The Yom Kippur War
History Series / Part 3

The years immediately after the victory of the Six Day War were marked by optimism, not only in Israel, but amongst Jews worldwide. Soviet Jews were released from behind the Iron Curtain. Immigration to Israel grew steadily stronger. But the Arabs, meanwhile, were recouping their losses. In a surprise attack on Yom Kippur 1973, the Israeli army was devastated. And though it was ultimately victorious, the war cost thousands in casualties and lives, creating a sea change in Israeli attitude - a rise in pessimism and insecurity that continues to trouble us to this day.

• Old and New Jerusalem reunified
• the settlement of the Golan
• the War of Attrition - as costly as a "regular" war
• the beginning of world dependence on Arab oil
• how growing tensions came to a head
• the emotional impact of the first news of the war on the holiest day of the year