THE INFLUENCES OF AMERICAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS UPON AMERICAN-EGYPTIAN RELATIONS--1948 THROUGH THE SUEZ WAR OF 1956 (MIDDLE EAST)

The relations between the United States and Egypt during the period 1948-1956 opened with major political changes in both the Middle East and the United States. In May 1948, the state of Israel was established, in July 1952, the Free Officers seized power in Egypt and over-threw the old regime and in January 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower took office in the United States. The main purpose of this study is to explain the influence of American-Israeli relations between 1948 and the Suez War of 1956 upon American-Egyptian relations and the U.S. policy of containment of communism in the Middle East.;The first two chapters trace American-Egyptian relations before the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, and the American attitude toward the Zionist movement until the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. The third chapter deals with the American role in the Egyptian Revolution and in the Egyptian controversy with Britain regarding the Sudan and British troops in Egypt. The final chapter traces American relations with both Egypt and Israel from 1948 through the Suez War of 1956, and the American attempt to include Egypt in a defense system against communism in the area.;This study is based on unpublished materials in the National Archives, Washington, D.C., the Presidential Libraries of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, published documents, memoirs, newspapers and secondary sources. It does appear from this study that despite the growing tension between Egypt and the U.S. regarding Israel, American-Egyptian relations were good before the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The year 1952 was considered a turning point in the deterioration of relations between the two countries. The main reasons for this deterioration were due mainly to the growth of Arab nationalism in Egypt, the American attitude towards the Zionist movement until 1948, the support given by the United States to the newly-created state of Israel and American policies towards the multitudinous problems resulting from the foundation of that state.