(4)
(5)Osprey's examination of Jordan and Syria's involvement in the Six Day War (1967). Following the lightning destruction of the Egyptian forces at the outbreak of the Six Day War, Israel turned to the forces of Jordan and Syria, with whom Egypt had signed a mutual-defence pact, and who had now entered the war. Jordan's army moved against West Jerusalem and central Israel, while Syria began shelling Israeli towns from the seemingly impregnable Golan Heights.
The IDF's invasion of the Golan was as daring and successful as its more famous Egyptian victory, but its success in Jordan - taking the West Bank - sowed the seeds of its future troubles. Comprehensively illustrated with artwork, maps and battlefield views, this new history brings one of the most important of 20th century campaigns to life.
(3)A story of sacrifice and heroism, Sane in Damascus tells the compelling and engaging tale of Amnon Sharon, an officer in the Israel Defense Forces who fell captive during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and was held in a Syrian prison for eight long months. In his book, Sharon details the brutal treatment and interrogations that he experienced in prison. Though Sharon was tortured, though he had no idea what was happening, he held strong through the power of prayer and faith. In his heart he believed that God could save him, that there would be some way out – he never gave up. And despite four months of solitary confinement during which the only human faces he saw were those of his torturers, he held onto sanity, living for the day when he could return to his pregnant wife and young son. The book Sane in Damascus is an unforgettable documentation of determination and willpower and the ultimate display of strength against a fearful enemy. This book is dedicated to the memory of the soldiers who were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to save the State of Israel in one of the most difficult periods in her history.
(1)*Includes maps of the Middle East and pictures of important leaders
*Includes an introduction for each country
*Includes a Table of Contents
Before World War I, the West was largely unfamiliar with the Middle East, but in less than 100 years it has become the world's hotspot, a turbulent and volatile tinder box full of sectarian, nationalist and cultural strife. In 2012, the Middle East is home to the Arab Spring, civil war in Syria, NATO operations in Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Iran's nuclear program, all of which continue to concern the rest of the world.
The Middle East Then and Now looks at all of today's issues, as well as the history of four nations at the forefront of the conflict. In analyzing Israel's past and present, this ebook breaks down all the terms often thrown around in the Middle East that make the peace process a political minefield, and one that both beginners and sophisticated followers have a hard time keeping up with. Serving as both a glossary and primer of the history of the Middle East conflict and the peace process, The Middle East Then and Now defines the terms, looks at the history, discusses previous attempts at negotiations like Oslo and Taba, identifies important figures, and explains the arguments and mentalities of each side, showing why the conflict has proven so intractable.
Although Iran was home of the Persian Empire and once had peaceful nuclear programs with Western cooperation before the Islamic revolution, today it is widely considered Israel's archenemy and an antagonist of the West. This book traces Iran's history from the Ancient Persian Empire to today.
As one of the hottest political topics in the world today, nearly everyone is aware of the ongoing violence in Syria, between forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad and opposition looking to overthrow the regime. Within that narrative are a number of sensitive issues, including sectarian strife between the majority Sunni population and the Alawites, not to mention Christians. People may know what’s going on in Syria today, but how did Syria get to where it is today, at the forefront of the Arab Spring? The history of Syria in the last century is one of turbulence, violence, and political intrigue, with local religious sects battling for control of the land while foreign powers vied to maintain influence over the region. What resulted was a toxic and twisted mess that has precipitously affected the entire region, from Israel and Lebanon to Iran and Iraq.
In the 21st century, as NATO’s operation against the Taliban and al-Qaeda has dragged on for over a decade, the old maxim that Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires has been revived. Indeed, the rugged, desolate, and mountainous region was a place that many Westerners likely could not have found on a map before the attacks of September 11, and now the nation’s border with Pakistan is one of the world’s hottest spots. Thanks to Afghanistan and the “Af-Pak” theater, people continue to learn about groups like the Haqqani Network, NATO’s struggles to subdue the Taliban and affiliated militants in Afghanistan are merely the latest chapter in Afghanistan’s very turbulent history. Well before the current conflict, Afghanistan frustrated the Soviet Union, and various tribes and religions have attempted to gain traction there over the last several centuries. The history of Afghanistan is a lesson in convolution.
Along with maps and pictures, The Middle East Then and Now looks at the region's history and today's issues, explaining how the Middle East became what it was today. With this comprehensive primer, get caught up on the state of affairs today.
