1967 Six-Day War Summary

Background

The Arab coalition, led by Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, sought to defeat Israel after their losses in the 1948 and 1956 wars.

Operation Focus

On June 5, 1967, Israel launched Operation Focus, a surprise air attack on Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian airfields, destroying 338 Egyptian aircraft, 28 Jordanian, 53 Syrian, and 10 Iraqi planes, and killing 100 pilots.

Ground War

Sinai Front

Israel’s strategy on the Sinai front involved a simultaneous air and ground attack, catching the Egyptians off guard and allowing Israeli forces to advance towards Arish and Rafa.

The IDF made significant gains in the Sinai Peninsula, capturing Arish, Unkatef, and inflicting heavy losses on the Egyptians.

Jordanian Front

Israel attempted to avoid confrontation with Jordan, but King Hussein, persuaded by Egyptian President Nasser, rejected Israel’s peace request.

Jordanian and Iraqi forces attacked Israeli-controlled West Jerusalem, prompting an Israeli air response that damaged Jordan’s military aviation infrastructure and secured air dominance.

Israel then encircled and captured East Jerusalem, forcing the Jordanians to retreat to Bethlehem.

Syrian Front

Syria launched an unsuccessful attack on Israel, which was repelled by the IDF.

Israel then struck Syrian airfields, destroying two-thirds of their air force, forcing the rest out of the conflict.

Capture of Jerusalem and Golan Heights

The IDF faced challenges in taking control of Jerusalem, but eventually succeeded in capturing the Old City, Judea, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Nablus with little resistance.

Israel launched an offensive on the Golan Heights without government authorization, led by Colonel Albert Mandler, which resulted in heavy fighting and casualties on both sides.

Despite the challenges, Israel ultimately captured key strongholds and fortresses, and by June 11, a ceasefire was negotiated.

War Outcome

The war resulted in significant losses, with around 20,000 casualties, but Israel gained a huge victory, seizing control of the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, and Golan Heights, placing around 1 million Arabs under its direct control.

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Air Superiority	The dominance of the air by a country or force, achieved through the destruction or neutralization of the opposing air force.	Israel’s surprise air attack on June 5, 1967, gave them air superiority over the Arab coalition, allowing them to launch a successful ground war.
Blitzkrieg	A rapid and decisive military attack, characterized by speed, surprise, and overwhelming force.	Israel’s simultaneous air and ground attack on the Sinai front was a classic example of a blitzkrieg, catching the Egyptians off guard and allowing Israeli forces to advance quickly.
Cordon Sanitaire	A military tactic where a force surrounds and isolates an enemy, preventing escape or reinforcement.	Israel’s encirclement of East Jerusalem and forcing the Jordanians to retreat to Bethlehem was an example of a cordon sanitaire.
Decapitation Strike	A military attack aimed at removing or neutralizing the enemy’s leadership or command structure.	Israel’s air attack on Syrian airfields, destroying two-thirds of their air force, was a decapitation strike that forced the rest of the Syrian air force out of the conflict.
Operational Focus	A military strategy that focuses on a specific objective or target, often at the expense of other objectives.	Israel’s Operation Focus, launched on June 5, 1967, was a surprise air attack on Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian airfields, which gave them operational focus and allowed them to achieve their objectives quickly.
Surprise Attack	A military attack that is unexpected and catches the enemy off guard, often achieving a decisive advantage.	Israel’s surprise air attack on June 5, 1967, was a classic example of a surprise attack, which gave them a significant advantage over the Arab coalition.
Tactical Advantage	A military advantage gained through clever use of tactics, often allowing a smaller force to defeat a larger one.	Israel’s use of air power and rapid mobilization gave them a tactical advantage over the Arab coalition, allowing them to achieve significant gains despite being outnumbered.
War of Movement	A type of warfare characterized by rapid movement and maneuver, often involving large-scale troop movements.	The 1967 Six-Day War was a war of movement, with Israeli forces advancing rapidly across the Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, and Golan Heights.
Zionist	A person who supports the establishment and preservation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, often associated with the State of Israel.	The 1967 Six-Day War was a major conflict between Israel, a predominantly Zionist state, and the Arab coalition, which was opposed to Israel’s existence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHqJ6pgdE-c

Vocabulary Quiz: 1967 Six-Day War

1. What does the word “coalition” mean in the context of the 1967 Six-Day War?
   • A group of countries that are fighting against each other
   • A group of countries that are working together to achieve a common goal
   • A group of soldiers who are fighting on the front lines
   • A group of politicians who are making decisions about the war
2. What is the meaning of the word “infrastructure” in the context of the war?
   • The buildings and facilities needed for a country’s military
   • The roads and highways used by the military
   • The communication systems used by the military
   • The military equipment and supplies
3. What does the word “dominance” mean in the context of the war?
   • Control or power over something or someone
   • A state of being equal or balanced
   • A lack of control or power
   • A temporary advantage
4. What is the meaning of the word “authorization” in the context of the war?
   • Permission or approval to do something
   • A refusal or denial to do something
   • A delay or postponement of a decision
   • A change in plans or strategy
5. What does the word “casualties” mean in the context of the war?
   • People who are injured or killed in the war
   • People who are not involved in the war
   • People who are fighting in the war
   • People who are civilians

Answer Key

1. 2. A group of countries that are working together to achieve a common goal
2. 1. The buildings and facilities needed for a country’s military
3. 1. Control or power over something or someone
4. 1. Permission or approval to do something
5. 1. People who are injured or killed in the war

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Using the Passive Voice to Describe Past Events

Explanation

The passive voice is often used to describe past events, especially when the doer of the action is not important or is unknown. In the text, the passive voice is used to describe the events of the 1967 Six-Day War, such as “338 Egyptian aircraft… were destroyed”, “100 pilots were killed”, “the Egyptians were caught off guard”, and “the IDF was forced to retreat”. The passive voice helps to focus on the action itself, rather than the person or people performing the action.

Quiz

1. In the sentence “The Egyptians were caught off guard and allowed Israeli forces to advance towards Arish and Rafa”, what is the function of the passive voice?
A) To emphasize the doer of the action
B) To focus on the action itself
C) To describe a future event
D) To express a possibility 2. Which of the following sentences uses the passive voice?
A) Israel launched Operation Focus.
B) The Egyptian aircraft were destroyed.
C) The IDF made significant gains in the Sinai Peninsula.
D) King Hussein rejected Israel’s peace request. 3. Why is the passive voice often used to describe past events?
A) Because the doer of the action is always important
B) Because the doer of the action is often unknown or not important
C) Because it is a more formal way of writing
D) Because it is a less common grammatical structure 4. In the sentence “The IDF was forced to retreat to Bethlehem”, what is the subject of the sentence?
A) The IDF
B) The Jordanians
C) The Israelis
D) The Egyptians 5. Which of the following sentences is in the active voice?
A) The Syrian airfields were struck by Israel.
B) Israel struck the Syrian airfields.
C) The Syrian airfields were destroyed.
D) The airfields were destroyed by Israel.

Answer Key

1. B) To focus on the action itself 2. B) The Egyptian aircraft were destroyed. 3. B) Because the doer of the action is often unknown or not important 4. A) The IDF 5. B) Israel struck the Syrian airfields.