The Sword And The Olive (72 page)

Read The Sword And The Olive Online

Authors: Martin van Creveld

BOOK: The Sword And The Olive
10.34Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
28
Cf. his own account in
Avnei Derech
, pp. 67-71.
29
This operation is analyzed in A. Yitschaki,
Latrun: Ha-maaracha al Ha-derech Li-yerushalayim
[Latrun: The Battle for the Road to Jerusalem] (Jerusalem: Kanah, 1982), pp. 417-430.
30
Ben Gurion,
Yoman Ha-milchama
, entry for July 17, 1948, p. 597, has Ben Gurion’s message to Shealtiel.
31
There were five dead and sixteen wounded; IDF, Historical Department,
Toldot Milchemet Ha-komemiyut
[History of the War of Independence] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1959), p. 272.
32
Z. Gilad, ed.,
Sefer Ha-PALMACH
[The Book of PALMACH] (Jerusalem: Jewish Agency, 1953), p. 460.
33
Y. Gelber,
Lama Perku et Ha-PALMACH
[Why Was PALMACH Dissolved?] (Jerusalem: Schocken, 1986), pp. 161-162.
34
Shamir,
“Be-chol Mechir,”
p. 80.
35
Y. Levi,
Tisha Kavin: Yerushalayim Bi-kravot Milchemet Ha-atsmaut
[Nine Measures: Jerusalem in the War of Independence] (Tel Aviv: Maarachot, 1986), pp. 292-293; also U. Narkis,
Chayal shel Yerushalayim
[A Soldier for Jerusalem] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1991), p. 99.
36
Quoted in Ts. Dror,
Matsbi Le-lo Srara: Sipur-Chayav shel Yitschak Sadeh
(Commander Without Power: The Life of Yitschak Sadeh] (Tel Aviv: Ha-kibbuts Ha-meuchad, 1996), p. 345.
37
On the background to this decision see U. Bar Joseph,
The Best of Enemies: Israel and Transjordan in the War of 1948
(London: Cass, 1987), p. 112 ff.
38
IDF,
Toldot Milchemet Ha-atsmaut
, pp. 298-299.
39
Cf. T. Ben Moshe, “Liddell Hart and the Israel Defence Forces,”
Journal of Contemporary History
16 (1981): 369-391; B. Bond,
Liddell Hart: A Study of His Military Thought
(London: Cassell, 1977), p. 252.
40
Dror,
Matsbi Le-lo Srara
, p. 373; Y. Tal, “Yitschak Sadeh, Kavim Li-demuto Ke-ish Shiryon” [Yitschak Sadeh: Portrait of an Armor Man],
Maarachot
224 (July 1972): 17-20.
41
Cf. C. Barnet,
The Desert Generals
(London: Kimber, 1963), p. 177 ff.
42
Cf. Sadeh’s own description in his
Ketsad Nilkeda Ha-metsuda
[How the Fort Was Captured], in Y. Sadeh,
Ktavim
[Writings] (Tel Aviv: Ha-kibbuts Ha-meuchad, 1980), vol. 3, pp. 114-129.
43
Ben Gurion,
Yoman Ha-milchama
, December 31, 1948, vol. 3, pp. 314-318.
CHAPTER 7
 
1
E. Oren, “Ha-hityashvut Be-milchemet Ha-atsmaut” [The Settling Movement in the War of Independence], in G. Rivlin, ed.,
Ale-Zayit Ve-cherev: Mekorot U-mechkarim Be-ginze Ha-hagana
[Olive Leaves and Sword: Sources and Studies in the Hagana Archives] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1990), p. 151.
2
Office of the Chief of the General Staff Division, “Arab Artillery in the War of Independence,” November 16, 1949, TSAHAL Archive, file 64/137/1953.
3
A. Ilan,
The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Arms Race
(New York: New York University Press, 1996), p. 67.
4
Office of the Chief of the General Staff Division, “Arab Artillery in the War of Independence,” November 16, 1949, TSAHAL Archive, file 64/137/1953.
5
A. Shatkai, “Solele Ha-atsmaut Ba-avir” [Pioneers of Air Independence],
Chel-Ha-avir
no. 44 (1955).
6
Ariel Sharon, lecture, May 5, 1993.
7
D. Ben Gurion,
Yoman Ha-milchama, 1948-1949
[War Diary, 1948-1949] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1982), vol. 3, p. 755, entry for October 18, 1948.
8
Cf. O. Azoulay-Katz,
Ha-ish She-lo Yada Le-natseach: Shimon Peres Be-malkodet Sysipus
[The Man Who Did Not Know How to Win: Shimon Peres in the Sysipus Catch] (Tel Aviv: Yediot Acharonot, 1996).
9
A. Lieblich,
Kibbuts Makom: Report from an Israeli Kibbuts
(New York: Pantheon, 1981), pp. 34-39; also U. Ben Eliezer,
Derech Ha-kavenet: Hivatsruto shel Ha-militarizm Ha-yisraeli, 1936-1956
[Through the Gunsight: The Emergence of Israeli Militarism, 1936-1956] (Tel Aviv: Dvir, 1995), p. 73.
10
A. Koestler,
Thieves in the Night
:
Chronicle of an Experiment
(New York: MacMillan, 1946), pp. 152, 153.
11
Y. Tabenkin, “Bet Ha-sefer Ve-ha-milchama” [School and the War],
Devarim
3 (1942): 105.
12
These and subsequent figures and calculations from E. Sivan,
Dor TASHACH: Mitos, Dyokan Ve-zikaron
[The Generation of 1948: Myth, a Portrait, and Memory] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1991), p. 21 ff.
13
Cf. M. van Creveld,
Fighting Power: German and U.S. Army Performance, 1939-1945
(Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1982), pp. 155-159.
14
A. Yitschaki,
Latrun: Ha-maaracha al Ha-derech Li-yerushalayim
[Latrun: The Battle for the Road to Jerusalem] (Jerusalem: Kanah, 1982), pp. 564-571.
15
M. Azaryahu, “War Memorials and the Commemoration of the Israeli War of Independence,”
Studies in Zionism
13:1 (Spring 1992): 64.
PART II
 
