|
The Suez Crisis |
| Month | Date |
Event |
|
1922 |
| Feb |
28 |
Egypt is declared a sovereign state by Britain.
|
| Mar |
15 |
Sultan Faud appoints himself King of Egypt.
|
| Mar |
16 |
Egypt achieves independence.
|
| May |
7 |
Britain is angered over Egyptian claims to sovereignty over Sudan. |
|
1936 |
| Apr |
28 |
Faud dies and his 16-year-old son, Farouk, becomes King of Egypt.
|
| Aug |
26 |
Draft of Anglo-Egyptian Treaty is signed. Britain is allowed to maintain a garrison of 10,000 men in the Suez Canal Zone, and is given effective control of Sudan. |
|
1939 |
| May |
2 |
King Farouk is declared the spiritual leader, or Caliph, of Islam. |
|
1945 |
| Sept |
23 |
Egyptian government demands complete British withdrawal and the cession of Sudan. |
|
1946 |
| May |
24 |
British premier Winston Churchill says the Suez Canal will be in danger if Britain withdraws from Egypt. |
|
1948 |
| May |
14 |
Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel by David Ben-Gurion in Tel Aviv.
|
| May |
15 |
Start of the first Arab-Israeli War.
|
| Dec |
28 |
Egyptian premier Mahmoud Fatimy is assassinated by the Muslim Brotherhood.
|
| Feb |
12 |
Hassan el Banna, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood is assassinated. |
|
1950 |
| Jan |
3 |
Wafd party regains power. |
|
1951 |
| Oct |
8 |
Egyptian government announces that it will eject Britain from the Suez Canal Zone and take control of Sudan.
|
| Oct |
21 |
British warships arrive at Port Said, more troops are on the way. |
|
1952 |
| Jan |
26 |
Egypt is placed under martial law in response to wide-spread riots against the British.
|
| Jan |
27 |
Prime Minister Mustafa Nahhas is removed by King Farouk for failing to keep the peace. He is replaced by Ali Mahir.
|
| Mar |
1 |
The Egyptian Parliament is suspended by King Farouk when Ali Mahir resigns.
|
| May |
6 |
King Farouk claims to be a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed.
|
| July |
1 |
Hussein Sirry is new premier.
|
| July |
23 |
Free Officer Movement, fearing King Farouk is about to move against them, initiate a military coup.
|
| July |
26 |
Military coup is successful, General Naguib appoints Ali Mahir as prime minister.
|
| Sept |
7 |
Ali Mahir again resigns. General Naguib takes over post of president, prime minister, minister of war and commander-in-chief of the army. |
|
1953 |
| Jan |
16 |
President Naguib disbands all opposition parties.
|
| Feb |
12 |
Britain and Egypt sign new treaty. Sudan to have independence within three years.
|
| May |
5 |
Constitutional commission recommends 5,000-year-old monarchy be ended and Egypt become a republic.
|
| May |
11 |
Britain threatens to use force against Egypt over Suez Canal dispute.
|
| June |
18 |
Egypt becomes a republic.
|
| Sept |
20 |
Several of King Farouk's aides are seized. |
|
1954 |
| Feb |
28 |
Nasser challenges President Naguib.
|
| Mar |
9 |
Naguib beats off Nasser's challenge and retains presidency.
|
| Mar |
29 |
General Naguib postpones plans to hold parliamentary elections.
|
| Apr |
18 |
For a second time, Nasser takes presidency away from Naguib.
|
| Oct |
19 |
Britain cedes Suez Canal to Egypt in new treaty, two year period set for withdrawal.
|
| Oct |
26 |
Muslim Brotherhood attempt to assassinate General Nasser.
|
| Oct |
27 |
Mob burns down Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood.
|
| Oct |
29 |
Muslim Brotherhood is dissolved.
|
| Nov |
13 |
General Nasser in full control of Egypt. |
|
1955 |
| Apr |
27 |
Egypt announces plans to sell cotton to Communist China.
