A Military History of Modern Egypt from the Ottoman Conquest to the Ramadan War

Egypt has one of the oldest civilizations and proudest national histories in the world with a tradition of a well-maintained, advanced, and relevant military force. Egypts military force has achieved victory in some of the most significant campaigns of Middle Eastern history, from the Arab conquest in 641 AD to the Ottoman conquest in 1517 AD to the Egyptian-Israeli conflict of 1973. This monograph provides an overview of Egypts military history, including strategies and tactics used in decisive campaigns, and characteristics of the ancient Egyptian military that could be instilled in the force today through the education of Egyptian officers in Egyptian military and operational art. Some of the key lessons learned from Egyptian military history are as follows 1 the need for speed and mobility 2 the importance of support structures -- both an industrial base for producing weaponry and strong logistical supply systems for campaigns 3 attention to strategic and tactical planning to ensure that the enemy is engaged at times, in places, and under conditions of ones choosing and 4 the practice, following Clausewitz, of using war as a continuation of politics by other means. The author recommends the development of an advanced course for officers that applies the lessons learned from Egyptian military history to current doctrine, theory, and campaign planning.