1
Cf. U. Bialer,
Between East and West: Israel’s Foreign Policy Orientation, 1948-1956
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990), particularly chap. 10.
2
During the period of the British mandate the Palestinian pound was worth a British pound sterling but carried different marks. When Israel became independent the British simply declared that a Palestinian pound could no longer be exchanged for a British one, with the result that the currency holdings were wiped out.
3
Cf. M. van Creveld,
Nuclear Weapons and the Future of Conflict
(New York: Free Press, 1993), chap. 2.
CHAPTER 8
 
1
For Jordan and Syria see A. Shlaim,
Collusion Across the Jordan: King Abdullah, the Zionist Movement, and the Partition of Palestine
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1988); and, in response, I. Rabinovitsh,
Ha-shalom She-chamak
[The Elusive Peace] (Jerusalem: Keter, 1991). For Egypt see M. B. Oren,
Origins of the Second Arab-Israel War
(London: Cass, 1992), chap. 5.
2
D. Ben Gurion,
Yichud Ve-yeud: Devarim al Bitchon Yisrael
[A Unique Destiny: Notes on Israeli Defense] (Tel Aviv: Maarachot, 1971), p. 145.
3
E.g., M. K. M. Begin, June 15, 1949,
Divrei Ha-knesset
[Parliamentary Record] (Jerusalem: Government Printer, 1950), vol. 1, p. 728; M. K. Ch. Landau, November 30, 1953, ibid., vol. 4, p. 279.
4
Allon to Ben Gurion, March 24, 1949, quoted in Z. Tsur,
Mi-pulmus Ha-chaluka ad Letochnit Allon
[From the Debate About Partition to the Allon Plan] (Efal: Yad Tabenkin, 1982), p. 73.
5
See Dayan quotations in Morris,
Milchamot Ha-gvul shel Yisrael
(Tel Aviv: Am Oved, 1996), pp. 27-28.
6
There are several such plans in TSAHAL Archive, file 13/636/1956.
7
See A. Levite,
Offense and Defense in Israeli Military Doctrine
(Boulder: Westview Press, 1989), chap. 2.
8
Cf. R. Garthoff,
Soviet Military Doctrine
(Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1953), pp. 34-35. The factors were the stability of the home front, the morale of the army, its size, the quality of the weapons, and the organizing skills of the General Staff.
9
Y. Yadin, “Avot Ha-lekach” [The Fathers of All Lessons],
Maarachot
16 (July 1950): i-ii. See also Yadin’s recapitulation of his ideas in “Ba-yamim Ha-hem U-ba-zman Hazeh” [In Those Days and Now]
Maarachot
33 (May 1959): 37-42.
10
The best short exposition of the early years of Israeli defense planning remains M. Handel,
Israel’s Political-Military Doctrine
(Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Occasional Papers in International Affairs, No. 30, 1973), chaps. 2 and 3.
11
E.g., Y. Tal, “Torat Ha-bitachon—Reka Ve-dinamika” [Defense Doctrine—Background and Dynamics]
Maarachot
253 (December 1976): 2-9.
12
J. Luvaas,
Frederick the Great on the Art of War
(New York: Free Press, 1966), p. 21 ff.; cf. also Gerhard von Scharnhorst: “Prussia cannot wage a defensive war ... her geographic position and lack of natural and artificial defensive means do not permit it.” Quoted in P. Paret,
Clausewitz and the State
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1985), p. 111.
13
This entire question is discussed in E. Oren, “Ha-hityashvut Be-milchemet Ha-atsmaut” [The Settling Movement in the War of Independence], in G. Rivlin, ed.,
Ale-Zayit Ve-cherev: Mekorot U-mechkarim Be-ginze Ha-hagana
[Olive Leaves and Sword: Sources and Studies in the Hagana Archives] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1990), pp. 145-153.
14
Ben Gurion, Yoman (unpublished diary), Ben Gurion Archive, September 30, 1949.