|
| May |
21 |
USSR announces it will sell arms to Egypt.
|
| Aug |
29 |
Israeli and Egyptian jets in fire-fight over Gaza.
|
| Sept |
27 |
Egypt makes a deal with Czechoslovakia - arms for cotton.
|
| Oct |
16 |
Egyptian and Israeli forces skirmish in El Auja.
|
| Dec |
3 |
Britain and Egypt sign agreement granting Sudan independence. |
|
1956 |
| Jan |
1 |
Sudan achieves independence.
|
| Jan |
16 |
Islam is made state religion by act of Egyptian government.
|
| June |
13 |
Britain gives up Suez Canal. Ends 72 years of British occupation.
|
| June |
23 |
General Nasser is elected president.
|
| July |
19 |
US withdraws financial aid for Aswan Dam project. Official reason is Egypt's increased ties to USSR.
|
| July |
26 |
President Nasser announces plan to nationalise Suez Canal.
|
| July |
28 |
Britain freezes Egyptian assets.
|
| July |
30 |
British Prime Minister Anthony Eden imposes an arms embargo on Egypt, and informs General Nasser that he can not have the Suez Canal.
|
| Aug |
1 |
Britain, France and US hold talks on escalating Suez crisis.
|
| Aug |
2 |
Britain mobilises armed forces.
|
| Aug |
21 |
Egypt says it will negotiate on Suez ownership if Britain pulls out of the Middle East.
|
| Aug |
23 |
USSR announces it will send troops if Egypt is attacked.
|
| Aug |
26 |
General Nasser agrees to five nation conference on Suez Canal.
|
| Aug |
28 |
Two British envoys are expelled from Egypt accused of spying.
|
| Sept |
5 |
Israel condemns Egypt over Suez crisis.
|
| Sept |
9 |
Conference talks collapse when General Nasser refuses to allow international control of the Suez Canal.
|
| Sept |
12 |
US, Britain, and France announce their intention to impose a Canal Users Association on management of the canal.
|
| Sept |
14 |
Egypt now in full control of the Suez Canal.
|
| Sept |
15 |
Soviet ship-pilots arrive to help Egypt run the canal.
|
| Oct |
1 |
A 15 nation Suez Canal Users Association is officially formed.
|
| Oct |
7 |
Israeli foreign minister Golda Meir says the UN failure to resolve the Suez Crisis means they must take military action.
|
| Oct |
13 |
Anglo-French proposal for the control of the Suez Canal is vetoed by the USSR during UN session.
|
| Oct |
29 |
Israel invades Sinai Peninsula.
|
| Oct |
30 |
Britain and France veto USSR demand for Israel-Egypt cease-fire.
|
| Nov |
2 |
UN Assembly finally approves a cease-fire plan for Suez.
|
| Nov |
5 |
British and French forces involved in airborne invasion of Egypt.
|
| Nov |
7 |
UN Assembly votes 65 to 1 that invading powers should quit Egyptian territory.
|
| Nov |
25 |
Egypt begins to expel British, French, and Zionist residents.
|
| Nov |
29 |
Tripartite Invasion is officially ended under pressure from UN.
|
| Dec |
20 |
Israel refuses to return Gaza to Egypt.
|
| Dec |
24 |
British and French troops depart Egypt.
|
| Dec |
27 |
5,580 Egyptian POWs exchanged for four Israelis.
|
| Dec |
28 |
Operation to clear sunken ship in Suez Canal starts. |
|
1957 |
| Jan |
15 |
British and French banks in Egypt are nationalised.
|
| Mar |
7 |
UN takes over administration of Gaza Strip.
|
| Mar |
15 |
General Nasser bars Israeli shipping from Suez Canal.
|
| Apr |
19 |
First British ship pays Egyptian toll for use of the Suez Canal. |
|
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