Yom Kippur War Tank Commander Recounts Brutal Suez Battle

Nahum Zaken, a former tank battalion commander, has detailed his harrowing experience in the Battle of Suez during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a conflict he argues was a tactical success for Israel despite immense casualties. His story, recently translated into Arabic and studied at Egypt's military academy, draws a contrast with the German failure at Stalingrad, emphasizing that the IDF completed its mission in Suez.

Zaken's battalion suffered 34 killed and 138 wounded in the intense urban combat. The decision to enter Suez was made hastily, lacking crucial intelligence and proper preparation for fighting in a built-up area, with inadequate maps. Within 90 minutes, 16 company commanders were killed, decimating the central command structure and resulting in approximately 50% casualties among the fighting force. Zaken's unit was cut off from support for hours until a force led by Ehud Barak arrived to extract them.

The push into Suez was influenced by earlier Israeli successes against Egyptian armor nearby, which fostered a sense of overconfidence. However, the fierce Egyptian resistance in the city was underestimated. Major General Avraham Adan, commander of the division, later expressed regret for not opposing the advance more strongly. The battle's failure led to a government decision on October 26, 1973, requiring cabinet approval for any future entry into the city.

Zaken, who received the Medal of Courage, stated that the objective of neutralizing Suez was essential to cut off the Egyptian Third Army's supply lines in Sinai, thereby hastening the end of the war. He acknowledged the Egyptian claim of inflicting heavy losses, admitting the price was unbearable and continues to haunt him. He also criticized Israel's intelligence failures, noting that the Egyptians had practiced their Sinai crossing for months in plain sight.

Zaken explained that he wrote his book, "Suez is Not Stalingrad," 48 years after the war to provide clarity for the families of fallen soldiers and to process the traumatic events. He believes his generation's heroism enabled Israel to emerge from the war as a victor, paving the way for the peace treaty with Egypt.