Office of the Historian

774.00/6–1953: Telegram

No. 1191
The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the Department of State1

secret
Cairo, June 19, 1953—4 p.m.

2603. Following preliminary Embassy comments re proclamation Republic (Embtel 2595):2

1.
Plan carried into effect by last night’s decision was worked out by RCC a month ago but shelved because of press leaks (Embdes 2535, May 23).3 In intervening period RCC had cooled toward idea and was exploring possibility of increased civilian participation in government. This led to friction between RCC and Naguib, who had heart set on presidency.
2.
Yesterday’s action fulfilled Naguib’s ambition but placed actual control even more firmly in hands of Nasir and his RCC colleagues. Naguib has been separated from direct contact with army and moved upstairs. Nasir himself besides being Deputy Prime Minister has strategic post of Interior. Hakim Amir, Nasir’s most trusted lieutenant, [is] Major General in command armed forces. Salah Salim, besides retaining his interest in Sudan is Minister of National Guidance, another influential post. Baghdadi, fourth member of Egyptian team in Anglo-Egyptian negotiations, becomes Minister of War and Marines.
3.
Amir’s elevation to post of Commander-in-Chief is most spectacular move and will be closely watched for possible adverse repercussions within armed forces. Amir had, however, actually been fulfilling functions of post and is popular with army officers. Nasir says furthermore, he had carefully sounded army opinion on move and accepted. His judgment may be borne out by fact that Amir was greeted this morning on arrival at general headquarters by generals who carried him on their shoulders amid cheers and congratulations.
4.
It seems certain that monarchs of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq will not welcome change. This could affect degree of support of these countries for Egypt in Anglo-Egyptian dispute both inside and outside Arab League.
5.
Move will be generally popular wth Egyptian masses. Wealthier landowners who have already been disturbed by drift towards military dictatorship will see in this step confirmation of their fears of RCC.

For my part, I think that timing was bad and decision taken somewhat capriciously. On the other hand, I doubt this step will affect fundamentally the Government’s internal and external objectives. In Egypt it means little more than a reshuffle of jobs. If the RCC leaders keep their heads, change could help them in dealing effectively with their enormous administrative problems unresolved by previous all-civilian Cabinet. On other hand, officers will have firmer grip on internal situation but will bear full public responsibility for actions of government which in past they could at least partially lay at doors of others. A secondary contributing factor to yesterday’s change, is fact that there has been recently increasing friction between some of civilian Cabinet ministers and RCC members. A more forceful set of ministers might have secured redress for their grievances but this group, when matters really came to a head last night, apparently ran for cover. In other words the RCC cut this Gordian knot by openly assuming control.

Caffery
  1. Repeated to London as telegram 834 and unnumbered to Paris, Rome, Ankara, Tripoli, and the Arab capitals.↩
  2. Not printed; Ambassador Caffery reported in this cable on June 18 that the military leadership was announcing that Egypt was being established as a republic with Naguib as President and Premier; with Nasser as Vice Premier and Minister of the Interior; with Salah Salem as Minister of National Guidance and Minister of State for Sudan Affairs; with Bagdadi as Minister of War and Marine; and with Major General Hakim Amer as Commander in Chief of the armed forces. (774.00/6–1853)↩
  3. Not printed.↩