“Bridges are built through dialogue, not through weapons.”
On 6 October 1973, a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria launched a surprise on Israel during the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, coinciding with the tenth day of Ramadan. Fought between 6 October and 25 October, the conflict took place in the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights, with some combat spilling to Egypt and northern Israel. The primary aim of the Arab coalition during the Yom Kippur War was to reclaim territories lost to Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War. The war has had a significant impact on relations in the Middle East; namely, the Camp David Accords where when Egypt became the first Arab country to recognise Israel. With the legacy of the war still reverberating in the tensions of the Middle East today, join us at What We Reading for the best books about the Yom Kippur War!
Eighteen Days In October: The Yom Kippur War And How It Created The Modern Middle East – Uri Kaufman
First up on our list of the best Yom Kippur War books is Uri Kaufman’s 2023 history book, Eighteen Days in October. Released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the conflict, Kaufman explores the legacy of the war, how the global economic order was reshaped and how Israel came shockingly close to a previously unthinkable defeat. Yet, Kaufman also examines how the Yom Kippur War was also a pivotal victory for Israel.
After the surprise early Arab advances, Eighteen Days in October shows how the Israeli Defence Forces clawed their way back to threaten both Cairo and Damascus. The resulting peace talks forced the Arab world to recognise that Israel couldn’t be wiped off the map, even if Israeli military dominance was no longer something it could take for granted. From the battlegrounds to the Camp David Accords, Eighteen Days in October is as comprehensive a resource as they come for understanding this pivotal moment in history.
The Yom Kippur War: The Epic Encounter That Transformed The Middle East – Abraham Rabinovich
Another one of the most definitive books about the Yom Kippur War comes from Abraham Rabinovich in The Yom Kippur War. After the easing of Israeli censorship, Rabinovich’s work allows readers to be given new insights into arguably the fiercest conflict in Arab-Israeli history. Having covered the conflict during the time of The Jerusalem Post, Rabinovich draws on extensive interviews and primary source material to shape a captivating narrative of the war.
From Chief of Staff David Elazar’s conclusion that Israel couldn’t win the conflict to Defense Minister Moshe Dayan’s proposal of using a nuclear ‘demonstration’, freshly translated transcripts reveal to readers the decision-making of individuals ranging from the Prime Minister’s cabinet to the generals on the frontlines in real-time. Rabinovich’s work is one of the most useful Yom Kippur War accounts for understanding how Israel turned what appeared to be an apocalyptic defeat into a remarkable strategic turnaround.
Elusive Victory: The Arab-Israeli Wars, 1947-1974 – Trevor N. Dupuy
In Elusive Victory, Colonel Trevor N. Dupuy traces the history of the Arab-Israeli wars from the founding of Israel to the conclusion of the Yom Kippur War. Leaning on the best extant information from both sides, Dupuy’s acclaimed work has become one of the most dependable resources for supplying all the essential information about the tensions and conflicts that have shaped the modern Middle East.
Dupuy is renowned for his even-handed approach, correcting some of the most infamous misconceptions and rumours through personal interviews with Arabs, Israelis and UN officials to present a descriptive account of the Arab-Israeli Wars. His book carries both weight and reason and provides both a compelling and informed comparison of the tactics, objectives, victories, setbacks and failures in both the Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War that make it an essential guide of the region’s recent history.
The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel – Uri Bar-Joseph
In his gripping biography, The Angel, Uri Bar-Joseph reveals for the first time in English the remarkable life and mysterious death of Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and a spy for Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service. Having access to the deepest secrets of his country’s government, The Angel, as he was called, would alert Israeli security on the Egyptian-Syrian attack on Yom Kippur and potentially save the nation from a crushing defeat.
Drawing on meticulous research and extensive interviews with several key participants, through recounting the pieces of Marwan’s story, Uri Bar-Joseph sheds light on a turbulent time in modern Egyptian and Middle Eastern history that would culminate with the 2011 Arab Spring. One of the most gripping Yom Kippur War accounts, The Angel concludes with the unexplained death of Marwan; from the who, and how to the why, Bar-Joseph reveals all on the back of explosive new evidence.
For Heaven’s Sake: Squadron 201 And The Yom Kippur War – Aviram Barkai
Aviram Barkai’s For Heaven’s Sake is the story of the Israeli Air Force in the heart of the Yom Kippur War from the perspective of the commanders and fighters of ‘The One’. The One was the famous F-4 Phantom squadrons which produced ten colonels, seven brigadier generals, two major generals, two Air Force Chiefs and one Chief of the General Staff.
Aviram Barkai takes readers into the heat of battlegrounds, inside government meetings, the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and General Staff and Intelligence to try and break down exactly what happened in a war that upended a region and lay the foundations for the Middle East as we see it today.
Soldier In The Sinai: A General’s Account Of The Yom Kippur War – Emanuel Sakal
In Soldier in the Sinai, mobile and armoured warfare expert Major General Emanuel Sakal analyses the operational and strategic decisions made by Israel’s political and military leadership during the opening stages of the Yom Kippur War, and how they contributed to the nation’s first-phase failures.
One of the most illuminating military strategy books on the Yom Kippur War, Sakal leans on his own firsthand experience leading a regular tank battalion as well as extensive research and interviews with the principal officers at the time. He reveals how ineffective air support, poor tank strategy and delays in mobilising reserves crippled the country’s air force, caught Israel out and redefined the nation’s defence going forward.
The Eve Of Destruction: The Untold Story Of The Yom Kippur War – Howard Blum
October 6, 1973, on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, the Arab world launched a daring and ingeniously conceived surprise attack against Israel, marking the beginning of the Yom Kippur War. After three days of bloody, intense fighting, Israel was fighting for survival whilst the Arabs were closing in on the Jewish heartland, emboldened by the potential of reclaiming the honour lost in previous wars.
Based on declassified Israeli government documents and illuminating interviews with soldiers, generals and intelligence operatives on both sides of the conflict, Howard Blum’s The Eve of Destruction is a remarkable book about the Yom Kippur War the masterfully balances the intricacies of warfare, politics and deception with the human tales of the men and women who were caught up in amongst the carnage.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
