traditionally wives and family were allowed to follow the army as camp followers. This was the case in Europe as recently as the Napoleonic Era. The Egyptian adopted the approach as modern European armies and ebded the practice. Recruits were isolated in barracks, military schools and training camps as the Egyptian began to build a modern professionl force. the British replaced the independent-minded Khedive Abbas II with his uncle, Sultan Hussein Kamel, who was more compliant. The Egyptian Army stayed neutral in World War I. Egypt did not react to the Ottoman Sultan's call for an Islamic Jihad against Britain. After World War I, Britain recognized Egyptian independence, but insisted on a treaty which maintained a military relationship to guarantee the security of the Suez Canal. he British helped supply and train the Egyptian Army, but were hesitannt to provide heavt weapons. The process toward full independence was arested with the NAZI take over in Germany (1933). Resentment within the Egyptian military grew and many young officers were impressed with the NAZIs, seeing them as a potential ally in obtaining independnce. Few seemed to have stopped to think that the NAZIs were potentially much more brutal colonial masters and held racist views that placed the Arabs very low in their racial rankings. Anwar Sadat was jailed by the British for his pro-German activities. Misr al-Fatah had been in contact with German agents since the 1936-39 Palestine uprising in Palestine. Sadat and other participants in the Free Officer movement also dealt with German military intelligence. Rommel's Afrikakorps advaced to El Alamein only 100 kilometers from Alexandria. They and much of the rest of the world expected them to reach Cairo in days (July 1942). Sadat and Nasser were in touch with the Germans. And in cooperation with the the Muslim Brotherhood they planned an uprising in Cairo to coordinate with the final German offensive. Preliminary discussions envisioned a treaty with the NAZIs. The NAZIs were more than willing to offer independence knowing that they could do with Egypt what they wanted after they won the War. A young Sadat promissed that 'no British soldier would leave Cairo alive'. After the Afrika Korps was stopped at El Alamein, the British arrested Sadat and his co-conspirators. They spent the rest of the War in a British jail. The Egyptian Army stayed neutral in the War, but would play a central role in the country's post-War history.

Ancient Egypt

Egypt has arguably the oldest national army in the world.

Ottoman Empire

In more recent times, Egypt along with the Arab heartland was invaded and conquered by the expanding Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) was the second conflict between the Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate and the rusing Ottoman Empire centered un anatolia. The Ottoman victory led to the collaose of the Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman annexation of the Levant, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula into their Empire. The Arab heartland thus became Ottoman privinces. And the Ottomans became a minority in a huge empire with lsrge Balkan Christian and Arab Muslim populations. And it men that the Egypt and other Arabs no longer had a national army, although Arabs served in the Ottoman Army. This situation continued for four centuries.

Independence

After Napoleon's oncursion in Egypt (1798-1801), Ottomon governor Muhammad Ali Pasha seized of power in Egypt and declared himself Khedive of Egypt. Muhammed Ali esentially declared indepenendence, but nomimally expoused fealty to the Ottoman Sultan. This was complicated by the fact thart the Sultan was both a political and religious figure. Muhammed Ali moved toward political independence, but did not question the Sultan'sreligious authority.

Building an Army

He began building the first Egyptian Army in four centurues knowing that the Ottomans would attempt to reestablish control. He purchased modern European weapons and obtaind European military advisers. He was ths able to defeat the Ottoman Army sent to rerstblish contol.

Declining Ottoman Power

The Ottomans were by this time a decling power and referred to as the Sick Man of Europe. The Ottomans also began to lose their hold on the Chritian Balkans. Muhammed ali with his modern Army was able to detach the Levant and Hejaz from the Sultan, although the Ottomans were subsequently able to restablish control over these Arab-populated areas. Muhammed Ali's Egyptian Army participated in a series of wars: the Greek War of Independence (1820s), Egyptian–Ottoman War (1831–33), and the Egyptian–Ottoman War (1839–1841). The Ottomans were unable to reestablish control over Egypt.

Sudan

Muhammed Ali also used his Army to invade and conquer Sudan to the South, uniting with Egypt for the first time in millenia.

Britain and Suez

Britain abd France constructed the Suez Canal whichopened (1869). Britian established a veiled protectorate over Egypt when nationlist forced threatened to seize the Canal (1882). Ahmed Urabi led a revolt against European and Ottoman domination of Egypt. Both Egyptian military officers and civilins were involved, but the Army as a whole did not resist. Egypt did not become a colony, but British advisers wealed great influence. The Egyptian Army did not resist the British and French expeditionry force that put down the nationalist disorders.

Moderniztion

The British oversaw the modrnization of the Egyptian Army. The Egyptins were conflicted. These resented British interbention, but respected British wepons and professionlism. Egypt was involved in the Mahdist Revolt War (1881-99) in the Sudan which broke out when Islmic tribesmen resisted British effoirts to end the slave trade. Muhammad Ali had begun began the construction of a new professional army along European lines. This process involved separating recruits from civilian life. Seculat military law was imposed. The new recruits were drawn from the Egytian fellah and not from Sudanese slaves or Mamluks. Thus the Army developed as a core institution in developing a sense of Egyptin natiinalism. Traditionally wives and family were allowed to follow the army as camp followers. This was the case in Europe as recently as the Napoleonic Era. The Egyptian adopted the pproach as modern European armies and ebded the practice. Recruits were isolated in barracks, military schools and training camps as the Egyptian began to build a modern professionl force.

World War I

the British replaced the independent-minded Khedive Abbas II with his uncle, Sultan Hussein Kamel, who was more compliant. The Egyptian Army stayed neutral in World War I. The did not engage in significant combat, but the Egyptian Labor Corps and Egyptian Cammel Corps provided important support for Brutish combt forces. Egypt did not react to the Ottoman Sultan's call for an Islamic Jihad against Britain.

Post-Wr Era

After World War I, Britain recognized Egyptian independence, but insisted on a treaty which maintained a military relationship to guarantee the security of the Suez Canal. he British helped supply and train the Egyptian Army, but were hesitannt to provide heavy weapons.

NAZI Germany

The process toward full independence was arested with the NAZI take over in Germany (1933). Resentment within the Egyptian military grew and many young officers were impressed with the NAZIs, seeing them as a potential ally in obtaining independnce. Few seemed to have stopped to think that the NAZIs were potentially much more brutal colonial masters and held racist views that placed the Arabs very low in their racial rankings. Anwar Sadat was jailed by the British for his pro-German activities. Misr al-Fatah had been in contact with German agents since the 1936-39 Palestine uprising in Palestine. Sadat and other participants in the Free Officer movement also dealt with German military intelligence.

World War II

Rommel's Afrika Korps advaced to El Alamein only 100 kilometers from Alexandria. They and much of the rest of the world expected them to reach Cairo in days (July 1942). Sadat and Nasser were in touch with the Germans. And in cooperation with the the Muslim Brotherhood they planned an uprising in Cairo to coordinate with the final German offensive. Preliminary discussions envisioned a treaty with the NAZIs. The NAZIs were more than willing to offer independence knowing that they could do with Egypt what they wanted after they won the War. A young Sadat promissed that 'no British soldier would leave Cairo alive'. After the Afrika Korps was stopped at El Alamein, the British arrested Sadat and his co-conspirators. They spent the rest of the War in a British jail. The Egyptian Army stayed neutral in the War, but would play a central role in the country's post-War history.

Created: 5:40 AM 10/2/2014
Last updated: 5:41 AM 10/2/2014