Victory ... Peace …Development

Victory ... Peace …Development
On the sixth of October 1973, our Egyptian Armed Forces engaged in a battle for honour; liberating the Egyptian land. By virtue of the leadership wisdom, accurate planning and the soldiers' courage, a military miracle took place. Our Egyptian Air Force flew over the enemy's fortifications launching, successfully, the first air strike that opened the gate of triumph, confused the enemy ranks and severed the alleged long arm of Israel.

That was when our troops crossed the Suez Canal and destroyed the Barlev line by which Israel had terrified the whole world, in turn they themselves believed the lie of the myth.

And that was when the Egyptian soldier managed to face the enemy's heavy artillery; it was courage that put an end to the war and made a coup in the military and strategic concepts.

Breaking the myth of the invincible Israel, was the incident that paved the way before the political and psychological balance and opened the gate for peace; the matter for which a battle of another kind was a prerequisite. Egypt had another battle seeking for a comprehensive peace and Arab-Israeli coexistence; the result was the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.

The October victory unleashed energies for construction and modernization. A third battle was waged; establishing a modern country. The Egyptian revival, under the sponsorship of President Mubarak, swept. The whole world has testified to our economic reform program that works successfully. They hailed our management in achieving the infrastructure, production and high-level standards and growth rates, besides the economic boom.

Egypt looks to the past only to remember its martyrs and the great sacrifices of its men. As to the future, Egypt is planning on solid bases and sound foundations, equipped with the faith and determination of people to continue the victorious march started in October 1973.

Of all Arab countries, Egypt bore the brunt of three decades of military hostilities with Israel. Seeking peace, Egypt was sincere out of unshakable conviction that peace should prevail if the long-volatile Middle East area is to start catching up with the economic locomotive vigorously chugging ahead everywhere else.

This may explain why Cairo has been in the fore of the world countries striving to make peace a reality in this region. And in doing so, Egypt takes no sides, rather siding with a durable and lasting peace, which could brighten up the prospects in the region and consign animosity to history.

Without establishing this peace, any talk about economic boom and cooperation in the Middle East would be day-dreaming, if not political self-deception.

Egypt's Military Museums

Egypt's Military Museums

The Military Museum
The Military Museum in Cairo is famous for its rich collection and historical building which was originally a palace during the reign of Mohamed Ali, the founder of the royal family that ruled Egypt from 1805 till 1952. It was established in 1937 in the old building of the Ministry of Defense based on the idea of Abdel Raham Zaki, one of the most famous military historians in Egypt. It was recently modernized in cooperation with North Korea and President Mubarak reopened it on 29 November, 1993. It records the history of the Egyptian army since the Pharaonic times till now. It is divided into three wings and three storeys, each having several halls. It exhibits the development in weaponry and military equipment and uniforms, besides 220 paintings of famous battles, as well as the most important military decorations, orders and medals.

Al-Magd Hall:
Al Magd Hall exhibits the flags used since the Ottoman era up till now including the flags of the Republic, the main branches of the Armed Forces and the historical flags of the military zones, leaderships and the units which participated in October War.

Clothes Hall:
It exhibits the development of the soldiers' uniform since the start of the Islamic ear up till now.

Arms Hall
Knives, swords and guns are on display in this hall which includes Artillery Hall which shows the guns' development throughout all eras.

Historical Display Halls

It includes a number of Pharaonic era halls and displays the events of the ancient Egyptian state as regards arms' types, soldiers wrestling trainings, the victory of King Narmar and dioramas for King Tuhutmos III, Ramses II who signed the first ever treaty in the world in 1270 BC.

Islamic Era
It exhibits the events seen in Egypt since Amr Ibn el-As conquered it till the battle of Hitten led by Saladin against the Crusaders as well as dioramas showing the capture of King Louis IX and another diorama for Ain Galot battle and the Islamic battle of Badr.

Mohamed Ali Pasha Hall
It exhibits the family tree of Mohamed Ali Pasha and paintings for the Citadel's Massacre, Ship Building House as well as diorama for the Suez Canal from opening to nationalization.

War Hall
It includes many intersected halls showing every war which Egypt engaged in since 1948 up till 1973 as well as dioramas for Ras el-Esh Battle, Port Said War and Elat's destroyer.

October Victory Hall
It exhibits the achievements of 1973 October War in addition to the weaponry which participated in the war. It includes air forces hall, air defense hall, infantry hall, naval forces hall, paratroops hall and coastal guards' hall.

Martyrs Hall
It exhibits the names of the martyrs of October War and other wars who sacrificed their lives to realize a great historical victory.

