The Eve of Destruction

An account of the Yom Kippur war of October 1973 traces the Suez Canal crossing of more than 80,000 Egyptian troops who penetrated the Sinai Peninsula and devastated the Israeli air force before the tide turned, noting the battle's role in Middle East relations today. On October 6, 1973-Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar-the Arab world launched a bold and ingeniously conceived surprise attack against Israel. After three days of intense, bloody combat, an unprepared Israel was fighting for survival, while the Arabs, with massive forces closing in on the Jewish heartland, were poised to redeem the honor lost in three previous wars. Based on declassified Israeli government documents and revealing interviews with soldiers, generals, and intelligence operatives on both sides of the conflict, The Eve of Destruction weaves a suspenseful, eye-opening story of war, politics, and deception. It also tells the moving human tale of the men and women who fought to maintain love and honor as their lives and destinies were swept up in the Yom Kippur War.