ABSTRACT
In the 1956 war in the Sinai, Israel proved that a preemptive strike could delay an enemy’s preparation for war for years. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) reached its apogee during the Six-Day War of June 1967 and demonstrated the value of intelligence and planning. The War of Attrition was Egypt’s first attempt to force Israel to recognize that its continued occupation of the Sinai Peninsula was not in its best interests. MG Yeshayahu Gavish and Bar-Lev advocated building a long series of static fortifications, subsequently known as the Bar-Lev Line, on the east bank of the Canal. Most Israeli soldiers were not familiar with this type of defense and had never used barbed wire, mines, or sandbags. The War of Attrition was an opportunity for both countries to try out their newest weapons. Egyptian and Israeli air forces used the War of Attrition to conduct major evaluations of technology.
