Adler17
Prussian Feldmarschall
A. Prelude
The loss of the 6 Day war in 1967 hit the national proud of Egypt deeply. Not only the huge losses but also the loss of the Sinai peninsula lead to a wave of nationalism. So despite the defeat the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser wanted to reconquer the lost areas. But his attempts all failed: No strike on the Israeli forces lead to a retreat but to bombings of Egypt by the Israeli Defence Forces. In August 1970 however the Egyptians accept peace. A month later Nasser was dead. His successor was Anwar as Sadat.
Sadat also wanted the Sinai peninsula back. But he tried the diplomatic way at first. He offered Israel to be recognized by Egypt for the price of the Sinai peninsula. But the diplomatic offensive failed. Israel was not willing to accept. Israel thought the Egyptians and other Arab nations were beaten so heavily that in no way they were able to go for a war this time. So they rejected that offer.
So Sadat had to go another way: Instead of a large scale war he wanted a conflict only on the Sinai peninsula. He hoped the conquest of a part and the following defence would force Israel to accept the new situation.
But for that plan the Egyptian army had to be improved massively. With Soviet help new equipment is introduced as well as reorganized. Instead of being behind the front to retreat when the difficulties became more, the officer now should be at the front and stay. There they should be victorious. So the name of the planned attack was chosen after the first victory of Mohamed, peace be with him: Badr!
However Sadat knew very well his forces were in no way strong enough to beat the Israelis in open battle. Despite the numerical advantage and the greater firepower the Israeli weapons were better and the troops much better trained, despite the improvements already introduced. So General Shazli introduced an old and well known plan, made in Germany: He wanted to do the same as Falkenhayn tried in Verdun: To bleed the enemy to death. He knew it was a failure that time but he in contrast to Falkenhayn believes in the plan as Egypt had an ally: Syria. They should attack from the North and bind half of the Israeli forces.
In this moment two Egyptian armies with 1100 tanks and five reinforced Infantry divisions should cross the 180 m wide Sues Canal and conquer two 15 km deep bridge heads. There they should fortify their positions and wait for the Israeli counter strike. After that phase two should start: 2 tank divisions and 3 motorized divisions with 600 tanks should attack and take the mountain passes, which are strategically important. But this phase is not very well planned and what happened next not thought. And here lied one of the reasons why the plan did not work totally.
Israel on the other side had no idea about the attack. As I already said, they thought Egypt was not able to lead a war for a generation and so they neglected any signs of what would come. Even the defence budget was made smaller, although the tank force was increased. The Sinai would be a good puffer, but to stop any Egyptian attempt at the beginning a line of 33 fortresses was built at the Suez Canal, the so called Bar- Lev line. But the Israeli commander is in no way keen about that line and thought it was not suitable. So he closed 19 of the fortresses. The name of the Israeli general: Ariel Sharon!
Sharon wanted to build up an elastic defence with the last tank division he had available. A plan similar to Manstein after Stalingrad. So he also let build a net of roads between the swamps and the desert. There the tanks should be fast in the combat area. Among these roads are three parallel to the Suez Canal. And Sharon relied on the supremacy of the Israeli Air Force.
But the Egyptians now had new Russian SAM system. At the western shore of the Canal 150 batteries of SAMs and 2500 Flak guns were deployed. 10 km of range on the other side of the Canal was now in range of the Egyptian SAMs.
In 1972 Sadat sent the Soviet instructors home. And everyone believed the danger of war is even less since it seemed doubtful, the Egyptians could handle such a modern equipment. Israel erred again.
Even the Egyptian troop movements were not recognized as war preparations since in every year large scale fall manoeuvres took place. So the infantry and tank divisions could take positions without any problems. Even most of the officers were not knowing until the day of the attack that war was imminent. And the Israeli Mossad director said the danger of a war was less than low on October 5th 1973. Instead he promised to warn 48 hours before an attack So all in Israel were not knowing that on the Yom Kippur a day later such a prophecy showed her unsuitableness.
So the Israeli government got the news of the attack on the morning of October 6th. Only a few hours remained. And Golda Meir is loosing time by not willing to attack by Herself as she feared of diplomatic trouble. At 10 AM before the attack she ordered the armed forced to be partly mobilized.
B. The War
4 hours later the Egyptian artillery fired on the Israeli lines. Massively. At the front are only an infantry battalion and three tanks to beat that large scale offensive. 15 minutes later 8.000 Egyptian soldiers crossed the Canal supported by Artillery. 11 waves followed. Ferries carried tanks and other equipment to the other side. Egyptian pioneers make 20 pontoon bridges of Soviet origin. It works like a Swiss clockwork. No big problems occur. The Israelis estimated 48 hours to build that bridges. The Egyptians did that in 9. Also 26.000 dead were estimated by the Israelis to cross the Canal. Indeed only 300 were the price to do so. The Israeli tanks appear too late and in too few numbers to be a problem for the Egyptians. Next morning of 290 tanks only 114 would be operational.
