Strategy & Tactics Quarterly 32 - October War 1973

October War: Big Battles in the Middle East.

Some of the biggest tank battles of the 20th century occurred during the 1973 October War, where an Egyptian-Syrian alliance took on the Israelis. The Arab forces performed much better than they did in the previous 1967 war, and the STQ will look at the reasons why. It also will look at how the Israelis adopted new tactics to deal with the threats on the Sinai and Golan fronts.

There are a number of lessons from the war, including the impact of precision guided weaponry and electronic warfare—all of which would influence the development of US AirLand Battle doctrine. There is also the bigger picture, with the 1973 seen as part of the wider Cold War. Special topics will include the US airlift of arms to Israel, and the possibility of the October War leading to a superpower confrontation.