I just want to say about the movie exudus that it's not very historically accurate. Cast a Giant Shadow is a musch more accurate. I suggest reading books, they tend to be less mase for for finnancial sucesess and so more accurate.
OK then.
Like i wrote, in 14th of May 1948 Israel became an independent state. But it had two main issues: firstly, the Arabs inside its borders were trying to destroy it, and secondly, and much worse, the Arabs from outside were going to try as well. On the 15th of May 1948, the Armies of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, as well as expeditionary forces from Iraq and other countrys invaded Israel. These were proffesional, standing armies. They had tanks, aircraft, and artillary. Israel had 3 diffrent undergrounds, that were more defence and illigal immigration oriented. Certinly not a war-fightin force...Furthermore, the 3 organizations were not friendly to each other. Hagana was the biggest, but there was the fearless ETZEL(Eergoon Tzvai Leisrael-Israeli Military Organization), and the agressive Stern Gang, also known as the LECHI(Lochamei Chirut Israel- Israeli Freedom Warriors). Both the small organizations were extreme right-wing and did not feel like obaying the Hagana(a social-democratic organization). However, the time was so diffecult that by use of force Ben Grion(the first Prime Minister) managed to orgenize all of these organizations into one force the IDF- Israeli Defence Forces.
While it had a nice impressivename, this was no more than 30000 people at that time. There were enough light weapons, but they were of too many kinds, and ammunition was a problem. There was a serious defosit in heavy weapons. The main problem was artillary and aircraft. An ambargo placed on the rgion by most countrys meant that Israel must smuggle arms by any means possible. Arms were purchased in all sorts of "gray" ways, and sometimes very "black" ways. A good example is of a few British Mosquito attack aircraft that were purchased in Britain under the pretence of making a film about scottish pilots in the RAF. On the first "shoot" the planes took of and than flew out of British airspace....To Israel. Artillary was purchased in any way and shape. 50 and 60 years old Howitzers were bought in latin america and other places. Tanks were purchased and some stolen from the British. Israel was arming. But in the field the Arabs were not about to wait for the weapons to arrive. Many Israelis died while fighting tanks with molotove cocktails. Jews who just came off the immigrent ships were sent into war with little training and no common langauge. some units had 7 langauges spoken. and yet the Israelis kept fighting. But this determination of armed militia and orgenized units finaaly stopped the arab advance . the IDF did grow stronger from month to month. weapons came from all over the world, and by 1949 the IDF was up to 60000 men and women, more then the some of all the attacking forces. Israel went on the offensive on all fronts by than. The Egyptians were pushed right back into Sinai, and the Syrians were driven back to the Golan. Only the Jordanians were capable of defeating the Israeli advances of late 48 and early 49, and thus Jerusalem was kept devided. The war was agreat victory for Israel. But the toll on the IDF and the country was devestating. 6000 people, 1% of the population were killed. many more were wounded. Out of this about 4000 were ex PALMACH members. They were, like one Israeli poet wrote, the "Silver Plate" on which Israels independence was served. I believe untill today,that these men and women are among the greatest examples of self sacrefice in human history.
Either way, with no real peace treaty, the IDF had a problem: It was born into war, with no time to orgenize. There was no reall doctorine, and the arsenal was too varied for logistics to satisfy ammunition needs. The country had no miney to spend new weapons. Israel bought only used weapons. In addition, most commanders were infantry men. As a result, the IDF, in it's early years, saw the Infantry as the main element in the field. The PALMACH was the main source for military tredition, so the IDF fought in small, infantry formatins. This was acctually well suited for the years after teh War of independence, as the main threat were terror squads sent b arab countrys. These had to be hunted down by small, inf units, on Jeeps and half tracks. In respons Israel would launch "retribution" strikes, in which small infantry units would infiltrate Arab countrys, and attack terrorist and military targets. This was the dawn of Israeli SOF units. in the early 1950s the first Sayarot, which were recon units similar to the US LRRP unis, were established. In addition assault nits like the Commando and "Unit 101"(lead by the young and daring Ariel Sharon" were formed. The raids made by these units gave the IDF a feeling that it is capable of taking on and destroying large enemy forces if it kept to the principals of surprise, speed, and initiative. But most saw these trates in the Mechanized and Airborn Infantry(which was established 1953), and not in the armour corps. Tanks were considered as support weapons for the infantry. it would take a few more years until the than young and small armored force to become a powerfull apriciated instrument of war. for now it was a muttly collection of old Sherman tanks and under-trained crews.
The IAF, on the contarary, Was getting some new hardware, getting rid of the Avias and Spitfires. The dominant fighter after the war of independence was the Mustang, but by the mid 50s it was pushed aside by jets. The first jet in the IAF was the Meteor, followed by the Organ and Myster. The IAF wasbecomong very well trained and funded, due to support from Ben Gurion. The Air Force also started developing its doctorine. This was based on the IAF first reaching complete Air Supremacy, and only than assisting the ground forces. This meant that the Air Force must attack the Arab planes on the ground. This idea was formed in the early 50s, but would only be realised inth e late 60s...
Thats all for now, its very late. Next post will be about the 56 war and maybe 67. The idea is to show the development og the IDF from an un orgenized militia to a well funded, well orgenized military force.