Military Museum in Northern Sinai
It was established in 1993 in an appreciation for the efforts exerted by Sinai citizens to defend their territories against the foreign invasion from the Pharaonic era till the modern era. It comprises one wing which includes four sections: The first section contains artistic paintings from Sinai citizens which record the popular heroic acts. The second section is a documentary one which records all information about the history and the battles of the popular resistance. The third section highlights Sinai history and the fourth section highlights the achievements and Sinai economic and tourist spots.

Al-Alamein War Museum

Al-Alamein War Museum is located 105 kilometers west of Alexandria. It is placed within the military areas of El Alumni. It was opened in 1956, during the tenure of late President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Built as a memorial of the Battle of Al Alamein, between the British and the Germans in 1942, and the battles that took place in South Africa in World War II, Al-Alamein Museum was renewed and reopened in 1992 under President Hosni Mubarak. The museum is one of the best places to visit in order to understand the story of World War II in Egypt.

The museum contains records of all the events. Even before entering the Museum area, there stand huge army tanks and other weapons in the courtyard. Visitors can view the heavy equipment, go inside a tank or an army vehicle, or even jump up and sit on the top of a tank.

The museum consists of five halls, each of which is dedicated to one of the four countries involved in the war, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, and Egypt. There is also a mixed hall that contains a number of war items.

The Egyptian hall:
It shows how Egypt helped the Allies during the war. There are statues of Egyptian soldiers who helped British troops.

The British hall:
Focus is on how the British were able to defeat the Italians and the Germans in North Africa.

The Italian hall:
Like the other halls, it contains statues of Italian soldiers wearing their uniform.

The German hall:
It highlights the part played by the German army in the battle of Alamein and in the other battles fought in North Africa in World War ll.

The most interesting of all the museum's halls is the mixed hall which showcases items belonging to the warring parties. The small models at the center demonstrate the important battles between the British and Italians in the beginning, and the British and the Germans later. The hall has one part that tells the history of each country and why they were involved in the war. Photographs are hung showing real battles walls; the history of the three countries and the reasons they had for going to war is also presented together with information about them.

The October 1973 War Panorama

The October 1973 War Panorama is a museum, which relates the battles of Egypt's greatest victory of modern times. The idea of the panorama was first introduced during President Hosni Mubarak's visit to North Korea in 1983.

The project was opened by the President on October 5, 1989. The building and grounds stand on some 31 thousand square meters; a 6-square meter parking area is attached.

Weaponry used by the Egyptian troops and Israeli weapons seized in the war is showcased in the open display area. The cylinder-shaped main building is 44m x 27m intersected by a 10.5m-iron and copper tower. It consists of four halls:

The circular hall:
which highlights the achievements of the Egyptian Armed Forces in the period from 1967 to 1973.

Hall 2:
in which the crossing of the Suez Canal is graphically shown.

Hall 3:
which showcases the achievements of the various branches of the Army during the October War.

Hall 3 is a library with a reading hall attached.

Panorama shows are presented in Arabic, English, German, Italian, French and Japanese.

The 6th of October Victory

The 6th of October Victory

While so many are Egypt's great events and so fraught is its deep-rooted history with memorable days, of all days and events, the 6th of October rises out so lofty as Egypt's most unforgettable, most valuable and most influential. Thus, Egypt will continue to celebrate the anniversary of the 1973 glorious victory, through which the 1967 setback was rectified, the honor and dignity of the nation regained, and the Egyptian armed forces were crowned with laurel.

On that glorious day, Egypt's armed forces regained their pride and self-confidence, as they had successfully completed a stupendous military feat, consummated mission impossible, thus deterring forces of aggression.

Putting an end to the state of no-war, no-peace, the Egyptian Army had obviously managed to change the whole situation in the Middle East. It had proved to the whole world that the Egyptians were able to achieve a daring military action, based on courageous decision, careful planning and preparation, and valiant performance.

This, as a matter of fact, involved a strategic, preemptive strike, crowning the sacrifices of the Egyptian people and their Armed Forces with an eye-catching victory that will ever remain a source of pride for the coming generations. On that great day, the will for challenge triumphed and the Egyptian people engaged most successfully in a battle of life or death.

Having refused to give up to fait accompli, they stood fast against numerous attempts geared to instill despair and discourage them. The people also obstinately staved off scheming by a world-wide collusion that attempted to undermine their ability to liberate their land, therefore, all Egyptians decided to rush onto the battle of destiny, armed with trust in Allah and confidence in their Armed Forces.

They were all confident that the bravery of men would offset shortage of weaponry and equipment, as they were inevitably fighting a fair war, in defense of honor, survival and in retaliation for dignity.

On October 6, 1973, the Egyptian Armed Forces mounted a surprise attack against the Israeli army stationed in Sinai and the Golan Heights. As a result, Egypt regained full sovereignty over the Suez Canal and was able to recover part of Sinai. The October victory led to destroying the myth of Israel's invincible army. Most important, however, is that it paved the way to the Camp David Treaty in September 1978.

