In 1952 the President of Lebanon, Bishara Khoury, in office since 1943, was faced with a general strike and demands for his resignation. The strike had broad popular support and was organized by the Social National Front (SNF) that was formed by nine members of the Lebanese legislative assembly and counted among its leadership such prominent individuals as Emile Bustani, Kamal Jumblatt and Camille Shamun. President Khoury asked the Army Chief of Staff General Fuad Chehab (also rendered as Shihab) to end the strike of September 11th, which had paralyzed the country. General Shehab refused and on the 18th of September 1952 the President resigned. General Shehab served briefly as the head of a caretaker government until the 23rd of September when the Chamber of Deputies elected Camille Chamoun the new president of Lebanon. The strike and its political result constitute what many Lebanese refer to as a non-violent coup d’etat, hence the term, Rosewater Revolution. This event reverberated down through the years, setting the stage for more political events whose results are still felt today. Of this, more will be written in future articles.