Jesse Ferris

Drawing on declassified documents from both sides of the Iron Curtain and other original material in Russian and Arabic, this dissertation illuminates a little-known episode of the Cold War in the Third World. Although neglected by historians, Egyptian involvement in Yemen—often compared to the American experience in Vietnam—is a fascinating example of the transformation of local conflict into global contest during the Cold War. This thesis analyzes the place of the Yemeni Civil War in Egyptian foreign policy. It traces the decline of Nasser’s fortunes from triumphant intervention in 1962 to the calamity of 1967 by exploring relations with the Soviet Union, the United States, and Saudi Arabia through the lens of a specific policy challenge: ending the war and winning the peace in a foreign land racked by strife.

Drawing on declassified documents from both sides of the Iron Curtain and other original material in Russian and Arabic, this project illuminates a little-known episode of the Cold War in the Third World. Egypt’s involvement in Yemen—often compared to the American experience in Vietnam—is a fascinating example of the transformation of local conflict into global contest during the Cold War. This project analyzes the place of the Yemeni Civil War in Egyptian foreign policy. It traces the decline of Nasser’s fortunes from triumphant intervention in 1962 to the calamity of 1967 by exploring relations with the Soviet Union, the United States, and Saudi Arabia through the lens of a specific policy challenge: ending the war and winning the peace in a foreign land racked by strife.