#zottos

In the beginning, the Greeks acted as middlemen between Egypt and the more established European powers, most notably France and Britain, two countries Mohammed Ali Pasha was seeking to lure for investment. Later, the Greeks played a crucial role in the construction of the Suez Canal and the running of the cotton industry, which flourished in the wake of the American civil war when international demand was at an all-time high.

In the process of modernizing the country, Egypt’s rulers were forced to borrow money from foreign banks, mainly in Europe. By 1876 the country’s debt was so high that the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II declared Egypt bankrupt. Fearful of losing their investments, the banks put pressure on their governments and in no time Egypt’s finances came under European control. It didn’t take long for disgruntled parties in Egypt, namely the military under the command of Ahmed Urabi, to call for a revolt. In June 1882, violent clashes broke out between Egyptians and foreigners in Alexandria, which prompted British and French ships to sail into the Alexandria harbor hoping that their presence would quell the unrest. As the revolt became imminent with Urabi’s forces unwilling to withdraw their cannons, the British fleet opened fire on the city. In the end, Urabi was sent into exile, and the British took over the day-to-day running of the country through their Egyptian proxies.

Rampage Godzilla scanned from The Godzilla 1954-1958 Manga Collection