Chinese Farm: Episode 19 — 17 October: The Counterattack
On 17 October 1973, Egyptian forces counterattacked to cut the Israeli penetration at Deversoir before the bridgehead could grow. The crossing was still vulnerable: troops were west of the canal, bridges were only beginning to function, and the corridor remained narrow and contested. The Egyptian armored effort sought to sever that lifeline, while Israeli defenders fought to keep the countercrossing alive. Israeli armor appears here at its sharpest, using ambush, gunnery, terrain, and timely positioning to stop Egyptian tanks moving under pressure. The campaign’s reversal appears in miniature: the side that had punished Israeli haste in the opening days now suffered when its own armor attacked under unfavorable conditions. For more military history writing and books, visit MilitaryAuthor.me, and for magazines, galleries, and a massive archive of military photos and video, visit Trackpads.com.
