Hero of the Crossing

Thomas W. Lippman's "Hero of the Crossing: How Anwar Sadat and the 1973 War Changed the World" offers a detailed examination of one of the Middle East's most pivotal military conflicts and the Egyptian leader who orchestrated it. Drawing on extensive research and his deep knowledge of the region, Lippman presents a nuanced portrait of Anwar Sadat's decision to launch the October 1973 war against Israel and the far-reaching consequences that followed.

The book centers on the October War, known in the West as the Yom Kippur War, which began on October 6, 1973, when Egyptian forces crossed the Suez Canal in a coordinated attack with Syria. Lippman argues that this military action, while not resulting in outright victory for Egypt, fundamentally altered the political landscape of the Middle East and set in motion events that would lead to the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab nation. The author's central thesis is that Sadat's willingness to use military force was not aimed at destroying Israel but at breaking the political stalemate that had paralyzed the region since the humiliating Arab defeat in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Lippman brings considerable credentials to this subject. As a veteran journalist who spent years covering the Middle East, including service as the Washington Post's Cairo bureau chief, he possesses both the language skills and regional expertise necessary to navigate the complex political terrain of Egyptian and Arab politics. This background allows him to contextualize Sadat's decisions within the broader framework of Egyptian nationalism, Arab unity, and Cold War superpower dynamics.

The narrative traces Sadat's rise from relative obscurity within Gamal Abdel Nasser's inner circle to the presidency following Nasser's death in 1970. Lippman carefully documents how Sadat was initially underestimated by both his domestic rivals and foreign observers, who viewed him as a temporary placeholder lacking the charisma and political strength of his predecessor. The author shows how Sadat methodically consolidated power and began planning for a military confrontation that would restore Egyptian honor and provide leverage for diplomatic negotiations.

One of the book's strengths lies in its detailed account of the military planning and execution of the canal crossing. Lippman describes the elaborate deception operations, the training of Egyptian forces, and the initial success of the assault that caught Israeli forces off guard. The author explains how Egyptian troops breached the Bar Lev Line, Israel's supposedly impregnable fortification along the Suez Canal, using high-pressure water hoses to cut through sand embankments and portable bridges to cross the waterway. This tactical success, even though later Israeli counterattacks would shift the military balance, achieved Sadat's primary objective of shattering the myth of Israeli invincibility.

The book explores the diplomatic aftermath of the war with particular attention to Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy and the disengagement agreements that followed. Lippman demonstrates how the war created the conditions for serious peace negotiations by giving Sadat the political capital needed to pursue a separate peace with Israel. The author traces the path from the 1973 conflict through Sadat's dramatic 1977 visit to Jerusalem and ultimately to the Camp David Accords of 1978 and the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979.

Lippman does not shy away from the controversies surrounding Sadat's legacy. The book addresses the criticism Sadat faced from other Arab leaders who viewed his separate peace with Israel as a betrayal of Palestinian aspirations and Arab solidarity. The author also examines the domestic opposition that grew within Egypt, particularly among Islamist groups who rejected normalization with Israel and viewed Sadat's increasingly autocratic governing style with alarm. This opposition would ultimately lead to Sadat's assassination in 1981 by Islamic Jihad militants during a military parade.

The author's analysis of how the 1973 war changed global politics extends beyond the Middle East. Lippman discusses the oil embargo imposed by Arab petroleum-producing states, which sent shockwaves through Western economies and demonstrated the power of oil as a political weapon. He also examines how the conflict heightened Cold War tensions, with the United States supporting Israel and the Soviet Union backing Egypt and Syria, bringing the superpowers closer to direct confrontation than at almost any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

"Hero of the Crossing" succeeds as both a military history and a political biography. Lippman's prose remains accessible while handling complex diplomatic and military matters, making the book suitable for general readers interested in Middle Eastern history as well as specialists seeking a comprehensive account of this transformative period. The work contributes to understanding how military conflict, even without decisive victory, can create opportunities for diplomatic breakthrough and fundamental political realignment.