By the time history wrote its first pages, the Egyptian army had been a luminous sign in the history. Each soldier of the army has born Egypt in his mind and heart, so, Egypt has born each soldier in its memory.
The fortieth anniversary of October’s victory is very special; for the number 40 has special symbols, it is a holy number as Moses the Prophet had fasted for 40 days before receiving the Commandments written with the finger of God. When Elijah the Prophet fled from the unjust King Ahab, he fasted for 40 days before being able to speak with God. After 40 years, the Egyptian army managed to keep Egypt safe!
So, celebrating the anniversary of October’s victory 1973, we express felicitations to every Egyptian who is proud of his great loyal army, which exerts every effort, sweat and blood for the sake of its country. We also felicitate all the army commanders, officers, soldiers, headed by Colonel General Abdel Fattah al Sisi, the General Leader of Egyptian Armed Force, the Minister of Defence and Military Production.
The Egyptian army is the oldest regular army in the world; it is described as a school of noble human values in the times of peace as well as war. Along its history, Egypt’s army has achieved great victories in the fierce battles it has engaged in; its men has attracted the attention of the world towards the Egyptian’s fighting skills and proud soul which can sacrifice life as a ransom for Egypt’s dust.
Stations from the Memory of History
At the times of war, the Pharaoh of Egypt resorted to call on the soldiers of the rulers of Egypt’s provinces to compose an army led by a head appointed by him in order to accomplish a specific task upon which ending the army would be dispersed again.
The army and the Unification and Protection of the Country
History stops at the first station of the Egyptian army heroism; in its wars to unite the country under the leadership of the Pharaonic King Menes, the unifier of Upper and Lower Egypt in 3200 B.C. The kings of Egypt were keen to record the battles they fought for their country and their victories on the walls of the temples and on the obelisks; so we see the Unification of Egypt engraved on the stone of Narmer. The army has performed one of its finest national roles to attain the unity of the country into a central Egyptian state.
King Djoser, the founder of the third Pharaonic dynasty, managed to protect Egypt’s borders from the Bedouin’s raids through dividing Egypt’s borders into sections which he called “the Gates of the Kingdom”; he built a fortress in each section to protect it, and built up a regular trained army under his command.
The Expulsion of the Hyksos from Egypt
The train of history takes us to stop at a decisive battle for the Egyptian army with some Asian tribes, which infiltrated inside across Sinai, dwelt in the Delta and were known as the Hyksos. They occupied the city of Avaris, making it their capital. It also occupied the city of Memphis, and ruled the country for nearly 150 years – for the first time through history.
The Pharaohs were concentrated in the city of Thebes, in preparation for getting armed to free the country. At the time of the seventeenth dynasty, under the reign of King Seqenenre Tao – when Thebes began to be fortified- wars broke out against the Hyksos. Seqenenre Tao achieved some success in his fight against the Hyksos, yet he died after a short while to be succeeded by his oldest son Camus to rule over Thebes. Camus continued the struggle to expel the Hyksos. The Hyksos were finally eliminated in Egypt by Ahmos I, who expelled them from the country and followed them to Syria.
The Battle of Megiddo
Thutmose III was an extraordinarily brilliant military man; he had an incomparable firm military character – which he acquired through committing to military exercised – that he was titled “The Father of Empires” and “The First Emperor in History”. His name is connected to the Battle of Megiddo as he used unprecedented military plans and maneuvers; like the sudden attack which triggers disturbance of the enemy, making them losing their balance and hindering their movements, leading the scene into great victory. One of the historians spoke of Egypt during his era, saying, “There is no power on earth that can face the Egyptian army which has received excellent military training and achieved victory under the leadership of a brilliant king, he is the great Pharaoh of Egypt Thutmose III
The Battle of Kadesh
A luminous station of the Egyptian army’s history that we should stop at is the Battle of Kadesh, led by King Ramesses II against the Hittites, aiming at destroying the Asian alliances which threaten Egypt’s safety and security. King Ramesses II managed to turn the defeat into victory thanks to the great army of Egypt. The first peace treaty in the world was signed between the victorious Egyptian army and the Hittite army.
The Battle of Raphia
The Ptolemaic Rule of Egypt was a witness on the Egyptian soldier’s excelling bravery; Ptolemy IV had prepared an army to fight with Anticus who wanted to raid on Egypt. He trained Egyptian citizens on war arts and weapons carrying according to the Ancient Greek methods after a period of negligence to the Egyptian soldier. The two armies met at Raphia, where the battle began, and the left wing of the Ptolemaic army was broken; this was consisted of mercenaries. Ptolemy moved to the core of the army to lead it on his own, and the capabilities of the Egyptian fighter, the son of the Nile, manifested in dispersing the armies of the enemy, and achieving glory to his people.
