Synopses & Reviews
From Israels leading historian, a sweeping history of 1967the war, what led up to it, what came after, and how it changed everything Tom Segevs acclaimed works One Palestine, Complete and The Seventh Million overturned accepted views of the history of Israel. Now, in
1967a number-one bestseller in Hebrewhe brings his masterful skills to the watershed year when six days of war reshaped the country and the entire region.
Going far beyond a military account, Segev re-creates the crisis in Israel before 1967, showing how economic recession, a full grasp of the Holocausts horrors, and the dire threats made by neighbor states combined to produce a climate of apocalypse. He depicts the countrys bravado after its victory, the mood revealed in a popular joke in which one soldier says to his friend, Lets take over Cairo”; the friend replies, Then what shall we do in the afternoon?”
Drawing on unpublished letters and diaries, as well as government memos and military records, Segev reconstructs an era of new possibilities and tragic missteps. He introduces the legendary figuresMoshe Dayan, Golda Meir, Gamal Abdul Nasser, and Lyndon Johnsonand an epic cast of soldiers, lobbyists, refugees, and settlers. He reveals as never before Israels intimacy with the White House as well as the political rivalries that sabotaged any chance of peace. Above all, he challenges the view that the war was inevitable, showing that a series of disastrous miscalculations lie behind the bloodshed.
A vibrant and original history, 1967 is sure to stand as the definitive account of that pivotal year. Tom Segev is a columnist for Haaretz, Israels leading newspaper, and the author of three now-classic works on the history of Israel: 1949: The First Israelis; The Seventh Million: The Israelis and the Holocaust; and One Palestine, Complete: Jews and Arabs Under the British Mandate, which was a New York Times Editors Choice for 2000. He lives in Jerusalem. Tom Segevs acclaimed works One Palestine, Complete and The Seventh Million overturned accepted views of the history of Israel. Now, in 1967a number-one bestseller in Hebrewhe brings his masterful skills to the watershed year when six days of war reshaped the country and the entire region.
Going far beyond a military account, Segev re-creates the crisis in Israel before 1967, showing how economic recession, a full grasp of the Holocausts horrors, and the dire threats made by neighbor states combined to produce a climate of apocalypse. He depicts the countrys bravado after its victory, the mood revealed in a popular joke in which one soldier says to his friend, Lets take over Cairo”; the friend replies, Then what shall we do in the afternoon?”
Drawing on unpublished letters and diaries, as well as government memos and military records, Segev reconstructs an era of new possibilities and tragic missteps. He introduces the legendary figuresMoshe Dayan, Golda Meir, Gamal Abdul Nasser, and Lyndon Johnsonand an epic cast of soldiers, lobbyists, refugees, and settlers. He reveals as never before Israels intimacy with the White House as well as the political rivalries that sabotaged any chance of peace. Above all, he challenges the view that the war was inevitable, showing that a series of disastrous miscalculations lie behind the bloodshed. You need not agree with Mr. Segevs conclusions on how things could have been done differently to benefit from his research and narrative . . . Mr. Segev makes a compelling and fresh case that the war was at least partly a result of a delicate and vulnerable moment in Israeli history, and his exploration of that moment iswhile too longpersuasive and engaging.”Ethan Bronner, The New York Times
Segev's look into the origins of the occupation is invaluable. His research is prodigious, his intelligence obvious, his ability to reconstruct complex chains of events impressive. He writes clearly and confidently and has an eye for the telling, and often witty, detail.”David Margolick, The New York Times Book Review "Today we know that Israel's triumph in 1967 was a Pyrrhic victory. Tom Segev's 1967 makes that more clear than anything written on the subject . . . Segev documents this historic tragedy brilliantly, authoritatively, as no one has before."Amos Elon, Ha'aretz "Tom Segev's 1967 offers a brilliant description of the Six Day War in its widest context: the international scene, the Middle Eastern confrontations, the political and social situation of Israel, as well as fascinating snippets of everyday life. The crucial role of individual actors is deftly woven into the general picture, the description of the military events is enthralling. This is probably the best book on those most fateful days in the history of Israel and the Middle East."Saul Friedlander, author of The Years Of Extermination: Nazi Germany And The Jews, 1939-1945 "The year 1967 divides the history of Israel in two: what came before and what came after. Tom Segev's book makes this abundantly clear, and demonstrates the difference between a military victory and a political one."Daniel Barenboim
Review
"Mr. Segev makes a compelling and fresh case that the war was at least partly a result of a delicate and vulnerable moment in Israeli history, and his exploration of that moment is...persuasive and engaging." New York Times
Review
"The emphasis on individual narrative makes this a nice complement to Jeremy Bowen's Six Days, with its concentration on the military aspects of the war." Library Journal
Review
Segev is careful not to reduce any of the figures in his narrative to caricature. Both Dayan and Eshkol are treated with nuance and, when they deserve it, sympathy." San Francisco Chronicle
Synopsis
From Israel's leading historian, a sweeping history of 1967 the war, what led up to it, what came after, and how it changed everything.
Tom Segev's acclaimed works One Palestine, Complete and The Seventh Million overturned accepted views of the history of Israel. Now, in 1967 a number-one bestseller in Hebrew he brings his masterful skills to the watershed year when six days of war reshaped the country and the entire region.
Going far beyond a military account, Segev re-creates the crisis in Israel before 1967, showing how economic recession, a full grasp of the Holocaust's horrors, and the dire threats made by neighbor states combined to produce a climate of apocalypse. He depicts the country's bravado after its victory, the mood revealed in a popular joke in which one soldier says to his friend, "Let's take over Cairo" the friend replies, "Then what shall we do in the afternoon?"
Drawing on unpublished letters and diaries, as well as government memos and military records, Segev reconstructs an era of new possibilities and tragic missteps. He introduces the legendary figures Moshe Dayan, Golda Meir, Gamal Abdul Nasser, and Lyndon Johnson and an epic cast of soldiers, lobbyists, refugees, and settlers. He reveals as never before Israel's intimacy with the White House as well as the political rivalries that sabotaged any chance of peace. Above all, he challenges the view that the war was inevitable, showing that a series of disastrous miscalculations lie behind the bloodshed.
A vibrant and original history, 1967 is sure to stand as the definitive account of that pivotal year.
Synopsis
“A marvelous achievement . . . Anyone curious about the extraordinary six days of Arab-Israeli war will learn much from it.”—The Economist
Tom Segevs acclaimed One Palestine, Complete and The Seventh Million overturned accepted views of the history of Israel. Now, in 1967, he brings his masterful skills to the watershed year when six days of war reshaped the country and the entire region.
Going far beyond a military account, Segev re-creates the apocalyptic climate in Israel before the war as well as the countrys bravado after its victory. He introduces the legendary figures—Moshe Dayan, Golda Meir, Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Lyndon Johnson—and an epic cast of soldiers, lobbyists, refugees, and settlers. He reveals as never before Israels intimacy with the White House, and the political rivalries that sabotaged any chance of peace. Above all, Segev challenges the view that the war was inevitable, showing that behind the bloodshed was a series of disastrous miscalculations.
Vibrant and original, 1967 is sure to stand as the definitive account of that pivotal year.
About the Author
Tom Segev is a columnist for Haaretz, Israels leading newspaper, and the author of three now-classic works on the history of Israel: 1949: The First Israelis; The Seventh Million: The Israelis and the Holocaust; and One Palestine, Complete: Jews and Arabs Under the British Mandate, which was a New York Times Editors Choice for 2000. He lives in Jerusalem.