Then the Israeli Air Force tried to destroy bridges and SAM sites. With no effect. Although the bombing runs were more suicide missions, the Israeli planes managed to hit 7 of the bridges. But the damage is soon repaired and dozens of Israeli planes shot down. The Bar Lev line was in the consequence given up only a little later. Also the whole air force had to be brought into the North were the Syrians attacked. 1.600 Syrian tanks, among them 600 T 54, T 55, T 64, were threatening to break through the lines to Galilaea.
Here the tides turned. After reinforcements arrived the Syrians could be pushed out of Israel. Here the Arabic strategist made an error in calculating the army mobilisation speed as the reserve divisions were not hindered by civilian traffic at the holidays and so the first reserve divisions arrived at the front in less than 24 hours.
Also on the Sinai: One division with 183 tanks made a counter strike coming from south of the swamps of Baluza. The Israelis think to be victorious. Only the sighting or the rumors of an Israeli tank let whole divisions retreat seven years before. But that was history. Now they did not retreat but fought. The Israeli forces were failing and had to retreat with the loss of many men and nearly all tanks. Additionally also the Air Force lost 44 planes there. High losses that the defence abilities of the Israelis could cripple if they continued. So at the evening of the black day of the Israeli army, 8th October, 100.000 Egyptian soldiers and over 1.000 had crossed the canal.
The Israeli command decided to go into defence in the South and to throw everything available to the North. There indeed the tide turned on October 10th. Due to the fear of a new Holocaust the Israelis lost the apocalyptic mood in favour of a willing to resist. So the Israeli forces reconquered the Golan heights and were soon in artillery range of Damascus. Only Jordan and Iraqi units could prevent worse.
But that difficult situation the Egyptians are now in the situation to act. So the not consequently planned phase 2 started. But instead of attacking with full planned strength only 500 tanks and two motorized brigades attacked and wanted to take the Gidi and Mitla passes. But now they left the shield of the SAMs. So they were confronted with intensive bombing runs by the Israeli Air Force. Soon half of the tanks were destroyed.
Although still in minority despite armament help from the US by C 5 Galaxy planes, the Israeli had now taken the initiative.
On October 15th the Israelis started an attack on the reserve of the 2nd Egyptian army. But this was a trap. Indeed they circumvent the Egyptian posts to invade Egypt. Soon they crossed the Canal. Sadat got the news finally from the radio when Golda Meir said, that Israeli troops were now fighting in Africa. Sadat wanted to get a confirmation but is given the wrong notice that only 7 Israeli tanks crossed the Canal, which are under control. So although Shazli proposed to crush the Israeli bridge head with the tank units east of the Canal, Sadat declined as he feared this would lead to a morale breakdown of the infantry. Instead the strategic reserve should deal with the problem.
But the Israelis could spot these units from a distance of 40 km and so were able to attack them in the flank. The tank battle lead to an Egyptian defeat. In the following time a number of SAM batteries is destroyed by the Israelis and the city of Sues in danger. The last reserve, the elite Republican Guard, is now confronting the enemy to prevent the fall of Sues. But due to the loss of the SAMs the Egyptians are no longer capable to prevent bombing runs.
Although the Soviets tried to convince Sadat to make a cease fire, as long as he is in still good positions, he overestimated his situation. It is not before October 21st, when the whole 3rd army is in danger to be enclosed when he offered a cease fire. Golda Meir however rejects at first but had to accept due to US pressures. The cease fire was in force since October 22nd at 6.52 PM.
Although the international observer troops did not arrive yet the Egyptians believed the Israelis would keep their word. However they were surprised when the Israelis advanced and finished the enclosing by capturing the harbour of Adabiya. The 3rd army is now without any supplies like a mouse in the trap. Also Israeli planes attacked them killing many soldiers. In this situation the Soviets threatened to move units in the region and the US are now on alert level 3, for the first time since 1962.
On October 25th the UN passed another cease fire resolution, but also this was broken several times until February 1974, when the Israeli forces retreated from the African side of the Canal.
C. Consequences
The Israelis had won the war on the military level. But they had to pay a high price. 830 tanks were lost. Over hundred planes shot down. And the loss of dead men. On both sides. A Pyrrhic victory. Due to the high losses and the fact the Israeli forces were nearly completely beaten the Israeli government finally agreed to make peace with Egypt by returning the Sinai peninsula. The military victory followed the political defeat with the Treaty of Camp David in 1981. Until today the Egyptians celebrates their success every year. Not too unsubstantial.
Sometimes in times of war the side wins which makes less errors. Here both sides made huge errors. One side underestimated the enemy, the other did not plan it until the last step- to make a long story short. Thats why the Israelis won the war on the military front- but lost it on the political.