The 1973 war is the fourth round in the Arab-Israeli armed struggle since 1948. In 1967, Israel occupied Syria's Golan Heights, the West Bank and Jerusalem, Sinai and the Suez Canal and for six years, it spent a lot on fortifying its positions on the East Bank, in what later came to be known as the Barlev Line.

Preparations for the October victory began very early in 1968 with the war of attrition. After President Anwar al-Sadat assumed power in 1970 and Israel having rejected the Rogers Initiative, war was the only option to recover Sinai and Suez Canal. A surprise attack was carried on both the Egyptian and Syrian fronts. Intelligence Authorities in both countries relied on a plan to confuse the enemy.

At exactly 14:00 hours on October 6, 1973, 222 Egyptian fighters crossed the Suez Canal, undetected. Their target: radar stations, air defense batteries, fortified points on the Barlev line, oil refineries and ammunition depots. Meanwhile, Egyptian artillery across the Canal turned the front line into an inferno in what was a show of force not soon to be forgotten. 10,500 rockets were fired in the first 60 seconds at an average of 175 rockets/seconds. 1000 rubber boats crossed the Canal carrying 8000 soldiers who climbed the Barlev Line and stormed into enemy defenses. The Egyptian Engineer Corps built the first bridge 6 hours after the war began. 8 hours later they cut a path into the Barlev Line, set up another 12 bridges and operated 30 ferries.

The success of the air strike, at the beginning of the war, made it possible for Egyptian soldiers to penetrate the Barlev Line in no more than six hours causing heavy losses among Israeli troops. But had it not been for the air bridge of military equipment and supplies launched by the US on October 10, the Israeli Army would have been heavily defeated.

On October 22, 1973, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 338 calling on all parties to stop fighting, to cease all firing and terminate all military activity and begin negotiations aimed at establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East.

The war demonstrated that:
• The Egyptians could mount a military attack, based on a brave decision, well-planned and properly-prepared.

• The myth of the invincible Israeli Army could be destroyed.

• The policy of imposing a status quo was invalid.

• Arab national security was threatened, a feeling which brought all Arabs together.

• Sinai should be reconstructed, linked to the Nile Valley and turned into a strategic region shielding Egypt from the east.

The Egyptian people, however, were not entrapped into domestic conflicts rather they joined hands with the army sharing up their capabilities and placing the liberation of land on top of all priorities. Thus, the armed forces had managed to shatter down the myth of invincible power as well as the security doctrines based on that power. They further dismantled all barriers, blockade and lines earlier set up to prevent the people from liberating their land.

This gave proof to every one that military supremacy was not an exclusive monopoly of a specific party. It also proved that good Egyptian military planning, indomitable courage of Egyptian warriors, and their belief in the nobility of their goals, were stronger and bigger than any gaps in capability and sophistication in equipment and military plant.

The October War proved that the aggression of force could never protect security, nor could it guarantee stability and that racial supremacy was just an illusion and fantasy. It also proved that the international conditions no matter how over powering could never keep any people away from their legitimate hopes or force them to accept injustice and aggression or a status quo that might encroach upon their legitimate rights. The will of peoples is much stronger than forces of oppression and suppression no matter how great. The October war had a crucial impact on the prospects of the Middle East.

This war proved that it was impossible to impose status quo, to maintain a state of no-peace-no-war, to hold monopoly of military supremacy or to force peoples of the region to accept occupation. This war also proved that real security could not be guaranteed by geographical expansion at the expense of others, by claims and practices of power no matter how arrogant nor by attempts to break up peoples, will so as to give up to status quo. A war for peace

The glorious October war further crystallized the will for peace in the Middle East region and opened the door wide before a historic reconciliation between the Arabs and Israel. In addition, it gave a beam of hope for putting an end to the vertigo of war and devastation that had drained off the region's resources for more than half a century.

October Victory .. the road To peace

October Victory .. the road To peace

The battle of October victory... The Road to Peace

The Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff, Major General Dr Taha Al-Magdoub, wrote:

The victory of the Egyptian will power in the October 1973 war was the main factor to a possible Arab-Israeli peace.

Before peace, the victorious and the defeated party formed an imbalanced equation of power that could not render balanced peace. Hence, the option for war was indispensable to the Egyptians and Arabs.

There was no other alternative to fix this equation and bring the supercilious foe back on the grounds of reality which entails peace built on justice, logic and the respect of the rights of all parties, rather than peace based on the rights of the arrogant force, occupation of lands and indifference to the rights of others.

The following article by strategist Dr Taha Al-Magdoub elaborates on this issue based on his book: "The War of October... The Road to a Comprehensive Settlement".

