Vietnam, Jews and the Middle East
Unintended Consequences
by Judith Apter Klinghoffer

Did the Soviets Stick Egypt on Israel to Win in Vietnam?
June 10, 2000

This scholarly, yet accessible, book argues that Israel was forced to fight for its survival in 1967 because the Soviet Union wanted a second front against the United States. Written by a Rutgers history professor and filled with detailed chapter notes, Klinghoffer makes a compelling argument that both superpowers treated Vietnam and Israel as mere pawns in a global struggle for power.

In the Spring of 1967, many liberal American Jewish leaders found themselves in the odd position of oppossing American military intervention in Vietnam - and urging President Johnson to deploy the American Navy to the Mideast. The Soviet Union's support for the Arab cause pushed Israel's Socialist Zionist leadership to relucantly shift from neutrality to become a strong American ally.
This work details how the distinct possibility of a second Holocaust in the Mideast woke up many idealistic Israelis and American Jews to see the dangers of third world revolutionary movements. Klinghoffer also effectively links domestic political concerns with international policies in Vietnam and the Middle East with wit and confidence. An insightful work that seems quite plausible - and helped me understand a confusing part of the world.

An excellent primer on Mideast politics that unintentionally illuminates the problems facing peace negotiators today.

 

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