Desert Saber

Résumé du livre

In 1990 the United States sent a major portion of its military power to eject the Iraqi Army from Kuwait. The main combat force charged with this task was the Europe-based U.S. VII Corps. Commanded by LTG Frederick M. Franks, Jr., this five-division corps, which included a British armored division, was the largest armored force ever fielded by the United States. Operation Desert Saber, as the mission was called by VII Corps staff, consisted of several phases including the corps' notification in November 1990, its arrival in the ports of eastern Saudi Arabia, its movement to the tactical assembly areas, and its preparation for combat. The dissertation describes in detail the VII Corps offensive against the Iraqi Army along the border, its battle with the Republican Guards, and implementation of the cease-fire between the Iraqis and the Allied Coalition. It concludes with the corps' post-war operations in southern Iraq and its return to Europe and the United States in early 1991. This dissertation is based on interviews with participants, unit journals, orders, and situation reports. It describes the tactical, operational, and logistical complexity of the VII Corps operation. It questions the effectiveness of the air campaign against the Iraqi Republican Guards. It shows that the Iraqi soldier, especially those in the Republican Guard Forces Command, fought with singular bravery against the VII Corps. It also demonstrates that the Iraqi Army did not have the technical skill to use the fine equipment at its disposal. On Desert Storm the Jayhawks, the nickname for VII Corps, removed any doubts concerning the professionalism of the U.S. Army. Its ability to handle innumerable complex tasks, employ its state-of-the-art technology, and maintain the initiative ensured its success in the early months of 1991.