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What Happens When Everybody Except God Deserts You?--The Six-Day War of 1967
Egypt's President Nassar was openly announcing that he would annihilate Israel, challenging Israel almost daily to attack Egypt. With their sea routes to Asia cut off by the Egyptian blockade, Israel could no longer import oil. The UN had been denouncing any Israeli response to Arab attacks, while the USSR vetoed all condemnation of Arab attacks. After failing to negotiate peace, the US abandoned Israel. UN meetings trying to resolve the conflict were often broadcast live on US television, as Egypt and Syria massed troops on Israel's borders, and Syria began shelling Israeli territory. France, a former ally of Israel, also abandoned her, and Israel literally didn't have an ally on Earth. Military experts world-wide predicted a massive defeat for the badly-outnumbered Israelis, while Jewish religious leaders around the world predicted that God would protect His chosen people.
On the morning of June 5, Israel hit first, destroying most of Egypt's air force on the ground. Jordan sent Egypt a coded warning of the attack, not knowing that Egypt had changed its codes the previous day. Taken by surprise, no one had the authority to order the Egyptians to fire their anti-aircraft missiles. Lying that they had defeated the attack, Egypt persuaded Jordan and Syria to enter the war, and by evening, Israel had destroyed most of Jordan's air force and half of Syria's air force.
Israel quickly invaded the Sinai Peninsula and the West Bank, capturing Jerusalem after three days of fighting. They also captured the small Gaza Strip, a section of Egypt on Israel's southeast Mediterranean coast. They quickly captured the Golan Heights, from which Syria had been shelling Israel. Combat was so rapid that when an Egyptian ship shelled Israel, the Israeli Air Force accidentally attacked an American spy ship, killing 34 Americans.
As Israel raced across the Sinai Peninsula, panicked Egyptian commanders ordered heavily-fortified positions destroyed and abandoned, often with valuable equipment left behind. God often used this same tactic in the Bible on Israel's enemies.
The leaders desperately poured out propaganda that US and British forces were attacking the Moslems, but this only increased Moslem panic. An angry Britain refused to help its Jordanian allies as a result of the propaganda.
The heavily-fortified Golan Heights were defended by 75,000 well-armed Syrian troops. After suffering initial defeats, the Syrians commanders ordered the heights abandoned, leaving most of their equipment behind.
With a shocked Soviet Union threatening to enter the war, the US pressured Israel to accept a cease-fire. In six days, Israel had tripled its territory, and at a loss of about 800 soldiers had killed about 18,300 enemy troops.
Both sides were using a blend of modern and obsolete equipment from a variety of sources. In the last great conflict between WW2 American and German tanks, Israel destroyed hundreds of Moslem tanks, losing about 400 of their own.
Israel lost 46 aircraft (out of 200), while the Moslems lost over 452. Lebanon and Iraq suffered small losses in the small support they gave.
And that's what happens when God is with you.
Egypt's President Nassar was openly announcing that he would annihilate Israel, challenging Israel almost daily to attack Egypt. With their sea routes to Asia cut off by the Egyptian blockade, Israel could no longer import oil. The UN had been denouncing any Israeli response to Arab attacks, while the USSR vetoed all condemnation of Arab attacks. After failing to negotiate peace, the US abandoned Israel. UN meetings trying to resolve the conflict were often broadcast live on US television, as Egypt and Syria massed troops on Israel's borders, and Syria began shelling Israeli territory. France, a former ally of Israel, also abandoned her, and Israel literally didn't have an ally on Earth. Military experts world-wide predicted a massive defeat for the badly-outnumbered Israelis, while Jewish religious leaders around the world predicted that God would protect His chosen people.
On the morning of June 5, Israel hit first, destroying most of Egypt's air force on the ground. Jordan sent Egypt a coded warning of the attack, not knowing that Egypt had changed its codes the previous day. Taken by surprise, no one had the authority to order the Egyptians to fire their anti-aircraft missiles. Lying that they had defeated the attack, Egypt persuaded Jordan and Syria to enter the war, and by evening, Israel had destroyed most of Jordan's air force and half of Syria's air force.
Israel quickly invaded the Sinai Peninsula and the West Bank, capturing Jerusalem after three days of fighting. They also captured the small Gaza Strip, a section of Egypt on Israel's southeast Mediterranean coast. They quickly captured the Golan Heights, from which Syria had been shelling Israel. Combat was so rapid that when an Egyptian ship shelled Israel, the Israeli Air Force accidentally attacked an American spy ship, killing 34 Americans.
As Israel raced across the Sinai Peninsula, panicked Egyptian commanders ordered heavily-fortified positions destroyed and abandoned, often with valuable equipment left behind. God often used this same tactic in the Bible on Israel's enemies.
The leaders desperately poured out propaganda that US and British forces were attacking the Moslems, but this only increased Moslem panic. An angry Britain refused to help its Jordanian allies as a result of the propaganda.
The heavily-fortified Golan Heights were defended by 75,000 well-armed Syrian troops. After suffering initial defeats, the Syrians commanders ordered the heights abandoned, leaving most of their equipment behind.
With a shocked Soviet Union threatening to enter the war, the US pressured Israel to accept a cease-fire. In six days, Israel had tripled its territory, and at a loss of about 800 soldiers had killed about 18,300 enemy troops.
Both sides were using a blend of modern and obsolete equipment from a variety of sources. In the last great conflict between WW2 American and German tanks, Israel destroyed hundreds of Moslem tanks, losing about 400 of their own.
Israel lost 46 aircraft (out of 200), while the Moslems lost over 452. Lebanon and Iraq suffered small losses in the small support they gave.
And that's what happens when God is with you.
