Even once the war broke out, Israel tried to limit the scope of the war. Israel did everything possible to avoid war. It did not anticipate it, did not plan any of these military actions. And then, after the war, Israel made no effort whatsoever to reach peace with the Arabs, all it wanted was territorial aggrandizement.Īnd the other camp says that Israel had no idea that this war was coming. The war is particularly, particularly contentious, and the “war of the Six-Day War”, the historiographical war between one camp that says that Israel knew the war was going to come, that Israeli leaders wanted the war, they knew the Arabs were not a serious military threat, they knew that Israel would expand territorially, it was like a “bring it on” moment. Could it have been avoided? What was the behavior of the various participants, the combatants of the war? Was the outcome beneficial? Was it harmful? It’s true of any war.īut few wars are as contentious as the Six-Day War, because it was so short, because the outcome was so dramatic, and because it helped shape the Middle East, and because we’re still grappling with the long-term ramifications of that war. It’s true of the American Civil War, it’s true of World War II, just about any war in history, the minute the guns fall silent, that’s when the pundits, the historians, the commentators begin arguing over whether the war was justified. The book opens with a general observation that all wars in history invariably become wars of history. Nehemia: What do you mean, “the battle around the Six-Day War?” You don’t mean the fighting in the field? Michael: This book, when I wrote it – now 15 years have passed - came out at a time where the battle surrounding the Six-Day War was just beginning. I want you to talk a little bit about the Six-Day War, which happened in 1967, as an existential war. Nehemia: And look, I didn’t know that when I set up the interview, all I knew is I love this book you wrote on the Six Day War, which is a formative event in the history of the Jewish people and the Middle East. She said, “Michael Oren is a wonderful person who inspired me. Now, I also contacted your former personal assistant, who happens to be my sister, and I said, “Give me the background on this man.” And I’m going to read you what she said. In fact, I read your book years ago, and before my nephew entered into the Golani Brigade I bought him a copy of your book so he’d understand what he was fighting for. Nehemia: Really? Wow! I just know I love your book. And he actually said that your teacher, Bernard Lewis, is the greatest living historian. He said, “Michael Oren is the greatest living historian to have written on Israel.” Nehemia: This is from Michael Kochin, a Professor of Political Science at Tel Aviv University. I don’t have a big background in politics, so I contacted a Professor of Political Science at Tel Aviv University, and I said, “Who is this Michael Oren?” Shalom, Deputy Minister of Diplomacy, Michael Oren. He also wrote a book called Ally, about the relationship between the United States and Israel, and a book called Power, Faith and Fantasy. He’s also the author of several books, actually, my favorite book on the Six-Day War called Six Days of War. Michael Oren is the former Ambassador to the United States. Nehemia: Shalom, this is Nehemia Gordon and I am coming to you today from Jerusalem, from the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and I am here with Deputy Minister of Diplomacy in the Prime Minister’s Office, Michael Oren. Michael: You’d have to work very hard to turn the Six-Day War into something boring. Michael: The Six-Day War is one of the most dramatic episodes in human history. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Hebrew Voices #56 - The Battle for the Six-Day War (Rebroadcast)
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