1973 was the closest the world has come to full nuclear war.
Most think it was the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis.
Not so!
Soviets had pledged to back Egypt after Israel kicked their butt, and America told Soviets, “no you won’t!”.
I was Nuke Weapons Specialist at the time.
We were getting ready in ways we’ve never prepared before or since.
Most think it was the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis.
Not so!M/i>
Soviets had pledged to back Egypt after Israel kicked their butt, and America told Soviets, “no you won’t!”.
I remember reading an article about this years ago. Israel was about to lose the war, the entire Sinai had been overrun, they were losing to the North against Syria, and was preparing to use their nuclear weapons. It was only when the USA helped resupply Israel that they were able to counterattack and take back the entire Sinai peninsula. At that point, Israel had surrounded the Egyptian army and had moved across the Suez into Egypt proper, and Israeli forces and artillery was within 50 miles of Damascus.
At that point, the Soviets made it clear to the USA that if Israel didn't withdraw, they would openly enter the war against Israel, taking it from a proxy war between the the Israelis and the arabs, to a real shooting war between the USA and Soviets. I seem to recall seeing a photo of David Hackworth standing in front of Israeli tanks, blocking their advance in to Syria, though I may have that mixed up with another incident.
Mark
It’s true — in one of those first nights of the war, Moshe Dayan went to Golda Meir as it appeared that less than 12 hours remained, and said, “the third temple is ending.” Israel started to load a-bombs onto bombers. By morning of the 9th, the IDF had hammered at the Egyptians in the Sinai, at great cost (more accurately, Ariel Sharon led the troops and tanks under his command, some called for his dismissal; a photo of him, his bandaged head protruding from a tank, began his ascent to a higher public profile), tens of thousands of reservists had reported and driven “to work” (particularly on the Golan, which was more critical due to proximity to Israel’s population), some from honeymoons in foreign countries, and probably saved the entire human race (other than those who would die in the war itself, of course). The bombs were returned to storage.
Early in the conflict, though in the throes of Watergate aftermath, President Nixon ordered an airlift. When asked how large a commitment, he turned and said, “you will send everything that will fly.” Only the Azores (which was still Portuguese territory) was available for the project. Refueling, crew exchange, and sleeping quarters were there. The C141s were more numerous, but the C5s carried more tonnage, and despite the much greater distance, the US beat the pants off the Soviet airlifts to their allies.
Kissinger and Sadat played the Soviets like a bazouki; Egypt and Israel negotiated face to face for the first time, and the Soviets were ignominiously ejected from Egypt. The so-called Arab cause was pushed feet first into a wood chipper. It was costly for Israel, and the political leadership were (justifiably) blamed for having been caught with their pants down — King Hussein had actually passed the exact date of the attack through his contact in London (UK), a doctor that he had to see for some ailment.
http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/980925/yom-sb.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Nickel_Grass