Egypt and the Cuban Missile Crisis
This NPIHP Working Paper features essays written by Hassan Elbahtimy and James G. Hershberg that examine the role of Egypt in the politics and diplomacy of the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Benefiting from Elbahtimy’s deep expertise in Egyptian nuclear history and Hershberg’s long-standing interest and numerous publications on the Cuban Missile Crisis, the two papers seek to address unanswered questions relating to how Egypt and its government led by President Gamal Abdel Nasser perceived and reacted to the crisis, particularly at the United Nations, in the context of the Cold War and the advent of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The papers draw on a range of primary sources from Egypt, the United States, the United Nations, the Soviet Union, and elsewhere, materials which provide new insights and information on Cairo’s experience of the crisis.
About the Authors
Nuclear Proliferation International History Project
The Nuclear Proliferation International History Project is a global network of individuals and institutions engaged in the study of international nuclear history through archival documents, oral history interviews, and other empirical sources. At the Wilson Center, it is part of the Wilson Center's History and Public Policy Program. Read more
History and Public Policy Program
The History and Public Policy Program makes public the primary source record of 20th and 21st century international history from repositories around the world, facilitates scholarship based on those records, and uses these materials to provide context for classroom, public, and policy debates on global affairs. Read more
Cold War International History Project
The Cold War International History Project supports the full and prompt release of historical materials by governments on all sides of the Cold War. Through an award winning Digital Archive, the Project allows scholars, journalists, students, and the interested public to reassess the Cold War and its many contemporary legacies. It is part of the Wilson Center's History and Public Policy Program. Read more
