Basrah, Baghdad, and Beyond: U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War [Hardcover]

USMCR Col. Nicholas E. Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2005

Here is the first official Marine Corps history of USMC operations in the Second Iraq War, covering the period from September 2002 to September 2003. Culled from oral history interviews, journals written by field historians, personal observations, and primary source material such as situation reports, command histories, and command chronologies; the book will outline the context and significant events of Operation Iraqi Freedom from the Marine Corps perspective. By citing sources and providing useful appendices, it will be a boon to researchers, and a must-read text for students in Marine Corps schools, future staff officers, and decision-makers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Colonel Nicholas Reynolds is the Officer in Charge of Field History at the Marine Corps Historical Center. A past winner of the Proceedings Marine Corps Essay Contest, he has a Ph.D. from Oxford University and is the author of A Skillful Show: U.S. Marines in the Caribbean, 1991-1996.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591147174
• ISBN-13: 978-1591147176
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,638,540 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > History > Middle East > Kuwait

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First Official (Well Semi-Official) History, July 13, 2005

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basrah, Baghdad, and Beyond: U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War (Hardcover)

The military services produce 'official histories' of their combat actions. This is the first (but almost certainly not the last) of the official histories of the recent war with Iraq. It is written by the marine officer in charge of the marine history unit in Iraq. It combines his own observations with those of his team and with the official reports produced by each of the major marine units in the field.

This book provides the first comprehensive story of the marines in Iraq. It begins with the run-up to war in 2002 and continues through 2003 as the commanders analyze the lessons learned in this war and the departure of the last Marine in the fall 0f 2003. There is only a hint that the Marines would be returning in 2004.

These will be other, bigger, more complete official histories that come out of this war. This book is the first, and probably will form the framework that will be used by the later historians.

This book is also written with a view to its being read by the general public. It is a lot more interesting reading than the true official history will be.