The 10th of Ramadan war aka Yom Kippur war, Going to war in October 1973 was a necessity for Egypt and beyond days of glory and military analysis. The modern war is more than tanks and aircraft and its more important to break your enemy’s strategy than winning a battle. Let’s shed the light on a hidden factors from marketing point of view in 40th anniversary of the October War.
Also Read: Israel relaunch 1967 War on Twitter [Analysis]
Israel Logo //
While every nation use an iconic graphical elements to represent the country, The Israeli flag was adopted on 28 October 1948 to say it all about the country expansion plan. The blue stripes are intended to symbolize the stripes on a tallit, the traditional Jewish prayer shawl. The portrayal of a Star of David on the flag of the State of Israel is a widely-acknowledged symbol of Judaism.
A new State of Israel with broad frontiers, strong and solid, with the authority of the Israel Government extending from the Jordan to the Suez Canal. – Moshe Dayan
On 6 of October 1973 the Israeli plan seems to be collapsing as the Egyptian Army in operation Badr followed by peace process led by President Saddat stopped the dream of Israel to control the Arab land starting from Furat River in Iraq to River Nile in Egypt.
On 25 April 1982, Egypt regained the Sinai Peninsula, The Egyptian flag raised in Rafah. It marked the final departure of the Israeli army from Sinai, which it had occupied since the Six-Day War in 1967, commonly referred to among Arabs as the Naksa (setback). Full independence however, was realized with the return of Taba on 19 January 1989. The regaining of the Sinai symbolises for many the successful completion of Egypt’s long struggle to restore the sovereignty and honor it lost in the June 1967 defeat and consequently vanished the Israeli flag concept.
The Long Arm of Israel Theory //
For each army there is always a weapon on which it claim to be an advantage in the battle field and in propaganda its used as its The unique selling proposition (USP), or unique selling point. Israel used the Air Forces also known as Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, “Air and Space Arm” to market it as the long arm of Israel on which the Israeli army depends to trike anywhere and anytime. The advanced aircraft used including the famous Phantom was a source of bragging and used many times to show power penetrating Egyptian air defense systems and destroyed schools and industrial plants, until The Egyptian Air Defense Command or EADC integrated all its air defense capabilities – antiaircraft guns, rocket and missile units, interceptor planes, and radar and warning installations to neutralize the effect of Israel Air Forces and Israeli fighters ordered not to fly near Suez Canal within 12 KM range.
Another evidence was The Air Battle of El Mansoura which took place on 14 October 1973 during the War between the Egyptian Air Force [EAF] in the Nile Delta region. According to Egyptian sources, the Israeli Air Force [IAF] launched an air strike have been spotted approaching from the Mediterranean Sea. The 104th Air Wing scrambled its fighters, receiving additional reinforcements from other air bases. The air battle began at 15:15 and lasted 53 minutes which make it one of the longest air battles in history. The Egyptian commander Hosni Mubarak announced that 17 enemy aircraft had been downed by Egyptian fighters for the loss of three Egyptian aircraft.
Israeli Intelligence Was Not That Smart //
The Israeli forces would break the bones of Egyptians if they would ever dare to cross the canal and penetrate the Bar Lev Line. – Chief of staff in Israel said
The Israeli strategy centered on pressuring Egypt to accept a peace deal with Israel along Israeli conditions. In order to deter Egypt from crossing the canal, the Israelis built the Bar Lev Line from north to south with a sand dam and fortifications and napalm tubes under the water to put the waterway of the canal on fire in case the Egyptian forces would attempt to cross. A former Israeli chief of staff had bragged that even a nuclear bomb would not destroy this defense line.
The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, otherwise known as the Mossad failed to predict the war and the over-trust since 1967 made the Israeli commanders blind, Even didn’t notice how The Egyptian Military Forces managed to build up a new well trained and organised army, President Nasser ordered what is known as the War of Attrition from 1969 to 1970, a war that cost Israel heavy losses in terms of men and equipment. This war paved the way to The Egyptian Army to get used to the operation field and it wasn’t that hard to operate successfully in Oct. 1973
Six Days- Six Years- Six Hours //
On Egyptian soil there is no will but that of the Egyptians. – Muḥammad Anwar El Sadat
Sadat didn’t say “Alone” , He said “On my own” , he meant with the available technology and weapons Egypt had by the time. As Israel claimed victory as 6 days war 1967, The Egyptian Army took six years to re-build, get prepared and develop new strategy and tactical plans which lead to victory in six hrs.
Head Picture Courtesy: Genuine part of the wing of an Israeli fighter which was shot down by the Egyptians Air Forces [Egyptian National Military Museum]
