Office of the Historian

774.00/3–2854: Telegram

No. 1311
The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the Department of State1

confidential
priority
Cairo, March 28, 1954—midnight.

1195. Regarding Embassy telegram 1189. Morning RCC meeting merged into joint session with Cabinet which continued until 10:30 p.m.

Large demonstrations broke up into smaller groups largely pro-RCC which continued peaceful demonstrations throughout day and evening. One group about one thousand stoned building Wafd daily newspaper Al Mizri. Army police protection provided papers request. No casualties.

Continuing build-up popular support for RCC, ESB has throughout factually and unemotionally announced support of varied elements. Students Ibrahim and Cairo universities announced to have supported stand taken by labor syndicate leaders (see reference telegram). Police officers decided take orders only from RCC. Such announcements interspersed with reports of thousands of telegrams insisting RCC remain. Early afternoon Nasir and Saleh Salem made radio appeals for calm.

At one point Foreign Military Attaché Liaison Officer said, RCC would remain until its aims realized and that meeting discussed type constituent assembly (elective or appointive).

At 7:30 p.m. Saleh Salem requested crowds go home quietly assuring them satisfactory decisions would be taken tonight and RCC would not abandon people.

[Page 2250]

At 8:30 p.m. Shakir, RCC spokesman held briefing for correspondents at which he said “last night I told you Naguib was the tool of subversive elements. Today you have seen proof of that therefore, the people have demanded removal of Naguib, thousands of telegrams attest to this fact and Naguib’s fate is what Cabinet meeting is discussing now”.

Before briefing broke up Shakir received telephone call after which he told correspondents they could not use anything he had just said. Correspondents say Naguib present joint meeting except 90 minutes “while his fate discussed”.

At close of meeting ESB announced no agreement reached and further meeting 9 a.m. Monday.2 Naguib and Nasir reported to have left together to call on King Saud. On leaving Naguib reported saying “some decisions in principle made tonight but details will be announced tomorrow”.

Caffery
  1. Repeated to London as telegram 397, to Amman as telegram 78, to Baghdad as telegram 52, to Beirut as telegram 89, to Damascus as telegram 42, to Jidda as telegram 34, and unnumbered to Paris, Bonn, Rome, and Valletta.↩
  2. According to telegram 1207 from Cairo, Mar. 29, not printed, this meeting did not begin until noon on Mar. 29 and lasted until 7 p.m. (774.00/3–2954)↩