The Six Day War
Introduction
History records the 1967 Arab-Israeli War (Six-Day War) as one of the most memorable on record. Israeli forces delivered a stunning defeat to a coalition of Arab forces that greatly outnumbered the much smaller Israeli force. Victory was made possible by the initial aerial attack launched by Israeli Air Forces.
The elements of surprise, stealth, Operational Security (OPSEC), precision planning and flawless execution were essential to victory. The opening aerial offensive has been called “one of the most stunning successes in modern warfare” .
This case study will review the history, preparation, execution, and lessons learned of this conflict. There is much profit for those who will study this war and consider the essential elements that made the impossible- possible.
History
The United Nations General Assembly voted for the establishment of an Israeli independent state on 29 November 1947. Independence was claimed on May 14th, 1948. Immediately, Arab nations were hostile towards the presence of a Jewish state. No peace was to be enjoyed. Arab legions surrounded Israeli camps and brutally attacked and slaughtered, even civilians. Uneasy relations continued and sporadic wars were to be required in order to preserve the Jewish state.
In 1967, tensions were boiling; as another war was on the horizon. While the Jewish state was far out-numbered and surrounded by foes, the Jewish people were inspired to fight for their very survival. President Gamal Abdel Nasser, of Egypt, delivered unsettling, warmongering speeches that only served to further inspire the Israelis to fight with passion. “The Israelis had a courage and patriotism that made them try harder and more unselfishly” . The...
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...ng design, which proved to be a detriment as they could easily be made unusable by a single bomb strike at the intersecting runways . In addition, nations invested in advanced technology, seeking better early warning radar systems.
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...le simultaneously attacking from the enemy rear is also used today and creates two fronts on an unsuspecting enemy rapidly. Finally, providing an over watch position over the advancing force is used routinely today by aviation. This provides a platform to not only provide early warning, but also to provide effective supporting fires.
In this paper, I will provide a Battle Analysis and outline the events leading up to and surrounding the Battle of 73 Eastings (refers to a north-south grid line). In addition, I will describe how the United States Army’s (USA) 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment (ACR) defeated forces from the Iraqi Republican Guard (IRG) using speed, technology and superior combat power. Although some consider the Battle of 73 Eastings extremely successful, some consider it a failure due to the large amount of Iraqi forces that retreated towards Bagdad. Lastly, I will analyze how each side used their intelligence assets and what they could have used to change the outcome.
The British were outnumbered 900 fighters to 640 fighters plus the Germans had an additional 1,300 bombers. With these statistics, the Luftwaffe thought that they would have a very easy time defeating the Royal Air Force. Even though the British were outnumbered, they had a few advantages that the Luftwaffe was unaware of. First, they develope...
Woods, Chris. "Games Without Frontiers, War Without Tears." Cover Story. New Statesman. N.p., 18 June 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
This is a historical examination of the first battle fought for Fallujah, Iraq: Operation Vigilant Resolve. We will examine the history, location, composition, and social background of Fallujah. Analysis of Operation Vigilant Resolve will identify participating units, basic strategy, why Vigilant Resolve failed and lessons learned. Most scholars agree that future battlefields will be urbanized; with lessons learned from this operation we will be better suited for similar, future conflicts.
Morris, B. (2008). 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press.
On the month of April in 2004, in the city of Habbaniyah, Iraq, a brutal and terrible act took place which ignited one of the bloodiest battles in the history of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Four Black Water security members were killed and publicly maimed. The resulting battle left a high casualty rate as well as hundreds of American service members being wounded. This is the story of the events that took place after the events in the city of Habbaniyah.
5. Margiotta, Franklin D., Ed. “Brassey’s Encyclopedia of Military History and Biography”, Washington: Brassey’s, Inc. 1994
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Leahy, Stephen M. "The Historical Battle over Dispatching American Troops." USA Today (Farmingdale). July 1999: 10-12. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 07 May. 2014.
This marked the beginning of the Palestine armed conflict, one of its kinds to be witnessed in centuries since the fall of the Ottoman Empire and World War 1. Characterized by a chronology of endless confrontations, this conflict has since affected not only the Middle East relations, but also the gl...
The first battle in Fallujah during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) is known as Operation Vigilant Resolve. This battle is regarded as one of the biggest single defeats that the United States Military has suffered throughout all its campaigns during OIF. The United States and international media outlets exploited this defeat, which in turn, bolstered Al Qaeda recruiting in Fallujah. This offensive failure and retreat was backed by a huge public outcry for troop withdrawal and successful exploitation of recruiting propaganda by the insurgents.
The impact of the Six-Day War on the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians:
The War of 1948, also known as the War of Independence, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The war began May 15, 1948 when units from the armies of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq invaded Israel launching a war that lasted until December 1948.# The war resulted in the defeat of the Arab forces and the success of Israel as a newly established state. It is evident that the Arab forces were not successful in the first Arab-Israeli war because the Arab army lacked motivation, education, and proper equipment.# Despite the support from Arab states outside of Palestine, the Arabs were unable to gain enough strength to overcome the Israeli forces. In contrast, the Israeli army was able to succeed because they had unconditional support from the Jewish community, efficient infrastructures, and modern equipment. Israel also used significant strategies that proved lethal against the competing Arab forces. With the Arab communities unorganized attempt to go to war in 1948, it was inevitable that Israel would come out of the war as the victor.
Aircraft are one of the biggest areas of advancement in the past. Military aircraft have become more sophisticated in variety, effectiveness, and maneuverability techniques in recent years. After it was found that aircraft could be very useful in war, they started to become a necessity of war. After World War 2, technological advances in aircraft began. The advances include stealth, targeting, maneuverability, etc.