I have always believed that when attempting to learn about a conflict or any other significant event, it is best to learn about it from the people who were there. "The Heights of Courage", written by Medal for Valor recipient Brigadier General Avigdor Kahalani, is a book about a tanker's war by one of the greatest tankers ever. It shows beyond a doubt that tankers, especially in the IDF, face an extremely demanding and dangerous job. This book is the story of Israel and the Israeli Defense Force in a way- an outnumbered, outgunned and deeply hated people surmounting odds that men and women not up to the task would call impossible. The IDF has never had an easy time of things, but this battle over the Golan Heights in the Yom Kippur War was even more difficult, since Israel was in a disorganized state and caught with many fewer standing soldiers than would have been desirable. Throughout every war the IDF has fought, especially this one, only the superior skill, dedication, and technology of the IDF made victory possible. Its soldiers have always been well-trained, highly motivated and courageous men and women, utilizing weapons and machines much better than the enemies they have faced. It becomes obvious as one reads through the book that the T-62 and T-54 tanks the Syrians- the primary if not only foe spoken of by Kahalani- liked to use so much cost Syria not only a lot of money after getting blown up, but also a lot of good men. Soviet T-series tanks were and are cheap and simple to use, but they have cost and continue to cost many crews their lives. When the armor is breached, things inside have a tendency to explode. The British Centurion, the primary IDF tank at the time, was more expensive but a much better tank. Its superb design ensured that many Israeli tankers, General Kahalani among them, returned home alive, and that many Syrian tankers were not so fortunate. The end of the war- a crushing defeat for Syria and its allies, proves the skill and bravery of Kahalani and his comrades-in-arms beyond doubt. Combined Syrian, Iraqi, and Egyptian tank losses were estimated at approximately 2,250 tanks destroyed or captured. Israel lost around 600, many of which were returned to service alongside captured enemy vehicles. "The Heights of Courage" is a story of heroism, conviction, and unflagging devotion to duty, providing a superb look into armored warfare directly from a man who has seen the very best and worst of it.
"The Heights of Courage" was first published in 1975, is 198 pages long and runs from September 26, 1973 to October 24, 1973. My version, a hardcover printed in 1984 by Greenwood Press, contains a foreword by General Don A. Starry and Major General Israel Tal. It is a fascinating book that I strongly recommend to any who are interested in armored warfare, the Yom Kippur War, or the State of Israel. One day, the iron wall that the IDF's armored corps shields their home with will no longer be needed, and peace will have prevailed at last. But until then, men like General Kahalani will stand ready to defend Israel every hour of every day, regardless of the price that devotion to duty demands.
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