15
Chuke Medinat Yisrael
[Laws of the State of Israel] (Jerusalem: Government Printer, 1975-1976), vol. 30, pp. 150-151. An English translation of the most important parts of this law may be found in Y. Ben Meir,
Civil-Military Relations in Israel
(New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), p. 35.
16
Cf. the discussion in Ben Meir,
Civil-Military Relations in Israel
, chap. 3.
17
Eyewitness account in
Vaadat Ha-chakira—Milechement Yom Hakippurim
[Commission of Investigation—the Yom Kippur War, henceforward Agranat Report] (Jerusalem: Government Printing Office, 1975), pp. 27-28.
18
E. Haber,
Ha-yom Tifrots Milchama
[Today War Will Break Out] (Tel Aviv: Idanim, 1987), pp. 16, 28.
19
Ben Meir,
Civil-Military Relations in Israel
, p. 159.
20
Y. Greenberg, “Misrad Ha-bitachon Ve-ha-mateh Ha-klali: Ha-pulmus Bi-sheelat Taktsiv Ha-bitachon” [The Ministry of Defense and the General Staff: The Debate over the Defense Budget],
Medina, Memshal Ve-yachasim Ben-leumiyim
38 (Spring- Summer 1993): 58, 68.
21
A. Braun,
Moshe Dayan Be-milchemt Yom Ha-kippurim
[Moshe Dayan in the Yom Kippur War] (Tel Aviv: Idanim, 1993), p. 348.
22
For this entire subject see R. Gabizon and Ch. Shneidor, eds.,
Zechuyot Ha-adam Ve-ha-Ezrach Be-yisrael, Mikraah
[Human Rights and Civil Liberties in Israel—a Reader] (Jerusalem: Agudah Li-zechuyot Ha-ezrach, 1991), vol. 2, pp. 37-85.
23
A good explanation of the working of Vaadat Ha-orchim is provided by M. Hofnung,
Yisrael—Drishot Ha-bitachon mul Shilton Ha-chok
[Israel—the Demands of Security Versus the Rule of Law], Ph.D. thesis, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 1989, p. 128 ff.
24
M. Zak,
Hussein Osse Shalom
[Hussein Makes Peace] (Ramat Gan: Bar Illan University Press), pp. 127-128.
25
On this entire question see Ben Meir,
Civil-Military Relations in Israel
, p. 81 ff.
26
Levite,
Offense and Defense in Israeli Military Doctrine
, p. 51.
27
Cf. M. van Creveld,
Air Power and Maneuver Warfare
(Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.: Air University Press, 1994), chap. 1.
28
Y. Steigman,
Me-atsmaut Le-kadesh, Chel Ha-avir Ba-shanim, 1949-1956
[The IAF from the War of Independence to Suez, 1949-1956] (Tel Aviv: Ministry of Defense, 1990), pp. 29, 96.
29
Cf. Ezer Weizman,
On Eagle’s Wings
(Tel Aviv: Steimatzky’s, 1979), p. 100; also M. Naor,
Laskov: Lochem, Adam, Chaver
[Laskov: The Soldier, the Man, the Friend] (Jerusalem: Keter, 1988), p. 230 ff.
30
The infighting that went on in this context is documented in Steigman,
Me-atsmaut Le-kadesh
, chap. 3.
31
Y. Ratner,
Chayai Ve-ani
[My Life and I] (Tel Aviv: Schocken, 1978), p. 382.
32
Ben Gurion in the Knesset, August 15, 1949,
Divre Ha-knesset
[Knesset Record], August 15, 1949.
33
There is a good English-language discussion of the law in E. N. Luttwak and D. Horowitz,
The Israeli Army
(London: Allen Lane, 1975), app. 2, pp. 424-426. See also M. van Creveld, “Conscription Warfare: The Israeli Experience,” in R. G. Foerster, ed.,
Die Wehrplicht: Entstehung, Erscheinungsformen und politisch-militaerische Wirkung
(Munich: Oldenburg, 1994), p. 227 ff.

Other books

Battle of Hastings, The by Harvey Wood, Harriet; Wood, Harriet Harvey
The Lion Triumphant by Philippa Carr
His and Hers by Ludwig, Ashley
Punished by Passion by Nottingham, Cara
The Lesser Blessed by Richard van Camp
Logan by Melissa Foster
Insperatus by Kelly Varesio
The Fellowship of the Hand by Edward D. Hoch