Egypt at the end of WWII - The UK in its Debt

The Literary Corner is a place to discuss your favourite books and authors and to add your own poems and stories.

Moderators: DJKeefy, 4u Network

Post Reply
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Egypt at the end of WWII - The UK in its Debt

Post by Hafiz »

Am reading 'The Last Thousand Days of the British Empire' by Peter Clarke. Seems imperial history is back in vogue - but this time with a twist.

Language a bit lofty and flowery. A lot of double negatives that go with an Oxbridge education.

Most of the book about Palestine, India and WWII.

Astounding brief references to Egypt. First that Egypt was a major creditor of the UK at the end of WWII, that the credits were held in London, that the credits were slowly doled out to Egypt from the Bank of England before the full amount was returned in 1957, that the Atlee government seriously considered defaulting on 66% of its debts to the empire (India was the largest creditor by far leaving aside the US and Egypt was oddly regarded as part of the Empire) before this idea was abandoned, in part, because of US public opinion. Secondly the UK troops left in Egypt to protect British commercial interests, suppress dissent and also to prop up the puppet king were paid for by the Egyptians. An example of how the prisoners paid for their servitude is when, in 1947, protesting Egyptians were fired on by a foreign army they paid for.

Its a pity that Egyptian history from Muhammad Ali to the present is badly covered by both Egyptian (I'm guessing here) and western scholars whilst tens of millions can be found for rather increasingly esoteric and unproductive digs.

Any suggestions on further reading in this period welcomed.


Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post