THE CANADIAN JEWISH NEWS October 2, 2014

Perspectives

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7

YOM KIPPUR WAR

A battalion physician’s personal reflections Itzhak Brook

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he Yom Kippur War was launched as a surprise attack on Israel by Syria and Egypt on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar 41 years ago. This was the most serious threat to the existence of the Jewish state in modern history. Even though Israel eventually prevailed militarily, it paid a steep price, both in lives lost and in the citizens’ confidence in their leaders and themselves. Almost 3,000 soldiers gave their lives and more than 10,000 were wounded in the 17 days of fighting. Almost every household and neighbourhood was affected. The pain and sorrow were and still are searing. Deep within the psyche of the nation, this conflict shattered conventional wisdom that the country was invincible. I served as a physician of a reserve supply battalion that was tasked with providing an armoured corps division in the Sinai Desert with ammunition, fuel, water and food. My battalion’s soldiers repeatedly risked their lives, replenishing tanks under enemy fire. They overcame numerous difficulties and hardships, performed their mission despite constant danger, and many of them paid the ultimate price. It was a daily struggle for survival, requiring resourcefulness and performance despite constant danger. In addition to caring for my soldiers’ injuries, I unexpectedly realized that helping them to cope with their fear under fire was one of the most difficult problems I faced. Not only did I have to counsel my fellow soldiers, but I had to face and deal with my own anxiety. The sudden and unexpected circumstances that led to the war and the initial setbacks increased the psychological strain. Within hours, our battalion was thrown into battle, open to direct fire

Fear can be one’s friend as long as one uses it to be cautious and responsible Itzhak Brook during the Yom Kippur War, left, and today.

and bombardment. The lack of information (“fog of war”), the suddenness and unpredictability by which injury or death occurred, the inability to eliminate the source of danger by long range artillery or missiles were the most difficult stressors. The realization that this war could have been avoided if we had been mobilized earlier and that the survival of the country was in jeopardy also aggravated the strain. We also realized that information broadcast over the Israeli radio was often misleading and incorrect. Soldiers under strain came to me for counselling, admitting their fear. Some wanted medication, others wanted to talk, and a few could not cope with the mounting pressure. I felt ill-equipped to deal with these problems. As a reserve medical officer, I was never trained to deal with battle stress. The reason for this lack of training might have been that Israel’s previous two wars were short and victorious. No one was prepared for a longer war in which we did not have the initiative. In a “macho” society, as Israel was at that time, it was heresy to admit that one is experiencing fear. The way I initially dealt with those soldiers was to deny them the right to admit fear. I told them to be tough and strong

and to go back to their duties. It did not work, as I seemed to have failed to help most of them. It gradually dawned on me that I actually shared the same feelings as these individuals. I was as frightened as they were. How could I not feel fear? Shells and missiles were flying in our direction, airplanes were strafing us, and Egyptian commandos were after us. It is natural to be afraid. This was a new revelation for me, to admit that “yes, I am afraid as well.” I also realized that fear can be one’s friend as long as one uses it to be cautious and responsible. It also seemed to me that our enemies were probably as afraid as we were and the outcome of the conflict would be decided by those who would be able to perform despite being afraid. Fear could send one running away, make one freeze, or make one charge forward to eliminate the source of the danger. I started changing my approach when I counselled my soldiers. I told them that I was as afraid as they were. “It is OK to be afraid,” I told them. I saw relief in their faces when I admitted my own fear. I told them that they were no less manly by admitting their fear. Then I explained the choices they had in how to cope with

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their fear, and left it to them to decide how to deal with this. In most cases, a short talk was enough to relieve their burden, and almost all felt able to go back to their duties. A few needed some anti-anxiety medication, and a few had to be evacuated. I found out that not only was I able to help others by legitimizing their fear and taking it “out of the closet,” I was able to help myself as well. Caring for the wounded enemy soldiers we captured was very challenging. I took care of several Egyptian soldiers, providing them with the same level of treatment that I gave my own injured men. While my natural instincts urged me to help them to the best of my ability, I could not deny the feeling of animosity toward the enemy in the heat of battle. I managed to overcome these misgivings, however, in the hope that our captured soldiers would be treated as well as we were treating the Egyptians. Caring for these enemy prisoners of war humanized our adversary to me, and I felt inner satisfaction that I was able to follow the values I was brought up with, about the sanctity of human life. This war almost brought about the destruction of Israel, but for the bravery of our soldiers. They compensated for the lack of manpower, equipment and supply with improvisation, resourcefulness, courage and determination. These ordinary people became unwilling heroes who saved Israel. This war articulated my personal definition of courage: the performance of one’s duty despite one’s fear. n Dr. Itzhak Brook is a graduate of the Hebrew University School of Medicine, a professor of pediatrics at Georgetown University and the author of the book In the Sands of Sinai – A Physician’s Account of the Yom Kippur War.

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