This is a comprehensive study of the Egyptian Nationalist Movement between two of the most important dates in the history of modern Egypt: 1936, the year of the Anglo-Egyptian Alliance Treaty, and 1952, the year of the 23 July Revolution. This 17-year period coincided with the final years of Britain's military occupation and authoritarian influence within Egypt, and also with the end of the reign of Egypt's last king.

Basing her study mainly on official British documents, the author analyses the Egyptian Nationalist Movement from the perspective of those who shaped British policy during that time. She explains the many covert links between the British Embassy and certain Egyptian parties and political groups and the positions of the principal contenders in the Egyptian political arena regarding the vital issues of the day.

Analysis of the period of armed struggle in the Suez Canal Zone in 1951-2 shows that the British misjudged the signs and implications of the situation, failing especially to appreciate the crucial role of the Egyptian army and police in the Nationalist Movement. The study's conclusions are supported by primary sources including Foreign Office reports and reveal divergent views of political developments in Egypt during this eventful period.