War of Attrition
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Wear War
Part of: Middle East Conflict
The Israeli-Egyptian war of attrition took place largely along the Suez Canal
The war of attrition (Hebrew מלחמת ההתשה Milhemet haHatashah; Arabic حرب الاستنزاف, DMG Ḥarb al-Istinzāf; English: War of attrition) is the military conflict between Egypt and Israel from 1968 to 1970. It was started by Egypt in order to use it to retake the Sinai, conquered by Israel in the Six-Day War. The war ended with a ceasefire signed in 1970, with neither party gaining any territory.
Etymology
Generally, war of attrition, also called war of fatigue, is a limited but prolonged military conflict in which mutual losses far exceed potential or actual gains.
Wars of attrition arise either because one party relies from the outset on exhausting the opponent's forces, even if it cannot inflict a direct defeat on him, or through the gradual solidification of the fronts as a result of the exhaustion of the resources of the opponents involved. Resources also play an important role in this process. Germany's industry in the First World War, for example, was not prepared for a war of attrition.
In game theory, the term is used in a similar sense for a game with accumulated costs that are higher than the gains.
Previous story
The Israeli army had inflicted a heavy defeat on the forces of Egypt in the Six-Day War. The entire Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal was in Israeli hands. The Egyptian army, which was considered the strongest in the Arab world, was not only defeated across the board but also severely humiliated. A strong sense of shame and a need for retaliation were the result.
The United Nations and the two superpowers tried in vain to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. On November 22, 1967, UN Security Council Resolution 242 was passed, providing for Israeli withdrawal "from occupied territories" in exchange for peace. Diplomatic contacts led nowhere, and after all Arab states declared in the Khartoum Resolution on 1 September 1967 that they would enter into "no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no negotiations with Israel", Egyptian President Nasser declared that it was clear that "what was taken by force must be regained by force".
Egyptian President Nasser's plan was described by his confidant, journalist Muhammad Heikal, as follows:
"If the enemy succeeds in inflicting a loss of 50,000 men on us, we can still continue to fight because we have human reserves. If we succeed in inflicting a loss of 10,000 men on him, he will inevitably find himself in a situation where he must stop fighting because he has no human reserves."
Thanks to generous Soviet arms deliveries, Egypt was able to make up for its material losses from the Six-Day War much more quickly than anyone in Israel had expected. In addition, hundreds of Soviet military advisers arrived in the country, numbering 1,500 at the start of the war. Because of their presence and that of Soviet pilots and ships, the conflict threatened to escalate into an East-West confrontation. When five Migs with Egyptian license plates but Soviet pilots were shot down on July 30, they were called "Egyptians" in Israel.
Questions and Answers
Q: What was the War of Attrition?
A: The War of Attrition was a war between Egypt and Israel that took place from 1969 to 1970.
Q: When did the War of Attrition start?
A: The War of Attrition started in March 1969.
Q: When did the War of Attrition end?
A: The War of Attrition ended on August 7, 1970, when the ceasefire was restored.
Q: What was the cause of the War of Attrition?
A: The War of Attrition was caused by the Israeli capture of the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, and the West Bank in the Six-Day War in 1967.
Q: Which countries were involved in the War of Attrition?
A: The countries involved in the War of Attrition were Egypt and Israel.
Q: Who won the Six-Day War in 1967?
A: Israel won the Six-Day War in 1967.
Q: What territories did Israel capture during the Six-Day War in 1967?
A: Israel captured the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, and the West Bank during the Six-Day War in 1967.
