Photos: On top is the banner of the news outlet Al-Ahram touting special coverage of "The Glorious October Victory." On the lower left is a monument at the spot where Egyptian forces crossed the Suez Canal. On the lower right, a monument to the Egyptian soldiers lost in the war.
October 6 is Armed Forces Day in Egypt, this year celebrating the 53rd anniversary of the "victory" in the 1973 war, which is often called the Yom Kippur War, named for the Jewish holiday. Syria had celebrated October 6 as Tishreen Liberation War Day, but after the fall of the Bashar al-Asad regime and the end of the al-Asads' rule, the holiday was terminated by the new government.
Both Egypt and Syria believe they were victorious in this war, which is patently absurd. Yes, they both were initially successful on October 6 in surpring the Israelis. The Egyptians were able to cross the Suez Canal into the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula and break the Israeli Bar-Lev defense line. The Syrians were able to get to the top of the Golan Heights. Israeli forces retreated a short distance on both fronts.
These "victories" were short-lived. The Israelis stopped the advances on both fronts, called up the reserves, and - thanks to a massive U.S. airlift and equipment transfers - counterattacked on both fronts.
When the fighting stopped, the Israelis had completely encircled the Egyptian Third Army in the Sinai, crossed the Suez Canal, and were on the highway to Cairo, stopping at Kilometer 101.
When the fighting stopped, the Israelis had completely encircled the Egyptian Third Army in the Sinai, crossed the Suez Canal, and were on the highway to Cairo, stopping at Kilometer 101.
On the northern front, Israeli forces retook the entire Golan Heights and moved up along the road to Damascus. They stopped at the town of Sa'sa', just 28 miles from the capital, basically within artillery range.
The fighting stopped on October 24, with the United Nations Disengagement of Forces (UNDOF) agreement taking effect the next day. The UNDOF lines in Syria held until the end of the al-Asad rule, at which point Israeli forces re-entered southern Syria. Their remaning presence is an issue that is impeding a security agreement between Israel and the new Syrian government.
On the Egyptian front, Israeli forces pulled back to the Sinai. However, unlike with Syria, Egypt and Israel eventually reached a deal by which Israel agreed to a phased withdrawal in return for a peace treaty with Egypt. It was formally signed in 1979.
All that said, for Egypt and Syria to claim victory is, as I said, absurd. On both fronts, the Israelis soon regained the initiative and moved towards Damascus and Cairo, plus surrounding and rendering useless an entire Egyptian field army.
That's not victory. Egypt and Syria each won a battle, then lost the war.
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PS - See my photographs of the Suez Canal and Suez Canal Military
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PS - See my photographs of the Suez Canal and Suez Canal Military
