Fire and Steel

This is an action-packed history of the Israeli 7th Armourd Brigade. The book charts the beginnings of the unit's formation in the confused fighting that marked the creation of the Israeli State in 1947-48. From flimsy armored cars and make-shift tanks the 7th Brigade has come a long way to the Merkeva tanks of today. Katz provides a lively commentary on the training and leading personalities that helped shape Israeli armored warfare doctine. The battles are riviting in their descriptions, in particular the desperate fighting that took place on the Golan Heights in 1973. Here the 7th and 188th Armored Brigades helped shatter the massive Syrian offensive. This was certainly the finest moment for the Israeli armored forces and the 7th Brigade. The book goes on to describe lesser known clashes against the Jordanians and the PLO. While certainly the Israeli tankers are far superioer than their Syrian and Egyptian opponets in 1967-73, the book shows that against more competent adversaries the result is not always so one-sided. In a raid against the PLO in 1970 the Israelis encounter Jordanian tankers in Chieftain and Patton tanks. Here the combat is not so one-sided as the Israelis find the Jordanians well trained. The result is a costly raid for the 7th Armored. Again, in 1982 with the invasion of Lebannon the Isrealis come up against more sophisticated Syrian training and weapons systems. The fighting is much more even on the ground. While certainy the 7th Armored Brigade has a fine combat record overall, much of this has been against 2nd and 3rd rate opposition. Arabs using restrictive Soviet doctrine have two strikes against them already! In any future conflict, and as recent events in Lebannon 2006 have shown against a more elusive enemy the Israeli tankers will find success a harder thing to measure. Gone are the spectacular tank battles of 1973. The Arabs are not going to be so stupid to fight that way again. Now with the mighty Merkeva MBT, no Arab army is going to consider taking Israel on in a conventional conflict. The days of the MBT and the mighty 7th may be numbered. The future Mid-East battlefield promises to be a different place than 1973. The battles may be fought on the same turf, but the methods will be vastly different. The Israeli's will have to adapt their formations and tactics accordingly. Gone may be he use for tank heavy formations like the 7th. Only the future can tell what that history may be like. This book is heroic, more than a bit pro-Israeli, and a fun read overall. Some good maps would certainly help.

Someone needs to get this back in print...but as a trade paperpack. This book is too good to be left in the mass market paperback format. It's current print quality is disgusting.

The book involves the 7th armored brigade in all Arab Israeli wars. This book is a must read.