Today's lesson focused on the conflict that arose in the Middle East when the UN declared its approval for the creation of the new country of Israel. War broke out almost immediately between Israel and it's Arab neighbors. Cameron learned about the true-life story of the American soldier David "Mickey" Marcus. In 1947, Marcus was asked by the new government of Israel to shape the untrained and disorganized Israeli army into a more potent force that miraculously defeated the countries who attacked Israel after it became independent in 1947.