[HIGHLIGHTS] The United Arab Republic...a union imposed by officers and ended by a military coup

An Arab union was officially announced on February 22, 1958 between the republics of Egypt and Syria. It ended on September 28, 1961, after a military coup in Syria led by Lieutenant Colonel Abdel Karim al-Nahlawi.

14 Syrian officers led by Afif al-Barazi headed to Cairo on January 11, 1958, on board a plane. They met with Abdel Nasser on January 15, without the knowledge of Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli, the Speaker of the Syrian Parliament, or even Defense Minister Khaled al-Azm.