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What Egypt looked like in the 1940s

Egypt in the 1940s was a country in transition, with a complex political and social landscape shaped by events both within the country and around the world.

In 1942, Egypt found itself at the center of the Allied war effort in North Africa during World War II. British troops had been stationed in the country since the 1800s. Their presence increased significantly during the war as they worked to protect the Suez Canal, a crucial waterway connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas. This increased British military
presence and influence led to growing tensions between the Egyptian government and the British-backed monarchy.

Meanwhile, a growing nationalistic movement took hold in Egypt as Egyptians sought greater independence and a more significant say in their own affairs. This movement was fueled by several factors, including the country’s increasing urbanization, growing education and literacy rates, and the increasing influence of pan-Arabism and the Islamic political movement.

In 1942, King Farouk of Egypt appointed Nahas Pasha as Prime Minister. Nahas sought to negotiate a new treaty with the British that would grant Egypt more independence and a greater say in its own affairs, but these negotiations were unsuccessful. In 1952, a group of young military officers known as the Free Officers staged a coup against the monarchy, toppling King Farouk and establishing the Republic of Egypt.

The 1940s was also a time of significant cultural and intellectual ferment in Egypt. The country was home to a thriving artistic and intellectual scene and was home to some of the leading voices of Arab nationalism, including the philosopher and cultural critic Taha Hussein and the poet Constantine Zureiq.

#4 A group of men are lead by camel past the Great Pyramid of Giza (Pyramid of Khufu) in Giza, Egypt, 1940s

#5 Egyptian farmers plowing a field with oxen in Egypt, 1948

#6 Egyptian Army soldiers ride their camels in the desert of Aswan, Egypt, 1948

#7 Egyptian tribesman on a Arabian horse in a village in Egypt, 1948

#8 A seaside view of building along the beach in Alexandria, Egypt, 1948

#9 A view of Egyptian military guards riding horses in Alexandria, Egypt, 1948

#10 A view of a ferry boat crossing the Suez Canal in Egypt, 1948

#11 King Farouk of Egypt (1920-1965) is transported by horse drawn carriage in a royal procession arriving for the state opening of Parliament in Cairo, Egypt in 1945

#12 The Victoria Embankment looking towards Cleopatra’s Needle, London, 1945

#16 The El-Mursi Abul Abbas Mosque in the Anfoushi district of Alexandria, Egypt, 1944.

#17 Modern high-rise buildings in Alexandria, Egypt, 1944.

#19 Erwin Rommel General field marshall, of the german africa corps in Egypt

#20 British tanks advancing in the desert during the battle of El Alamein, 1942

#21 Short Empire flying boat ‘Corinthian’, Alexandria, Egypt, 1941

#23 A Vickers Light Tank MkVIb from the 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars of the 7th Armored Division, British Army Western Desert Force on patrol in the Egyptian desert near Helmieh on 5th June 1940.

#26 Sayyid Muhammad Idris (1889 – 1983), leader of the Free Libyans, accompanied by Senussi, British and Egyptian officers and an Indian Guard of Honour during his exile in Egypt, 1940.

#27 People gather on both sides of an archway at a bazaar in Cairo, Egypt, 1940

#44 Egyptian ladies seated in a wagon, accompanied by four men

#53 Funeral Procession, 4 men carrying a coffin, Egypt

#58 Milkman. Man milking a cow in a city street, Egypt

#61 Mounted Egyptian Police passing a sign saying “H.B.M.’s and Imperial Forces. Music for all ranks”

#84 A monument to Khedive Ismail, erected by the Italian community in Alexandria, Egypt, 1944.

A monument to Khedive Ismail, erected by the Italian community in Alexandria, Egypt, 1944.

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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