Drawing on both Israeli and Arab accounts of the past thirty years as well as his own formidable experience as a military historian, Trevor N. Dupuy has written a richly documented, authoritative, and impartial history of the war-torn Middle East. Beginning with the First Arab-Israeli War (1947-1949), Dupuy covers the Sinai-Suez War in 1956, the Six-Day War in 1967, the War of Attrition from 1967 to 1970 and concludes with the Yom Kippur War. Throughout, Col. Dupuy provides information on long-term and immediate causes, information on military strength and sizes, details of strategy and tactics, geographical information as well as the broader, international influences and consequences. Included are many illustrations, tables, maps, a bibliography and an index.

In his Prologue to Elusive Victory, Col. Dupuy writes, “All wars have political causes, all have historical origins. However, the series of conflicts between the Israelis and Arabs since 1948 have their roots farther back in history than most of the wars of recent times, and their causes are a complicated mixture of political, ideological, and religious differences that are not easily susceptible to negotiation and resolution.” Thanks to Col. Dupuy, who is well known as the co-author of many books, including The Encyclopedia of Military History, concerned observers now have an invaluable guide to the troubled Middle East.