Egypt During World War II

In 1939, the European powers plunged the world into another major conflict. Although Egypt would become the arena of one of the most decisive battles of the war, that of El Alamein, and played a pivotal role in providing the British with supplies, there was very little overall support for Britain.

Policy of Non-belligerency

Following a policy of non-belligerency, Egypt was, nevertheless, careful to fulfill its obligations set out under the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936. It declared a State of Siege and put its ports, aerodromes, and railways at the disposition of Britain. The Egyptian Army itself was limited to the defense of Egyptian territory, which by and large meant helping to protect the Suez Canal from mines and cities from air raids. The number of Egyptian troops killed during the war was estimated to be around 200.

The policy of non-belligerency was seen by the British as something of an advantage. It provided them with a relatively stable base to conduct its military operations. It was through the port of Suez that the Americans channeled vital supplies for the huge force engaged in the Battle of El Alamein. Cairo also became a hive of activity during the conflict, with Allied politicians, generals and hundreds of thousands of troops passing through.

The loss of Egypt was a scenario the British would not entertain. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, declared that his country would defend the country to the end. When the Germans threatened to bomb Cairo, the British government issued a chilling warning to respond in kind. It vowed that Germany's Axis ally, Italy, could expect its capital to be systematically bombed for as long as the war lasted. The threat against Rome worked and Cairo was spared the destruction suffered by so many cities during the war. Alexandria was less lucky and was subjected to bombardment that caused a number of casualties.

Desire for Independence from Britain

The war caused serious disruption of everyday life in Egypt. Rampant inflation and serious shortages of basic foodstuffs hit the poor especially hard. The Black Market boomed. Too much cotton was being grown and not enough cereals. Attempting to compensate by reducing the area of land under cotton production made the government highly unpopular with cotton farmers and helped to boost the opposition. Some Egyptians pointed the finger of blame at the British and the huge amounts food needed to support its army. Although Britain denied it was pillaging the country since it also importing huge quantities of food, the accusation was, nevertheless, readily exploited by political agitators with Axis sympathies.

The ambiguity shown by the Egyptians towards the war reflected the views of a people that saw themselves as citizens of country that already had a struggle on its hands against the British, not the Germans. Therefore, wherever their sympathies lay, there was one common thread, the desire for independence from Britain.

The Wafd Party headed by al-Nahhas, for example, opted to cooperate with the British, convinced that Britain would acknowledge its debt by ending its occupation of Egypt at the end of the war. Some, such as the Saadist Party (a breakaway faction of the Wafd), went so far as to argue in favor of declaring war on Germany.

They were keenly aware that this would ensure Egypt a part in the reward of the peace process. Many opposed this, including the king, since after Germany invaded France many believed that Britain might well lose the war. If this were the case, Germany might well be the liberator of Egypt from British occupation.

There were also many individuals and organizations whose sympathies lay squarely with the Axis powers.

The Muslim Brotherhood

Founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, it was a highly organized movement that had at its disposal a variety of publications. Its aim was (as it still is today) to impose a strict form of Islamic government on Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was vociferously anti-British and therefore played an important role in the struggle for independence. For those who belonged to more moderate nationalist groups and envisaged a secular Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood made for a somewhat disturbing ally.

British concerns over Egyptian ministers harboring sympathies for the Axis powers twice led it to intervene in the country's politics and force a change of government. On the second occasion, in February 1942, British tanks were dispatched to the gates of the royal palace to help persuade King Faruq to allow the pro-British Wafd to form a government. The crisis led to bitter recriminations. Egyptians poured scorn on their king for his display of subservience, and the Wafd, now too closely identified with the British, similarly lost a great deal of credibility which it would never regain.