Six-Day War

Summary

The Six-Day War was a quick but bloody conflict fought in June 1967 between Israel and Arab nations Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. After years of diplomatic tensions and small breakouts of Israel and it neighbors, Israeli defenses took action against Egypt. Air strikes were used by Israel Defense Forces that severely damaged the air force of Egypt. Israel also pushed ground forces to seize control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt's control. The "War" was stopped by a United Nations brokered ceasefire. The tension still continued after the UN stepped in.

Population and Climate Effects

The conflict in Israel was at a time when the nation was going through rapid growth for the decade and resulted in more people being effected by the attacks occurring on the ground and through the air. The Arab casualties totaled to be more than 17,000 compared to Israel having only 700. The numbers show that Israel in the short run was superior but the long term of the war was halted by the intervention of the UN. Climate is always a factor for warfare but these neighboring nations are shaped to deal with the arid environment. The territories that were seized by the Israeli armies resulted in over conflict with hundreds of thousands of refugees and more than a million Palestinians living the occupied land. This resulted in the Israel forces to withdrawal from all territories they had took over during the war.

Legacy

This war is one of many religious conflicts in the Middle East because of the desire of the Israel-Palestine territories. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are the main religions that take populate the Middle East but they all desire these territories because it is regarded as the "Holy Land". This land is regarded as part of some of the oldest recorded civilizations. Israel and Arab states having been fighting for centuries before this war and to this today they are still fighting the same fight for the same reasons. Territories are constantly having blood spilt over them. All forces have conquered, withdrawn, surrendered, fled, controlled. They have had their moments but are presisent in the dream of complete and utter control of the sacred land.

Reflection

This war was something I was not really familiar with until doing research of major events in the history of the Southeast Asia and Northern Africa region. I have always known about the conflict in the region this war seems like one of many instances of blood shed over land in Israel. This is very relatable to the active ongoing conflict between Israel-Palestine. The amount of blood that has been shed for centuries is really hard to comprehend. The solutions of the situations are only temporary and the fight never stops. It seems like all the forces involved in trying to obtain the land will give it everything they have until they have what they want. I feel much more aware of how many casualties have occurred over the course of centuries of tension.

Works Cited

Cohen, Anver. “The 1967 Six-Day War.” Wilson Center, www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/the-1967-six-day-war.

“Six-Day War.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, inc., 7 Dec. 2023, www.britannica.com/event/Six-Day-War.

“Six-Day War.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/middle-east/six-day-war.

U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/arab-israeli-war-1967.