Adler
The loss of the 6 Day war in 1967 hit the national proud of Egypt deeply. Not only the huge losses but also the loss of the Sinai peninsula lead to a wave of nationalism. So despite the defeat the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser wanted to reconquer the lost areas. But his attempts all failed: No strike on the Israeli forces lead to a retreat but to bombings of Egypt by the Israeli Defence Forces. In August 1970 however the Egyptians accept peace. A month later Nasser was dead. His successor was Anwar as Sadat.
Sadat also wanted the Sinai peninsula back. But he tried the diplomatic way at first. He offered Israel to be recognized by Egypt for the price of the Sinai peninsula. But the diplomatic offensive failed. Israel was not willing to accept. Israel thought the Egyptians and other Arab nations were beaten so heavily that in no way they were able to go for a war this time. So they rejected that offer.
So Sadat had to go another way: Instead of a large scale war he wanted a conflict only on the Sinai peninsula. He hoped the conquest of a part and the following defence would force Israel to accept the new situation.
But for that plan the Egyptian army had to be improved massively. With Soviet help new equipment is introduced as well as reorganized. Instead of being behind the front to retreat when the difficulties became more, the officer now should be at the front and stay. There they should be victorious. So the name of the planned attack was chosen after the first victory of Mohamed, peace be with him: Badr!
However Sadat knew very well his forces were in no way strong enough to beat the Israelis in open battle. Despite the numerical advantage and the greater firepower the Israeli weapons were better and the troops much better trained, despite the improvements already introduced. So General Shazli introduced an old and well known plan, made in Germany: He wanted to do the same as Falkenhayn tried in Verdun: To bleed the enemy to death. He knew it was a failure that time but he in contrast to Falkenhayn believes in the plan as Egypt had an ally: Syria. They should attack from the North and bind half of the Israeli forces.
In this moment two Egyptian armies with 1100 tanks and five reinforced Infantry divisions should cross the 180 m wide Sues Canal and conquer two 15 km deep bridge heads. There they should fortify their positions and wait for the Israeli counter strike. After that phase two should start: 2 tank divisions and 3 motorized divisions with 600 tanks should attack and take the mountain passes, which are strategically important. But this phase is not very well planned and what happened next not thought. And here lied one of the reasons why the plan did not work totally.
Israel on the other side had no idea about the attack. As I already said, they thought Egypt was not able to lead a war for a generation and so they neglected any signs of what would come. Even the defence budget was made smaller, although the tank force was increased. The Sinai would be a good puffer, but to stop any Egyptian attempt at the beginning a line of 33 fortresses was built at the Suez Canal, the so called Bar- Lev line. But the Israeli commander is in no way keen about that line and thought it was not suitable. So he closed 19 of the fortresses. The name of the Israeli general: Ariel Sharon!
Sharon wanted to build up an elastic defence with the last tank division he had available. A plan similar to Manstein after Stalingrad. So he also let build a net of roads between the swamps and the desert. There the tanks should be fast in the combat area. Among these roads are three parallel to the Suez Canal. And Sharon relied on the supremacy of the Israeli Air Force.
But the Egyptians now had new Russian SAM system. At the western shore of the Canal 150 batteries of SAMs and 2500 Flak guns were deployed. 10 km of range on the other side of the Canal was now in range of the Egyptian SAMs.
In 1972 Sadat sent the Soviet instructors home. And everyone believed the danger of war is even less since it seemed doubtful, the Egyptians could handle such a modern equipment. Israel erred again.
Even the Egyptian troop movements were not recognized as war preparations since in every year large scale fall manoeuvres took place. So the infantry and tank divisions could take positions without any problems. Even most of the officers were not knowing until the day of the attack that war was imminent. And the Israeli Mossad director said the danger of a war was less than low on October 5th 1973. Instead he promised to warn 48 hours before an attack So all in Israel were not knowing that on the Yom Kippur a day later such a prophecy showed her unsuitableness.
So the Israeli government got the news of the attack on the morning of October 6th. Only a few hours remained. And Golda Meir is loosing time by not willing to attack by Herself as she feared of diplomatic trouble. At 10 AM before the attack she ordered the armed forced to be partly mobilized.
B. The War
4 hours later the Egyptian artillery fired on the Israeli lines. Massively. At the front are only an infantry battalion and three tanks to beat that large scale offensive. 15 minutes later 8.000 Egyptian soldiers crossed the Canal supported by Artillery. 11 waves followed. Ferries carried tanks and other equipment to the other side. Egyptian pioneers make 20 pontoon bridges of Soviet origin. It works like a Swiss clockwork. No big problems occur. The Israelis estimated 48 hours to build that bridges. The Egyptians did that in 9. Also 26.000 dead were estimated by the Israelis to cross the Canal. Indeed only 300 were the price to do so. The Israeli tanks appear too late and in too few numbers to be a problem for the Egyptians. Next morning of 290 tanks only 114 would be operational.
