[Rarebooks] FS: ISRAEL: Superb Association Copy Inscribed by David Ben-Gurion to General Hilldring

[Charles Agvent]

One of the many unusual items in our new Spring Internet Catalogue now 
posted on our website:  http://www.erols.com/agvent

(BEN-GURION, David) HARMAN, Ab. & YADIN, Yigael (editors). ISRAEL.
Tel-Aviv/Jerusalem:   Massadah  Publishing  Co.   Ltd.  [1958].  First
Edition.  Large quarto (8-3/4" x 11-1/4") bound in original cloth with
the  name of the owner, General John H. Hilldring, stamped in gilt  on
the  front  cover.  Text  in  French and  English.  Preface  by  David
Ben-Gurion.  Illustrated  with photographs in black-and-white  and  in
color.  INSCRIBED  and  SIGNED  by Israel's first  prime  minister  in
English  on  the  half-title  page: To  General/John  H.  Hilldring/in
friendship/D.    Ben-Gurion/Jerusalem/5.6.58."  Not   only   is   this
inscribed  while Ben-Gurion was in office, it is also inscribed to  an
important  figure  in Israel's early history. General  John  Hilldring
was  the  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Occupied Areas  during
World  War II and was responsible for organizing military  governments
for  countries  to  be liberated or conquered.  Hilldring  recommended
Colonel  David  "Mickey" Marcus, a Jewish officer who had  been  under
his  command, to Ben-Gurion. Marcus, under the name of "Michael Stone,
"  designed  a  command  structure for Israel's  new  army  and  wrote
manuals  to  train  it.  As a result of his efforts  Israel,  when  it
declared  independence  and  the  Arab armies attacked  in  May  1948,
defended  itself  successfully. In gratitude, Ben-Gurion  made  Marcus
the  first  general in the army of Israel since Judah Maccabee  nearly
two  thousand  years ago. He was accidentally killed at the age of  46
by  a Jewish sentry six hours before a United Nations negotiated cease
fire  began.  The  film  CAST A GIANT SHADOW was based  on  his  life.
Ben-Gurion  said  of him, "He was the best man we had."  Fine  without
dustwrapper, as issued                                        $3500.00

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CHARLES AGVENT
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