Storm Command [Paperback]

Peter De La Billiere (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1995

Desert Storm was a war like no other. Fought with weapons of a sophistication beyond anything previously displayed in battle against a ruthless dictator whose invasion of Kuwait had been universally condemned, it was a conflict waged with an unparalleled sense of international common purpose. Under the fierce glare of world media attention, commanders had to be appointed to manage a highly volatile situation - with hostages shielding Saddam Hussein's military installations, Iraq's breached trade sanctions, needing enforcement, the constant threat of chemical warfare and the Coalition's objectives gradually shifting from defence to offence. One officer stood head and shoulders above his peers as the man to command the British forces in the Gulf. After a lifetime in the SAS, and as the most decorated officer in the army, with experience of tri-service command in the Falklands and a comprehensive understanding of Arab life and language, General Sir Peter de la Billiere was unique in having all the credentials for the task. This book chronicles the war from the Allied nerve centre, analyzing Americas' execution of the air and land campaigns. It also shows how the British commander insisted on transferring his ground forces to a more crucial sector of the battlefield and how he persuaded Schwarzkopf to deploy the SAS in the western desert of Iraq.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0006387497
• ISBN-13: 978-0006387497
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,219,631 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Brits in the Gulf War, September 15, 2009

By 

M. Schroeder (Kansas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Storm Command (Paperback)

I picked this book up on Amazon.com. This is another book by the head guy of the Country's presence in the First Gulf War. General De La Billiere asked for and was picked for the Gulf War command. Having read Colin Powell's autobiography and Schwartzkopf's also, this provided a new angle on the war. The British didn't have as much too lose, didn't have as much stuff to bring, and didn't have much money to spend either.

The Forward was written by the Prince of Wales, who did go over and visit. I read this book while sitting in the car, so I finished it a few months after I ordered it. It was a very well written book, but as a theater commander for his country, it didn't have much in the way of action.

This is a great view of the British effort during the Gulf War. I recommend this book, it's not the best book in the history of the world, but it provides a different outlook on a recent war, and one that most American's still remember.