The modern wars of the Middle East began in 1947, when the Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians and Lebanese were unofficially at war with the Jewish settlers of Palestine. On May 15th, the day afer Israel was declared a sovreign state, the Arab invasion began. Between then and 1973 five wars occurred: those of 1948; the Sinai War; the Six-Day War; the 1968–1970 War of Attrition and the 1973 October War. This book examines the organization, training and equipment of the key Arab armies during these conflicts and the variey of uniforms are illustrated by a number of contemporary photographs and full colour artwork.

The Six-Day War drastically altered the political and military complexion of the Middle East: three Arab armies lay in ruin, while Israel achieved regional superpower status. The Arab response to defeat was a thirst for revenge, and the process of regrouping to launch the 1973 war was the nearest the Arab world would come to true unity. This book examines the post-1973 development of the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, as well as the Palestinian guerrilla and terrorist groups. Backed by photographs and colour illustrations, this book also details the special military and political roles of the armies' elite units.