Salah Salem
Encyclopedia
Salah Salem (September 25, 1920 – February 18, 1962) was an Egypt
ian military officer and politician.
, Sudan
in 1920. He was raised, however, in the Hilmiyyat Jadida neighborhood of Cairo
. There he was educated at the Ibrahimiyyeh School, and later, in 1938, he graduated from the Egyptian Military Academy
. He, along with four other members of the Free Officers—which included Gamal Abdel Nasser
and Abdel Hakim Amer
—was ranked in the top 10 percent of his classes at the General Staff College by 1947. He graduated from college in 1948. That same year, Salem participated in the 1948 Palestine War
as an infantry officer. Salem, Amer and Abdel Latif Boghdadi were included in the eight-member executive committee of the Free Officers.
(RCC). When Muhammad Naguib
was selected by the RCC to become President of Egypt
, Salem was given the posts of Minister of National Guidance and Minister of State for Sudan Affairs in 1953. As part of his national guidance post, Salem warned the Egyptian press against "rumor mongering" and threatened to suspend the license of journalists who "deviated from the upright path." Salem was strongly committed to preserving the Egyptian union with Sudan and earned the nickname the "Dancing Officer" after being photographed dancing with naked Sudanese. Accusations that he was bribing Sudanese politicians later caused Naguib to block Salem's appointment as Egypt's ambassador to Khartoum
.
When Nasser assumed the presidency after deposing Naguib, Salem was dispatched on a tour of Arab capitals, stopping first at Riyadh
where he helped forge an alliance between Egypt and Saudi Arabia
against Iraq
and the Baghdad Pact countries. He condemned Iraq's membership with the Baghdad Pact, saying "This is a serious development which may threaten the Arab League
and expose Arab nationalism
to great dangers..." On January 31, 1955, he along with foreign or prime ministers from Lebanon
, Jordan
, and Syria
met with Iraqi prime minister Nuri as-Said
. The meeting ended with a realization that the demands of Nuri's Iraq and Nasser' Egypt were irreconcilable.
In the 1956 Suez Crisis
, Salem, known for his fiery moods and sharp tongue, is said to have advised Nasser to hand himself over to the British
to salvage the situation. Nasser ordered Salem, along with Amer, to Port Said
and berated them in front of their army comrades for breaking down during the invasion and opting for surrender. He is also rumored to have had an affair with King Farouk's sister Princess Fawzia, and to have helped smuggle her fortunes outside of Egypt.
Nasser appointed Salem the editor of al-Shaab newspaper in 1957 and was made chairman of the Press Syndicate in 1960. Due to a chronic kidney disease he died in 1962 after seeking treatment both in the Soviet Union
and the United States
. When the ring-road round eastern Cairo was completed in the 1960s, it was named "Saleh Salem Street" after him. According to al-Ahram Weekly
this has made his name possibly the most familiar of any of the Free Officers, except for Nasser.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian military officer and politician.
Education and military career
Salim was born in SinkatSinkat, Sudan
Sinkat is a small town in eastern Sudan.It is the main city of the district of the same name and, in some respects, the "capital" of the Hadendowa.- External links :*...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
in 1920. He was raised, however, in the Hilmiyyat Jadida neighborhood of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. There he was educated at the Ibrahimiyyeh School, and later, in 1938, he graduated from the Egyptian Military Academy
Egyptian Military Academy
The Egyptian Military Academy is the oldest and most prominent military academy in Egypt and North Africa. Traditionally, graduates of the Military Academy are commissioned as officers in the Egyptian Army...
. He, along with four other members of the Free Officers—which included Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
and Abdel Hakim Amer
Abdel Hakim Amer
Mohamed Abdel Hakim Amer was an Egyptian general and political leader. Born in Astal, Samallot, in the Al Minya Governorate in 1919, he served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, took part in the 1952 Revolution and commanded the Egyptian Army in the Suez Crisis, the North Yemen Civil War and the...
—was ranked in the top 10 percent of his classes at the General Staff College by 1947. He graduated from college in 1948. That same year, Salem participated in the 1948 Palestine War
1948 Palestine war
The 1948 Palestine war refers to the events in the British Mandate of Palestine between the United Nations vote on the partition plan on November 30, 1947, to the end of the first Arab-Israeli war on July 20, 1949.The war is divided into two phases:...
as an infantry officer. Salem, Amer and Abdel Latif Boghdadi were included in the eight-member executive committee of the Free Officers.
Career under Naguib and Nasser
In the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 that overthrew King Farouk and the monarchy, Salim was given the task of commanding artillery units in al-Arish. Afterward, he became a member of the Egyptian Revolutionary Command CouncilEgyptian Revolutionary Command Council
The Revolutionary Command Council was the body established to supervise Egypt and Sudan after the Revolution of 1952. It initially selected Ali Maher Pasha as Prime Minister, but forced him to resign after conflict over land reform. At that time, the Council took full control of Egypt...
(RCC). When Muhammad Naguib
Muhammad Naguib
Muhammad Naguib was the first President of Egypt, serving from the declaration of the Republic on June 18, 1953 to November 14, 1954. Along with Gamal Abdel Nasser, he was the primary leader of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which ended the rule of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty in Egypt and Sudan...
was selected by the RCC to become President of Egypt
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
, Salem was given the posts of Minister of National Guidance and Minister of State for Sudan Affairs in 1953. As part of his national guidance post, Salem warned the Egyptian press against "rumor mongering" and threatened to suspend the license of journalists who "deviated from the upright path." Salem was strongly committed to preserving the Egyptian union with Sudan and earned the nickname the "Dancing Officer" after being photographed dancing with naked Sudanese. Accusations that he was bribing Sudanese politicians later caused Naguib to block Salem's appointment as Egypt's ambassador to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
.
When Nasser assumed the presidency after deposing Naguib, Salem was dispatched on a tour of Arab capitals, stopping first at Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
where he helped forge an alliance between Egypt and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and the Baghdad Pact countries. He condemned Iraq's membership with the Baghdad Pact, saying "This is a serious development which may threaten the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
and expose Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism
Arab nationalism is a nationalist ideology celebrating the glories of Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world...
to great dangers..." On January 31, 1955, he along with foreign or prime ministers from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
met with Iraqi prime minister Nuri as-Said
Nuri as-Said
Nuri Pasha al-Said was an Iraqi politician during the British Mandate and during the Kingdom of Iraq. He served in various key cabinet positions, and served seven terms as Prime Minister of Iraq....
. The meeting ended with a realization that the demands of Nuri's Iraq and Nasser' Egypt were irreconcilable.
In the 1956 Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Salem, known for his fiery moods and sharp tongue, is said to have advised Nasser to hand himself over to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to salvage the situation. Nasser ordered Salem, along with Amer, to Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
and berated them in front of their army comrades for breaking down during the invasion and opting for surrender. He is also rumored to have had an affair with King Farouk's sister Princess Fawzia, and to have helped smuggle her fortunes outside of Egypt.
Nasser appointed Salem the editor of al-Shaab newspaper in 1957 and was made chairman of the Press Syndicate in 1960. Due to a chronic kidney disease he died in 1962 after seeking treatment both in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. When the ring-road round eastern Cairo was completed in the 1960s, it was named "Saleh Salem Street" after him. According to al-Ahram Weekly
Al-Ahram Weekly
Al-Ahram Weekly is an Egyptian English-language weekly broadsheet printed by the Al-Ahram Publishing House in Cairo, Egypt.It was established in 1991 by the Al-Ahram newspaper, which also runs a French-language weekly version, Al-Ahram Hebdo....
this has made his name possibly the most familiar of any of the Free Officers, except for Nasser.