Israel in danger in 1948 - US response

ThePest179

Banned
Assuming that Israel in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war is in danger of being overrun, what kind of aid would the US give to the Israelis?
 

Deleted member 1487

Nothing really, because the US had no obligation to do anything. At most they might send humanitarian aid to pick up refugees once Israel is defeated, but probably nothing more than that.
 

CalBear

Moderator
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None, or close to it.

We were the first country to grant them full recognition when they declared independence, but there was not a chance in Hell that we would directly intervene. The region was considered to be the Brit's patch and the American people were very war weary.

At best they get some light weapons.
 
Agree with the comments above. Any US intervention would probably focus on extracting any US citizens. Truman gave Israel diplomatic recognition, but as I understand it the State Department were against doing even that much.
 

Deleted member 1487

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel–United_States_relations#Recognition_of_the_state_of_Israel
As the end of the mandate approached, the decision to recognize the Jewish state remained contentious, with significant disagreement between President Truman, his domestic and campaign adviser, Clark Clifford, and both the State Department and Defense Department. Truman, while sympathetic to the Zionist cause, was most concerned about relieving the plight of the displaced persons; Secretary of State George Marshall feared US backing of a Jewish state would harm relations with the Muslim world, limit access to Middle Eastern oil, and destabilize the region. On 12 May 1948, Truman met in the Oval Office with Secretary of State Marshall, Under Secretary of State Robert A. Lovett, Counsel to the President Clark Clifford, and several others to discuss the Palestine situation. Clifford argued in favor of recognizing the new Jewish state in accordance with the partition resolution. Marshall opposed Clifford's arguments, contending that they were based on domestic political considerations in the election year. Marshall said that, if Truman followed Clifford's advice and recognized the Jewish state, then he would vote against Truman in the election. Truman did not clearly state his views in the meeting.[20]
 
Absolutely none, especially considering that there was an arms embargo. At best, the US might pick up some of the refugees, but even that is highly questionable.
 

Deleted member 1487

Would any other nation intervene on Israel's behalf?
Who would want to or be able to? Stalin did not like Israel or Jewish people, the UK was not happy after what just happened during the Mandate period, France is probably too weak and focused on Indochina/Algeria/Syria/Lebanon, leaving the US as the one nation that would have any ability or interest.
 
Stalin was not anti-Israel, in fact was pro-Zionist.

Following is from Wikipedia-

For Soviet foreign policy decision-makers, pragmatism took precedence over ideology. Without changing its official anti-Zionist stance, from late 1944, until 1948 and even later, Joseph Stalin adopted a pro-Zionist foreign policy, apparently believing that the new country would be socialist and would accelerate the decline of British influence in the Middle East.[1]

The USSR began to support Zionism at the UN during the 1947 UN Partition Plan debate. It preferred a Jewish-Arab binational state. But if this proved impossible it indicated that it would support partition and a Jewish state. On 14 May 1947, the Soviet ambassador Andrei Gromyko announced:

"As we know, the aspirations of a considerable part of the Jewish people are linked with the problem of Palestine and of its future administration. This fact scarcely requires proof.... During the last war, the Jewish people underwent exceptional sorrow and suffering....
The United Nations cannot and must not regard this situation with indifference, since this would be incompatible with the high principles proclaimed in its Charter....
The fact that no Western European State has been able to ensure the defence of the elementary rights of the Jewish people and to safeguard it against the violence of the fascist executioners explains the aspirations of the Jews to establish their own State. It would be unjust not to take this into consideration and to deny the right of the Jewish people to realize this aspiration." [2]
Shortly after this speech, the Soviet media temporarily stopped publishing anti-Zionist material.[3]

It followed this policy and gave support to the UN plan to partition the British Mandate of Palestine, which led to the founding of the State of Israel.

On May 17, 1948, three days after Israel declared independence, the Soviet Union legally recognized it de jure, becoming the first country to grant de jure recognition to the Jewish state.[4][5] In addition to the diplomatic support, arms from Czechoslovakia, part of the Soviet bloc, were crucial to Israel in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
 

Deleted member 1487

Stalin was not anti-Israel, in fact was pro-Zionist.

Following is from Wikipedia-

For Soviet foreign policy decision-makers, pragmatism took precedence over ideology. Without changing its official anti-Zionist stance, from late 1944, until 1948 and even later, Joseph Stalin adopted a pro-Zionist foreign policy, apparently believing that the new country would be socialist and would accelerate the decline of British influence in the Middle East.[1]

The USSR began to support Zionism at the UN during the 1947 UN Partition Plan debate. It preferred a Jewish-Arab binational state. But if this proved impossible it indicated that it would support partition and a Jewish state. On 14 May 1947, the Soviet ambassador Andrei Gromyko announced:

"As we know, the aspirations of a considerable part of the Jewish people are linked with the problem of Palestine and of its future administration. This fact scarcely requires proof.... During the last war, the Jewish people underwent exceptional sorrow and suffering....
The United Nations cannot and must not regard this situation with indifference, since this would be incompatible with the high principles proclaimed in its Charter....
The fact that no Western European State has been able to ensure the defence of the elementary rights of the Jewish people and to safeguard it against the violence of the fascist executioners explains the aspirations of the Jews to establish their own State. It would be unjust not to take this into consideration and to deny the right of the Jewish people to realize this aspiration." [2]
Shortly after this speech, the Soviet media temporarily stopped publishing anti-Zionist material.[3]

It followed this policy and gave support to the UN plan to partition the British Mandate of Palestine, which led to the founding of the State of Israel.

On May 17, 1948, three days after Israel declared independence, the Soviet Union legally recognized it de jure, becoming the first country to grant de jure recognition to the Jewish state.[4][5] In addition to the diplomatic support, arms from Czechoslovakia, part of the Soviet bloc, were crucial to Israel in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

I though the Doctor's Plot started earlier, but it would seem you're right:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctors'_plot
 
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