June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East
By: Michael B. Oren
Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins

When ensconced amid the tumult of battle and yet emerge triumphant from all quarters, the Israeli army stands as an emblem of victory. As I perused these accounts, what struck me with profound admiration was the unwavering resolve and proactive stance exhibited by Israeli forces, a stark juxtaposition to their Arab counterparts. Time and again, they displayed a resolute vision and acted upon it decisively. This contrast was particularly stark in light of the top-heavy command structure prevalent in Egyptian operations; General Amer, consolidating command under his purview, unwittingly engendered a bottleneck effect, stifling leadership at the lower echelons.

Furthermore, recalling the my reading of “Seven Pillars of Wisdom,” a discernible pattern emerged: the morale of Arab units was intricately tied to their perception of success or failure. When buoyed by triumph and bolstered by ample support, they exhibited unwavering zeal to advance. However, in the face of setbacks or perceived abandonment, their resilience faltered, rendering them surprisingly vulnerable to defeat. While it would be remiss to generalize this observation to every Arab unit, it nonetheless forms a notable contrast to the Israeli forces, who, despite their initially bleak prospects, surged forth with unyielding determination to secure victory.