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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

End of the Jewish Stereotype with Six Day War

Nadene Goldfoot
No one was more surprised than Egypt.  Mirage jets from Israel swung low across the Nile Valley, avoided radar, strafed and bombed the parked MIG planes and air hangars with accuracy and audacity. The Six Day War had started.  Israel destroyed 300 Egyptian planes and 19 airbases.  This was being repeated in other Arab countries.  By the end of 24 hours on June 5, 1967, the air forces of 4 Arab nations lay on the ground like charred birds of prey.  Israel's skills altered the whole picture of modern warfare.

Everyone found it hard to believe.  Britain and France had tried in 1956 with less results.  How could the Israeli Air Force do so much in a few hours?  Israel was greatly outnumbered.  How did they defeat the Arabs?  They did it all with nothing wasted, bombs or bullets.  It was neatly done.  The guns were so accurate that people thought Israel had a secret weapon with a honing device.

Israel did.  It was the Israeli pilots.  They had physical courage on a battlefield that the world didn't think about because they had a stereotype in mind of the Jew.  Everyone tried to make out that Jews were poor fighters and reluctant soldiers.

Here's some facts. 3 Jews are among 9 honored in the US Military Academy at West Point as history's greatest warriors.  15 Jewish officers fought in the Battle of Waterloo.  At one time so many Jews were soldier in the French Foreign legion that a Passover seder was held for 1,500 Jewish legionnaires.

Harry Golden thought maybe Israeli will have a new stereotype.  People will now say:  Them Jews are great fighters, but they are certainly poor businessmen."  That was after Israel's 1956 Sinai War when Israel had economic problems and an unbalanced budget.  Today he couldn't say they're bad businessmen because they're one of the leading states in start-up businesses.

Now, people are asking, "START-UP NATION addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel-- a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources-- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the UK?"

Resource;  Book: Just Because They're Jewish by M. Hirsh Goldberg
Book: Start-Up Nation by Dan Senor :
http://www.amazon.com/Start-up-Nation-Israels-Economic-Miracle/dp/0446541478

1 comment:

GREAT MILITARY BATTLES said...

Warfare is a fascinating subject. Despite the dubious morality of using violence to achieve personal or political aims. It remains that conflict has been used to do just that throughout recorded history.

Your article is very well done, a good read.