Mohamed Fawzi the General Commander of the Armed Forces.

General Mohamed Abd Al-Ghany Al-Gamasy said in his memoirs ( On 11th of June, Abd Al-Nasser assigned General Mohamed Fawzi as the General Commander of the Armed Forces, General Abd Al-Moneim Riad as the Chief of Staff, and General Madkour Abu Al-Ezz (The Governor of Aswan at that time) as the commander of Air Force and Air Defense.

On the same day General Murtaga, Commander of Ground forces, General Sedki, Commander of Air Forces, General Soliman Ezzat, commander of Navy Forces. Chief of the armed forces operations and the assistants of supreme commander, gave their resignation. Abd Al-Nasser decided that some leaders, specially those who were very close to Marshal Amer, must retire.

President Abd Al-Nasser gave a special concern to control the Armed Forces, for the situation necessitate to do so. )

Mahmmoud Riad, the Egyptian Foreign Minister at that time, mentioned in his memoirs ( Abd Al-Nasser said in one of the cabinet sessions, I could not forget the first days we passed after June. I had a bitter feeling that was indescribable. The events of June affected us psychologically, morally and materially. I wished at that time to resign. I was expecting hard times inside and outside the country; because our enemy was strong, ready to destroy us and having enough money to do so.

On 11 of June, when I decided not to resign I was in a very bad condition; I sent my family out of Cairo and hold my pistol to use it at last. I asked about the number of tanks in Cairo, they told me they were only seven of them. Everyday, before going to bed, I used to talk with General Fawzi.

Then I phone him again at six O’clock in the morning to discuss the situation of the Armed Forces, leaderships and name of every commander in each field. If I did not do this; situation could have turned bad. ) Mahmmoud Riad memoirs.

Source: October War 1973, second edition 1998. General Mohamed Abd Al-Ghany Al-Gamasy chief of operations of Egyptian Army during the war.

Related links on the Internet: General Mohamed Fawzi talking to Al-Ahram Weekly about the three year war.

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