Muhammad Anwar es-Sadat was an Egyptian military officer and politician who served as the third President of Egypt from 1970 until his assassination in 1981. Initially a loyal member of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s regime, Sadat quickly forged his own path, leading Egypt through the 1973 Yom Kippur War and making the historic decision to seek peace with Israel, an achievement for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.
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Key Biographical Information
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Muhammad Anwar es-Sadat |
| Born | December 25, 1918, Mit Abū al-Kum, Egypt |
| Died | October 6, 1981 (aged 62), Cairo, Egypt |
| Cause of Death | Assassination by Islamic extremists |
| Political Party | National Democratic Party (NDP) |
| Previous Roles | Vice President (1964–1966, 1969–1970); Speaker of the National Assembly |
| Presidential Term | October 15, 1970 – October 6, 1981 |
| Key Award | Nobel Peace Prize (1978, shared with Menachem Begin) |
Early Military Career and Revolution
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Military Academy: Sadat graduated from the Royal Military Academy in Cairo in 1938 and soon met his future mentor, Gamal Abdel Nasser.
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Anti-British Activism: During World War II, Sadat plotted with agents of Nazi Germany to try to expel the British from Egypt, leading to his arrest and imprisonment in 1942.
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The Free Officers: He was a senior member of the Free Officers Movement, the secret military group led by Nasser. Sadat was tasked with delivering the revolution’s first statement over the radio during the 1952 coup that successfully overthrew King Farouk I and abolished the monarchy.
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Nasser’s Lieutenant: Throughout Nasser’s presidency, Sadat served in various high-ranking roles, including as Speaker of the National Assembly and Vice President. Upon Nasser’s death in September 1970, Sadat assumed the presidency. Many expected his term to be brief, viewing him as a weak figurehead.
The Sadat Presidency (1970–1981)
Sadat quickly surprised observers by consolidating power through a bold “Corrective Revolution” and drastically shifting Egypt’s political and foreign policy direction away from Nasserism.
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Corrective Revolution (1971): Sadat purged the government and security apparatus of Nasser’s most ardent loyalists (the Ali Sabri faction), establishing his personal authority and signalling a move away from Soviet-style socialism.
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Expulsion of Soviets: Feeling that the Soviet Union provided inadequate military support, Sadat expelled thousands of Soviet military advisors from Egypt in 1972, paving the way for a political pivot toward the United States.
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Yom Kippur War (1973): Determined to break the stalemate following the 1967 Six-Day War humiliation, Sadat launched a surprise joint attack with Syria on October 6, 1973, to reclaim the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula. Though the war ended in a military draw, the initial Egyptian crossing of the Suez Canal shattered the myth of Israeli invincibility and provided Sadat with the leverage to pursue peace diplomatically.
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Infitah (Openness): He launched the Infitah (“opening”) economic policy, which sought to liberalize the state-controlled economy and attract foreign trade and investment.
The Road to Peace
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Historic Visit (1977): In a monumental and unprecedented move, Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem in November 1977, addressing the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and signaling his willingness to make peace directly with the Jewish state.
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Camp David Accords (1978): Facilitated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Sadat met with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David. This summit led to the Camp David Accords and, ultimately, the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty of 1979, which returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in exchange for full diplomatic recognition.
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Nobel Peace Prize: Sadat shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize with Menachem Begin for their peace efforts.
Assassination and Legacy
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Domestic Opposition: The peace treaty with Israel led to Egypt’s expulsion from the Arab League and made Sadat a pariah in the Arab world. Domestically, his increasing authoritarianism and the economic strains of the Infitah policy fueled dissent, particularly from Islamic extremist groups.
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Final Crackdown: In September 1981, Sadat ordered a massive crackdown on opposition figures from across the political spectrum.
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Assassination: On October 6, 1981, Sadat was assassinated by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad while watching a military parade commemorating the Yom Kippur War.
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Successor: Sadat was succeeded by his Vice President, Hosni Mubarak, who upheld the peace treaty with Israel.
Anwar Sadat remains one of the most transformative leaders in Middle Eastern history, forever revered as a peacemaker by the West and controversial for sacrificing the cause of Arab unity for Egyptian national interests.