The 1973 Yom Kippur War I October War : Introduction To The Region

The exhausted Nasser died suddenly of a heart attack in September 1970. Vice President Anwar as-Sadat assumed control and promptly began to dismantle Nasser’s legacy of state socialism and massive government involvement, starting the infitah, or economic opening, to promote foreign investment and revive the economy. Furthermore, anxious about the security of his own position, Sadat exposed Nasser’s extensive secret police network and released political prisoners, including members of the religious opposition which Nasser had ruthlessly suppressed.

Meanwhile, the War of Attrition along the Suez Canal was an increasingly heavy burden for Egypt to bear, and Sadat sought to reopen the lucrative canal and reclaim the desperately needed Sinai oil fields. Soviet advisors were assisting the Egyptian military but Sadat thought the USSR was not providing him with the sophisticated weapons he needed. In July 1972 he expelled all Soviet advisors; at the same time, seeing little hope in negotiations, he began making preparations to attack Israel.