Page "Gamal Abdel Nasser" Paragraph 50

On 29 October 1956, Israel crossed the Sinai, overwhelmed Egyptian army posts, and quickly advanced through the peninsula to achieve their objectives.

Two days later, British and French planes bombarded Egyptian airfields in the canal zone.

Amer panicked and withdrew Egyptian forces from the Sinai and advised Nasser to make a ceasefire.

According to Boghdadi, Nasser described the Egyptian army as " shattered " and resembled a " broken man.

" Nonetheless, his prestige at home and among Arabs was undamaged.

Nasser personally took over command of the military and, aware that he was unable to stop the invasion, he coordinated with King Saud to land Egyptian Air Force planes in Saudi Arabia and Sudan to avoid destruction.

He then telephoned King Hussein of Jordan and Shukri al-Kuwatli of Syria, asking them to stay out of the fighting.

When Hussein objected and offered to participate in Egypt's defense, Nasser warned him " to save his army from destruction.

" He followed by issuing orders to block the canal by sinking or otherwise disabling forty-nine ships at its entrance.

In Port Said, he berated Amer and fellow Free Officer Salah Salem, who both continually insisted on surrendering, in front of other officers and vowed that " Nobody is going to surrender.