The recent political history of Lebanon has been defined by the legacy of war. In addition to repeated external invasions and the ongoing presence of foreign troops of diverse nationalities, the Lebanese people have endured the scars left by a bitterly contested civil war that began in the spring of 1975 and continued unabated for the next fifteen years. While much has been written about the tragedy of the civil war, el-Husseini's Pax Syriana is the first book focused on the evolution of the postwar political scene.
In a series of negotiations brokered by Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the larger international community, the civil war came to an end with the signing of the Ta'if Agreement. This agreement ushered in an era of Syrian control and rule by a disparate group of power elites. El-Husseini provides an in-depth account of how the political elite left an indelible mark on the Lebanese state and society. Through extensive field work and firsthand interviews, el-Husseini offers an intimate portrait of postwar Lebanon and shows how the Syrian influence brought a degree of stability to this fragmented nation and yet simultaneously undermined the development of a full constitutional democracy as Lebanon began to acquire some of the authoritarian character of the Syrian regime.
(15)In October 1973, the State of Israel was invaded by Egyptian and Syrian forces. Despite early losses, Israel managed to outfight its opponents. The brief and bloody Yom Kippur War stands as a unique chapter in modern military history. Fought primarily by tank units, the war became a story not only of battle strategy and tactics, but also one of human discipline, endurance and sacrifice.
While many historians have chronicled the events of the Yom Kippur War, few have been seasoned by actual combat. Avigdor Kahalani, commander of a tank battalion on the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War, describes this experience in The Heights of Courage. Beginning with a description of the initial Syrian offensive, he recounts the personal endeavors of his men, their fears and their ambitions, as well as their emotional and physical hardships. His stark account traces the efforts of the Israel Armored Corps as they struggle to overcome extreme difficulties and setbacks. The author describes their ultimate penetration into enemy territory and their approach to within forty kilometers of Damascus.
(2)In May 1967, Egypt expelled the United Nations peacekeeping forces stationed in the Sinai desert and deployed its army along its border with Israel, its moves coordinated with those of Jordan and Syria. By June, Israel realized that the international community would not act, and launched a pre-emptive strike against the combined Arab forces. The ensuing Six Day War (June 5-10, 1967) was a crushing defeat for the Arab world, one that tripled the area controlled by Israel and which sowed the seeds for the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and the continuing strife in the region.
Written by the author of Osprey's Yom Kippur War, this volume covers the background to the war and the campaign against the Egyptians in the Sinai Peninsula, including the initial devastating air assault that showed the world how vital air supremacy was in modern combat.
(8)Duel for the Golan
The 100-Hour Battle That Saved Israel
Jerry Asher with Eric Hammel
The first Saturday in October 1973: A traditional Jewish Sabbath in Israel. It is also Yom
Kippur, and the Israeli Defense Force is preparing to observe the holiest of the Jewish holy days.
Meanwhile the Syrian army, the greatest achievement of the modern Syrian state, is
massed on the Golan Heights. Together with newly arrived Soviet-made equipment,
1,200 main battle tanks, 1,000 armored personnel carriers, 1,000 artillery pieces, and
more than 100 mobile antiaircraft missile carriers are ready to strike in a lightning-swift
offensive that will drive to the sea and cut Israel in two.
Duel for the Golan, the first book to be written on this aspect of the Yom Kippur War, is
based on interviews with the participants from both sides of the fighting. As such it
remain a compelling and powerful account of one of the greatest tank battles fought
since World War II. It also provides the first in-depth analysis of exactly how and why an
inferior number of Israeli defenders was capable of inflicting one of the greatest defeats
in modern military history upon awe-inspiring Arab armored forces.
Here are the intimate details of tank-against-tank fighting, whether it be during retreats,
in ambushes, or on the attack. Here are the stories of incredible courage and individual
initiative as the Israeli defenders strive to contain the unexpected Syrian assault. During
the 100-hour battle that saved Israel, every Israeli tank that was committed to the Golan
fighting was hit by hostile fire at least once, and some commanders had five or six tanks
shot out from under them.
By the end of the war only a few days later, Israeli forces had counterattacked and
advanced to where their artillery could hit the Damascus International Airport and other
strategic targets with pinpoint accuracy. The Syrian army was virtually destroyed in the
field, as were contingents from other Arab states such as Iraq and Jordan. How these remarkable turns of battle occurred is deftly laid out. This revealing account of a battle
that changed the history of the Middle East is especially relevant today as tensions in the
region increase once again.
