Sinai 1973

SINAI 1973

This war was part of the Israeli – Arab countries conflict. This conflict had begun since 1967 with the 6 day war. Egypt lost the Sinai Peninsula and Syria half of the Golan’s heights.The Egypt president Anwar Sadat needed to increase his popularity among the Egyptian population. During Sadat’s first three years in charge he had several problems that he had not solved, among themwas the economic crisis, he was thinking to introduce some reforms that might be unpopular. Therefore he thought that a military victory could give him some popularity among Egyptian population. Inthis case Sadat was thinking to inflict a limited defeat to Israel in order to negotiate the return of the lost land.
In the other hand the leader of Syria Hafez Al-Assad was looking for a totaldestruction of the enemy in order to recover the Golan’s heights. King Hussein of Jordan was concerned to receive another defeat from Israel but he wanted to restore his kingdom recovering the lost land in1967.
Israel was prepared to receive an Egyptian-Syrian offensive, therefore he build a fortifications in objectives, Golan’s heights and Sinai Peninsula. Besides this defensives lines Israel alsofortified the positions at the Suez Canal, building the line know as Bar Lev Line.
Egypt received military assistance from the former Soviet Union in order to modernize his army. The assistance wasnot only in weaponry also in training improving his military tactics. In order to receive Soviets assistance Sadat convince the soviets to test their weapons against American weaponry.
According withthe above mentioned there are several factors for this war. First the negative response from Israel to return the territories to Egypt and Syria and the failure of the Egyptian president for a peaceagreement between parts in conflict. Second the UN resolution 242 did not force Israel to return the territories to Egypt and Syria. Third Israel was convinced in his military superiority in the...