Suez Canal
- The Suez Canal linked the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. The British were interested in the canal because it shortened the trip from Europe to the Indian ocean because there was no need for ships. When Egypt was unstable in 1882 the British occupied it to ensure the safety and access of the canal.
- Once in power Nasser refused to sign the Baghdad Pact which led the western countries to lose their partnership with Egypt
- Nasser signed an Arms deal with the Soviet union after the US refuses to sell Egypt weapons
- Because of this the US and Britain denied Nasser funding to make a dam on the Nile River
- In response to the denial of funding, he decided to nationalize, or take control of, the Suez Canal, which was owned by an international company controlled by Britain and France.
- In October 1956 Britain, France, and Israel launched a coordinated attack on Egypt. Israel invaded the Sinai Peninsula, and British and French troops occupied the Suez Canal Zone
- The United States did not support these actions, which created tensions with the Soviet Union.
- Nasser promoted Pan-Arabism or Arab unity hoping to unite the Arab world. He brought Egypt and Syria together in 1958 as the United Arab Republic, but Syria withdrew two years later