Over more than two decades of the revolution era and the contemporary history of Egypt, specifically from 1952 to 1973, Egypt underwent three unique war experiences taking the form of fierce battles.

These battles waged in 1956, 1967, and 1973 had various dimensions and repercussions. They forced the four-year revolution to go into armed struggle and international conflicts.

But the revolution managed to overcome these crises in a bid to achieve freedom, independence, security and peace, for the sake of the unity and stability of the Arab nation.

In 1956, Egypt was stormed by a major conspiracy schemed by two major powers, namely Britain and France, as well as Israel.

The latter seized the opportunity to wage a ferocious aggressive war against Egypt under the pretext that Egypt exercised its legitimate right, declaring the nationalization of the Suez Canal. The nationalization was launched by Egypt in order to build herself and erect her High Dam in Aswan in a bid to realise growth and prosperity.

The three belligerent States wanted to reach one agreed-upon end; to oust the new regime in Egypt, to impede the wheel of progress and deprive the Egyptian people of the right to development and life.

Egypt succeeded to overcome that experience, defying the aggressors, and her foes were incapable of realizing their target. They, consequently, had to make Egypt undergo a bigger and harsher experience, storming another two Arab States; Jordan and Syria.

Their end that time had been more decisive and ambitious. They did not strike Egypt alone, but the whole Arab nation, represented in the three States, giving the greenlight to Israel for the establishment of the Greater Hebrew State. In 1967, Israel attacked Egypt, Syria and Jordan, with the support of a superpower, the US, under a similar pretext as claimed in the previous experience.

The third experience had been different in comparison with the two earlier experiences. Egypt had to restore the occupied lands after the assimilation of the bitter experience, believing, on one hand, that her land cannot be restored and peace gained while in the position of defeat. On the other hand, the military action, amid the contemporary world developments, cannot play as the sole factor in the settlement of any struggle.

Egypt had a conviction that a host of approaches can lead to full success, provided that they are backed by the will, high morale, and insistence on reaching the end in the course of the so-called "comprehensive strategy," that applies various tools executed over a long term..

The Egyptian experience achieved resounding success. Egypt won and had a say, brushing aside the stigma of defeat and making one of the most glorious military achievements in October 1973. Egypt vanquished the myth that Israel is undefeatable, cutting her long arm policy and infiltrating her safe lines.

Egypt opted for genuine peace to crown the Egyptian victory when Late President Anwar Sadat stood under the dome of the People's Assembly on October 16, 1973, calling for a ceasefire and the convocation of a conference on peace to probe all-out settlement. The late President said global change entail defusing disputes and opting for peace as a common end of humanity. Peace cannot be reached through good offices only, but through a solid political will adherent to and insistent on the goal.

The essence of struggle, whatever its level is, is the struggle of will power based on objective and rational considerations. The willpower for achieving settlement should be available in the parties of a struggle through showing readiness to resolve contradictions and accept compromises. In the meantime, they should search for mutual interests and common values to give further momentum to the peace march. The Arab-Israeli struggle entered the orbit of peace 25 years ago, in the wake of the October victory.

After the June 1967 war the Security Council issued resolution number242 in November 1967, considered as an axis to the peace process until now. The resolution stipulates the non-legitimacy of capturing lands by force and admitted that the parties to the struggle are entitled to exist within safe borders. It also stipulates the withdrawal from the lands occupied by Israel in 1967.

Neverthless, the parties to the struggle have never reached an acceptable solution due to the lack of power and the incapability of the approaches used by the international community to impose its will on the parties involved. The Egyptian choice for peace highlighted a deep vision for the future and crystalized a new strategy, featuring high both comprehensiveness and flexibility, whether on the level of setting the goals or selecting the tools of movement.

The October victory set the primary will for movement which was the first organised effort, standing on the scientific method in the management of conflicts, in a bid to forge it ahead to the circle of peaceful settlement and launch not only normalisation, but the cooperation of neighbouring countries. The Arab-Israeli struggle due to the victory of October entertained understandings that stemmed from a clear Egyptian point of view different in core and crux from the stagnant methods that had driven the Arab causes to the caves of negligence.

The US, on its part, out of keenness on the security of Israel and conviction that the Israeli dream vanished by the new Arab facts, exerted strenuous efforts to open an immediate dialogue with Egypt through the tours of the then Secretary of State Henry kissinger. The dialogue kicked off with the six-item agreement in November 1973. The first disengagement of forces agreement then followed in January 1974. Finally, the second disengagement of forces agreement was concluded with Egypt in September 1975, leading to the Egyptian peace initiative in 1977 when late President Sadat visited Jerusalem.

The visit represented a climax in the peace march leading to all-out settlement.