Research Catalog

Title

The Sinai peace front : UN peacekeeping operations in the Middle East, 1973-1980 / Bertil Stjernfelt ; translated from the Swedish by Stig Nihlen.

Author

Stjernfelt, Bertil.

Publication

London : Hurst ; New York : St. Martin's Press, ©1992.

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Details

Description

xx, 236 pages : illustrations, maps; 23 cm

Summary

Sweden, a neutral state since early in the nineteenth century, has made an active contribution, with forces and observers, to most of the United Nations peacekeeping operations. The benefit has been mutual: for the UN the commitment of a prosperous state with a tradition of military preparedness despite its neutrality, and for Sweden the opportunity to practise military leadership and test its soldiers in complex situations, often involving actual fighting. Sweden's important activity in this field has been little documented, and hardly at all in languages other than Swedish. This is now remedied with a comprehensive casestudy of a model UN operation which directly affected the political result--which was the transformation of Sinai, a classic theatre of war, into a peace front. The study is in two parts. The first is chronological, and begins with the establishment of the UN Emergency Force (UNEF II) after the October War of 1973; the political antecedents involving the Secretary-General, the Security Council and the countries approached for contributions; the interposition of "mini-battalions" between the Egyptian and Israeli front lines; the UNEF build-up, the complex separation of forces, the establishment of the blue helmets in the buffer-zones, routine activities and incidents, and finally--after a peace treaty--the winding-up of the UN force. The despatch of a Swedish advance guard to a new peacekeeping force in Lebanon in 1978 is also described. The three levels and locations of command--UN headquarters in New York, UNEF headquarters, and the fourteen successive Swedish contingents--are all given their due weight. The second part is analytical, looking not only at the course of events, but at the different concerns of the military staff: operational, logistical and personal. The final chapter sums up the essential experience and lessons of the operation, with some proposals for improvements.

Uniform Title

Fredsskådeplats Sinai. English

Alternative Title

Fredsskådeplats Sinai.

Subject

• United Nations > Armed Forces > Egypt > Sinai
• United Nations > Armed Forces > Middle East
• United Nations Emergency Force
• United Nations
• Vereinte Nationen
• Vereinte Nationen Peace Keeping Forces
• Vereinte Nationen > Friedenstruppen
• Armed Forces
• Friedenssicherung
• Nahostkonflikt
• Internationale Organisation
• Militär
• Organisationsstruktur
• Internationale politiek
• Verenigde Naties
• Egypt > Sinai
• Middle East
• Halbinsel Sinai
• Mittlerer Osten

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 228-230) and index.

Contents

• Foreword / Stig Synnergren -- Pt. I. Course of Events -- 1. Background of war -- Palestine, Suez and June Wars -- War of Attrition and the October War -- 2. UN intervention -- situation and the environment -- UN actions -- the mandate -- Swedish reaction -- 3. "Fire brigade" from Cyprus -- Directly from farewell party -- UNTSO at a standstill but ... -- "Go there and make peace" -- Peace work on a higher level -- In between at Ismailia -- 4. Battalion from Sweden -- Interrupted training -- Two battalions in co-operation -- Baptism of fire and transfer of responsibility -- Fragile armistice -- Assignments in Alexandria and Suez -- 5. Troop separation -- Change of scene to Geneva -- Peace conference and Military Working Group -- Strength and weakness of UNEF -- Sinai I becomes Operation Calendar -- What did they do at battalion level? -- 6. first buffer-zone -- ^ Political breathing space and military reduction -- UNEF command takes shape -- Swedish contingent on the move -- Routine duty with humanitarian elements -- sky-lift and other incidents -- 7. Further into Sinai -- Sinai II: a big step towards peace -- Sweden asked to survey demarcation lines -- UN moves east -- more administrative and humanitarian function -- Time for other things -- 8. Lebanon calling -- Background -- Another UN force -- UNIFIL -- From Sinai to Litani -- Take the Khardala bridge! -- Deployment, relief and a new task -- 9. Peace -- and winding-up -- Sadat-Begin-Carter -- Tottering mandate -- Changed task -- last UNEF contingent but ... -- ... a new peace force underway -- Pt. II. Functional Analyses -- 10. Operational functions -- Flexible organization, fixed rotation -- Violations by the parties; UN reactions -- Intelligence: a dirty word in the UN? -- ^ Communications: everybody's business -- Command at different levels -- Relations, negotiations, co-operation
• 11. Logistics and finance -- Procedure and terminology -- Weapons, clogs and "candy mountain" -- Health and hygiene go together -- Mail and money -- Air safer than road -- Financing the operation -- 12. Personnel: the primary resource -- Planning and results -- Welfare in a desert environment -- Broadcasting, newsletter and magazine -- Physical training and field sports -- Crime and punishment -- 13. Odd functions -- From Swedish civilian police to UN MP -- Dogs: different opinions -- Training for Sinai -- 14. Conclusions and suggestions -- need for speed -- Better equipment and logistics -- Despite motley structure, despite delays ... -- App. I. Places and Events -- App. II. Egyptian-Israeli agreement on disengagement of forces in pursuance of the Geneva Peace Conference.

ISBN

• 185065090X
• 9781850650904
• 0312071507
• 9780312071509

LCCN

91039028

OCLC

• ocm24666594
• 24666594
• SCSB-1950513

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library