the yom kippur war study guide 2

8/7/2019 The Yom Kippur War Study Guide 2

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The Yom Kippur War

1. Economic Causes

Israels Refusal to Accept Economic Benefits from Egypt

Could have been economically beneficial for Israelis if followed Sadats proposition

Nasser told Egyptian parliament that if Israelis withdrew few miles back hell open canal

again

o even ships can trade with Israel!!! (major hook)

Important quote: if Israel withdraws her forces in Sinai I would be

willing to re-open the Suez Canal to restore diplomatic relations with the United

States, and to

sign a peace agreement with Israel (Sadat at the Egyptian parliament 1970)

First time any Arab leader (aside from King Hussein) suggested peace with Israel

Sadat was ignored by Israel and United States

Surrogacy

US wanted Israel to be a surrogate, but despite the gifts, it kept on making decisions that

didnt serve American interests (Rubenburg)

o Kissinger became aware of Israels behavior, but American public too pro-Israeli

(Rubenburg)

o

Nixon forgot to evaluate compatibility of Israeli and American interests(Rubenburg)

o Surrogate thesis: provide Israel military superiority to contain Soviet

expansionism, promoting regional stability and preventing war would assure

Western freedom of access to the areas resources would be maximized

(Rubenburg)

2. Political Causes

Sadats Policies

those in Nassers inner circle thought Sadat would follow Nassers old policies

o was only seen as a figure head (view of General Kirpichenko, KGB of Egypt)

o had same aims as Nasser to an extent

Regain Sinai and Suez Canal

Difference: believed different approach

1. cut huge sums country spending on arms


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2. break ranks of Arabs (Nasser was the head)

3. Negotiate with Israel for sake of Egypt

Israels Hard-Headedness

Sadat decided that only a war would make Israel negotiate after his offer of allowing

trade between

o Israel in Suez Canal was ignored

led super powers to intervene on Egypts behalf

-15,000 Soviet advisors and technicians training in Egyptian air force

asked to go home (July 1972)

skilful move to please Americans without offending Soviets

Russian Aid

under good terms with Soviets, they send ground-to-air missiles to create a missile wall

along Canalo Retaliation against Israeli air superiority (because help from US)

Sadats Ability to Build Relations

Sadat built up Egyptian relations with other Arab states

o ended hostility toward Saudi Arabia that Nasser showed

o new friendship of President Assad of Syria

Patched up quarrel between Jordan and Syria of king Hussein treatment of

PLO

Activism:

Ben-Gurion believed that the only way to achieve peace with the Arab states is through

direct confrontation and use of force to get the Arabs to agree (Ovendale)

o Golda Meir shared this view (Ovendale)

o The influence of the Great Powers was to be avoided, and he supported direct

confrontation and expansion of territory (Ovendale)

US-Russian Detente

Sadat worried that Russia and US seemed to be close to a dtente (agree there would be

no war in the middle east) (Ovendale)

o If Egypt did not go to war now, it would mean the Egypt would not have another

chance (Ovendale)

o US + Russia would either simply accept status quo or impose humiliating

settlement (Ovendale)

o Believed that US would prevent a clear victory on either side b/c (Ovendale)


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Nixon had to sustain Israel while at the same time not permanently

alienate Egypt, Syria, and other Arab countries (for fear of Soviets) +

danger of Arab oil embargo (Ovendale)

Inability of the US gov to Pressure Israel Effectively

US never exacted much pressure on Israelis rather, demanded Egypt not to makeanother offensive (which it never did)

3. Social Causes

The revolutions started due to humiliating defeat by Israel. They started in Syria there

were a series of coups (Ovendale)

o After humiliation in 1967, Arabs not prepared to condone existence of Israel

(Ovendale)

In Iraq, demonstration by students turned into military control

In Egypt, Nasser led a coup to rebel against the government

First Arab-Israeli war caused younger generation to be disillusioned and believed the

injustice of Zionist disposition of Arab land with the assistance of Western powers

D) Reasons for US to support / not support Israel

1. Support

US public favoured a strong Israel (Ovendale)

Resupply will make Israel feel like theyre not alone (Rubenburg)

May moderate Israels territorial claims in the negotiations

2. Not support

US did not support expansionism or boundary modifications (Ovendale)

US needed to portray itself as impartial (Rubenburg)

Giving more equipment = more chance of US-Soviet confrontation (Rubenburg)

USs backing Israel made Israel harden territorial claims, despite aid that US gave Israel

(Rubenburg)

E) Effects

Arab Position

Arab came out in a stronger position due to Israeli losses compared to its size

Sadat emerged as a world statesmen, something Nasser had aspired to but never achieved

(Ovendale)

o Sadat perceived that only the United States could effectively persuade Israel to

make concessions


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o Also perceived superpowers would prevent a victory by either side

o Perceived another war would make UN take an interest

Traditional perception of Arabs inept at war-making and cooperating among themselves

was eroded

Oil

Arab nations more united than ever

Oil producers raised prices by 70%, decreased production by 5% per month until Israel

withdrew its troops

Ban on all oil supplies to US and Netherlands

Led to US support of Egypt during negotiations with Israel

The US thought the oil embargo would not be able to pressure the US was proven

wrong (Rubenburg)

Effects on the US

The chances of US-Soviet dtente was smaller

Risked US-Soviet confrontation [while supplying Israeli with more equipment]

(Rubenburg)

Jeopardized relations with NATO allies, Japan, and USSR (Rubenburg)

Showed US that Israel was really no help to the US (Rubenburg)

Showed US that pro-Israeli public opinion was a major constraint in policies (Rubenburg)

o US cannot control Israel b/c of this

F) Who won the war?

Israel won

Israel a military victory

Because of it, achieved lasting peace, which had been on its agenda since its foundation

Gained more territory than it had

Because of it, Sadat had to recognize that they were never going to beat the Israelis =

peace treaty

Emerged from it more secure than it was before

WHAT A LOAD OF NONSENSE!

Arabs won

Psychological trauma healed = equal negotiations with Israel


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But actually suffered more losses when put into ratio with its overall population

Egypt won a political, moral victory

Yom Kippur ended Arab ambition of destroying Israel by force strengthened peace

movements

Sadats popularity increased firmer control over Egyptian state

Israel had to wake up and realize they werent THAT militarily superior

Caused Dayan and Meir to resign

the yom kippur war study guide 2

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