With this Egyptian made victory, the Egyptian soldier began to feel his pride, capabilities and firmness. Here, I quote the historian Selim Hassan’s words, extracted from his historian encyclopedia: “Since the victory achieved by the Egyptian army in Raphia, the Egyptian national element has proved its existence on the pages of history before the Ancient Greeks.”
The Battle of Hattin
Another luminous image of the Egyptian army heroism attracts our sights. The army has always embarked upon defending Egypt and any assault against the Arab region. In the Battle of Hattin, the Egyptian army played a prominent role in restoring Jerusalem from the Crusaders’ invasion led by the champion leader Salah ad-Din Al Ayyubi. The Egyptian army was the source of the Arab armies’ strength.
The Battle of Mansoura
When the enemy realized the power of Egypt, it finds no way towards victory except defeating Egypt first. The Battle of Mansoura was one of the attempts to attack Egypt. The French king, Louis IX, came with his fleet to invade Egypt. No sooner had his ships docked than the Egyptians attacked their strongholds and defeated them bitterly. The French troops landed in Damietta heading to Cairo. In Mansoura, the Egyptian forces led by Aqtai and joined by the citizens, faced altogether the enemy in one of the fiercest battles and defeated the enemy heavily. Louis IX escaped to Damietta, but he was captured there.
The Battle of Ain Jalut
The tyrant Genghis Khan made bloody conquests that reached the heart of Europe. His son succeeded him in the rule, yet he invaded Iran, Baghdad, Gaza and then Egypt with his armies. He challenged Egypt’s Sultan then Qutuz who accepted the challenge of the Tatars. Ain Jalut had witnessed a new Egyptian legend written by its champion army.
Despite the military skills of the Tatars, the Egyptian army’s skills, accompanied by unique wisdom and bravery – flowing from deep love for Egypt – had surpassed the enemy’s skills, and thus, Egypt became the first country to defeat the Tatars.
Egypt’s Army in the Modern Age
The Battle of October
Luminous pages and stations of the Egyptian army’s history follow, it refused to surrender to the defeat in 1967, which let Sinai be occupied. No sooner had few years passed, than Egypt gave a strong reply to Israel in 1973 to restore its lands.
War began with the Egyptian army’s sudden attack on the Israeli troops in Sinai – and in Golan Heights by the Syrian army – drawing a new dawn of freedom thanks to the Egyptian army’s bravery.
At 14:00 on the afternoon of Saturday, October 6th, 1973 – which coincided with the 10th of Ramadan 1393 AH, and with the Jewish Yom Kippur, the Egyptian Air Forces launched a sudden air strike on Israeli targets behind the Suez Canal, targeting: distortion and jamming stations, air defense batteries, individuals assemblies, armors, tanks, artillery, fortified points in the Bar Lev line, oil refineries and ammunition stores. Egyptian soldiers crossed the Suez Canal, while the Egyptian Engineer Corps created breaches in the sand wall high-rushing powerful hoses.
One of the most important consequences of the war was restoring Egypt’s full sovereignty over the Suez Canal, restoring Sinai Peninsula, and destroying the legend of the invincible Israeli army and the invincible Bar Lev line. US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger served as a mediator between the two sides; he reached a truce agreement and then a full comprehensive peace treaty at Camp David in 1979.
June 30
The Egyptian army has not ceased to support its people and to play its heroic role in raising its will. June 30, 2013 came with the people revolting, announcing their will to restore the power from President Mohamed Morsi. The army adopted a neutral stance in order to be definite of the real tendency of the people, considering it an order and entrustment received to take action. When more than 33 million Egyptians demonstrated in demand for change, the armed forces, led by its General Commander, Colonel General, and Defense Minister Mohamed Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, sided with the people to fulfill their demand, protecting the nation, and bearing full responsibility for the sake of the homeland. Thus, the army gave – and still gives- a new lesson to the world on how patriotism should be.
Lessons Learnt from Great October
The great October victory gives us lessons engraved in the history; the faith of Egyptians and their power in defending their right and homeland were revealed. Despite the setback of June 1967 and its subsequent storms, the victory of October gave us a true picture of the Egyptian soldier’s persistence and perseverance in restoring the freedom of its homeland. It is a message for each Egyptian: “Do not get desperate” Behind the cloud, the sun will inevitably shine.
Challenge as well – challenging the impossibilities – is a trait of the real Egyptian; since there was an invincible line, an invincible army, invincible events, and invincible… etc, therefore there is also an invincible Egyptian!
Have trust O Egyptian that you can overcome the difficulties you face, and even what is deemed impossible; when you inspire your strength from Egypt’s history …. While it engages with you in endless stories!
The General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
