From Shield to Storm: High-Tech Weapons, Military Strategy and Coalition Warfare in the Persian Gulf [Paperback]

Austin Bay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 2001

From Shield to Storm is a book by two experts but is not a book for "the experts," though given the dismal performance of many "pre-war expert military analysts" some of them could stand to read it. When it comes to military history and military affairs, there are always plenty of books for and by the experts. But the rest of the world, those who foot the bill for vast military establishments and the think tanks (or universities) which employ the experts, are often left puzzling out acronyms, dense jargon and thicker prose of the experts' tomes. Rich in detail and observation, From Shield to Storm is sprightly and at times, necessarily irreverent. From Shield to Storm contains easy to read details on the combat units involved, how they were organized, their weapons and equipment, how they fought and how they managed to obtain such a lopsided victory. Similar details are also provided for the Iraqis. Political, social and historical background is also provided.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

By the authors of A Quick and Dirty Guide to War , this in-depth yet succinct account of the causes of the Persian Gulf war and how it was fought is of great interest. In their analysis of the 42-day air campaign ("Never in the history of warfare has air power played such a determining role in wining a war") and the four-day battle that climaxed Desert Storm in late February 1991, Dunnigan and Bay discuss the strategy, tactics and operational problems on both sides of the battlefront. They also offer informed and unequivocal judgments on the high-tech weaponry tested in the campaign: the Abrams tank, the Apache helicopter, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle "exceeded all expectation." The book explores the ratio of friendly-fire casualties, the performance of female GIs in the field, the reaction of journalists to war-zone restrictions, and other issues of concern to the general reader.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Dunnigan, best known as a designer of sophisticated war games, and journalist Bay provide an overview of force structures, strategies, and operational performances in the Middle East between August 1990 and March 1991. The authors emphasize such by-now familiar points as the importance of high-tech weapons in a desert environment, the years of training and preparation successfully applied by a U.S. military determined to overcome the legacy of Vietnam, and the decisive role of air power. They conclude with a broad spectrum of provocative possible future scenarios for the Middle East. However, their book is poorly organized, with chapters skipping from subject to subject almost at random, and they fail to offer much technical information beyond that already available in sources like Frank Chadwick's Gulf War Fact Book (GDW Games, dist. by Berkley, 1991). Norman Friedman's Desert Victory (Naval Inst. Pr., 1991) is a better choice.
- D.E. Showalter, U.S. Air Force Acad., Colorado Springs
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 516 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (May 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595178731
• ISBN-13: 978-0595178735
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,891,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and insightful, July 20, 2002

By 

"stupage_stu" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From Shield to Storm: High-Tech Weapons, Military Strategy and Coalition Warfare in the Persian Gulf (Paperback)

This book gives a thorough explanation of the troops and equipment used during the Persian Gulf War and the build up to the war. The authors dig to find the most accurate numbers. Also give expert analysis on the Iraqi army and coalition forces in terms of diplomacy and experience. Also good background on the history of the region. I give the book an A.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, June 10, 2011

By 

F Smyly - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: From Shield to Storm: High-Tech Weapons, Military Strategy and Coalition Warfare in the Persian Gulf (Paperback)

This book is a fantastic guide to the Gulf War and modern war in general. It describes things in a way that anyone can understand, but still teaches interesting and detailed information. The Gulf War was a perfect example of a by the book modern war. The allied coalition performed virtually perfectly to annihilate the Iraqi forces while sustaining very few casualties.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, July 5, 2006

By 

B.G. Puller (Newark, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From Shield to Storm: High-Tech Weapons, Military Strategy and Coalition Warfare in the Persian Gulf (Paperback)

This book at times was boring, but it is kind of meant to be that way. It's a book on war gaming leading up to the liberation of Kuwait, the politics of how the first Bush administration heroicly gathered a large coalition, the tactics, and execution for victory! It is still worth the read even if your not into military weapons and technology.