Overview
The short, brutal Yom Kippur War causes a teenage IDF tank commander to question everything he thought he believed. Tank commander cadet Amir Bega is about to leave training for the Jewish High Holiday of Yom Kippur when a surprise attack on Israel by Egyptian and Syrian forces upends this peaceful reprieve, throwing the teenager into an unexpected war. A war in which the confidence and complacency of the Israeli army led to disaster. Believing himself well-trained and the Israeli army unstoppable, Bega struggles to accept the horrifying events surrounding him. His battalion was annihilated in one of the first combats by new anti-tank weaponry. He survived and joined a reserve unit, with which he fought to stop the Egyptian army from advancing beyond the first line of defense, all through the war's end. In this realm of death and destruction, Bega comes face to face with the conflicts between the reality of war, his core beliefs, and his basic ideology. As the war progresses, he deals with the horrific losses of both those around him and his own innocence. Tank after tank that he joins is destroyed or damaged, and he is seen as a bad omen by those still alive. Gnawed by survivor guilt, the young soldier agrees to go on a sole perilous mission to rescue an army technical unit surrounded by Egyptian commandos. This captivating first-hand account, as viewed through the eyes of the young soldier, conveys the heavy toll of the Yom Kippur War and its impact on the people of Israel. Ultimately, Undercurrent is a story about survival, friendship, humanity, duty, and honour. AUTHOR: Amir Bega was born in an Israeli kibbutz to devout Zionist parents. From a young age, he was taught patriotism, duty, honour, and love for his country. They were true believers, and for many decades of my life, he felt the same. Today, he is a retired engineer from the aerospace industry in Israel and Canada. He is married, a father of two, and lives in Toronto, Canada.
Full Product Details
Author: Amir Bega
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Imprint: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 9781636243412
ISBN 10: 163624341
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 15 July 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
"""[This book] will prove of exceptional insight and value to readers with an interest in Israeli military history.""-- ""Midwest Book Review"" ""This fascinating memoir recounts the experience of Amir as a young soldier, caught up in the chaos and violence of the Yom Kippur War of October 1973. It vividly retells the constant fighting through the entire war as the initially overconfident Israeli military learns hard lessons and regains its balance to take the fight to its enemies.""-- ""Military Heritage Magazine"""
Author Information
Amir Bega was born in an Israeli kibbutz to devout Zionist parents. From a young age, he was taught patriotism, duty, honour, and love for his country. Today, he is a retired engineer from the aerospace industry in Israel and Canada. He is married, a father of two, and lives in Toronto, Canada.
