Duel for the Golan: The 100-Hour Battle That Saved Israel

This is the story of the largest tank battle since World War II: Syria and its Iraqi and Jordanian allies lost some 1450 tanks in the struggle for the Golan Heights in October 1973. The Israelis lost 250 and won the battle in four days. The combat scenes are well done, but the most interesting aspect of the book is the description of the emergency mobilization of the Israeli army amidst Yom Kippur observances and the improvisations necessary as the high command thrust units helter-skelter into battle. There is new information here about the Syrian buildup and the uneasy alliance between President Assad and Egyptian President Sadat. Asher (an Israeli) and Hammel (author of several military books) argue that despite Assad's assumption that his forces would be able to roll over Israeli positions before significant reinforcements arrived, the Syrian grand strategy was doomed from the start because of the planners' fears of possible political repercussions. Photos. (March 20)