Then the Israeli Air Force tried to destroy bridges and SAM sites. With no effect. Although the bombing runs were more suicide missions, the Israeli planes managed to hit 7 of the bridges. But the damage is soon repaired and dozens of Israeli planes shot down. The Bar Lev line was in the consequence given up only a little later. Also the whole air force had to be brought into the North were the Syrians attacked. 1.600 Syrian tanks, among them 600 T 54, T 55, T 64, were threatening to break through the lines to Galilaea.
Here the tides turned. After reinforcements arrived the Syrians could be pushed out of Israel. Here the Arabic strategist made an error in calculating the army mobilisation speed as the reserve divisions were not hindered by civilian traffic at the holidays and so the first reserve divisions arrived at the front in less than 24 hours.
Also on the Sinai: One division with 183 tanks made a counter strike coming from south of the swamps of Baluza. The Israelis think to be victorious. Only the sighting or the rumors of an Israeli tank let whole divisions retreat seven years before. But that was history. Now they did not retreat but fought. The Israeli forces were failing and had to retreat with the loss of many men and nearly all tanks. Additionally also the Air Force lost 44 planes there. High losses that the defence abilities of the Israelis could cripple if they continued. So at the evening of the black day of the Israeli army, 8th October, 100.000 Egyptian soldiers and over 1.000 had crossed the canal.
The Israeli command decided to go into defence in the South and to throw everything available to the North. There indeed the tide turned on October 10th. Due to the fear of a new Holocaust the Israelis lost the apocalyptic mood in favour of a willing to resist. So the Israeli forces reconquered the Golan heights and were soon in artillery range of Damascus. Only Jordan and Iraqi units could prevent worse.
But that difficult situation the Egyptians are now in the situation to act. So the not consequently planned phase 2 started. But instead of attacking with full planned strength only 500 tanks and two motorized brigades attacked and wanted to take the Gidi and Mitla passes. But now they left the shield of the SAMs. So they were confronted with intensive bombing runs by the Israeli Air Force. Soon half of the tanks were destroyed.
Although still in minority despite armament help from the US by C 5 Galaxy planes, the Israeli had now taken the initiative.
On October 15th the Israelis started an attack on the reserve of the 2nd Egyptian army. But this was a trap. Indeed they circumvent the Egyptian posts to invade Egypt. Soon they crossed the Canal. Sadat got the news finally from the radio when Golda Meir said, that Israeli troops were now fighting in Africa. Sadat wanted to get a confirmation but is given the wrong notice that only 7 Israeli tanks crossed the Canal, which are under control. So although Shazli proposed to crush the Israeli bridge head with the tank units east of the Canal, Sadat declined as he feared this would lead to a morale breakdown of the infantry. Instead the strategic reserve should deal with the problem.
But the Israelis could spot these units from a distance of 40 km and so were able to attack them in the flank. The tank battle lead to an Egyptian defeat. In the following time a number of SAM batteries is destroyed by the Israelis and the city of Sues in danger. The last reserve, the elite Republican Guard, is now confronting the enemy to prevent the fall of Sues. But due to the loss of the SAMs the Egyptians are no longer capable to prevent bombing runs.
Although the Soviets tried to convince Sadat to make a cease fire, as long as he is in still good positions, he overestimated his situation. It is not before October 21st, when the whole 3rd army is in danger to be enclosed when he offered a cease fire. Golda Meir however rejects at first but had to accept due to US pressures. The cease fire was in force since October 22nd at 6.52 PM.
Although the international observer troops did not arrive yet the Egyptians believed the Israelis would keep their word. However they were surprised when the Israelis advanced and finished the enclosing by capturing the harbour of Adabiya. The 3rd army is now without any supplies like a mouse in the trap. Also Israeli planes attacked them killing many soldiers. In this situation the Soviets threatened to move units in the region and the US are now on alert level 3, for the first time since 1962.
On October 25th the UN passed another cease fire resolution, but also this was broken several times until February 1974, when the Israeli forces retreated from the African side of the Canal.
C. Consequences
The Israelis had won the war on the military level. But they had to pay a high price. 830 tanks were lost. Over hundred planes shot down. And the loss of dead men. On both sides. A Pyrrhic victory. Due to the high losses and the fact the Israeli forces were nearly completely beaten the Israeli government finally agreed to make peace with Egypt by returning the Sinai peninsula. The military victory followed the political defeat with the Treaty of Camp David in 1981. Until today the Egyptians celebrates their success every year. Not too unsubstantial.
Sometimes in times of war the side wins which makes less errors. Here both sides made huge errors. One side underestimated the enemy, the other did not plan it until the last step- to make a long story short. Thats why the Israelis won the war on the military front- but lost it on the political.
Adler
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