Operation Desert Storm culminated in a 100-hour ground battle and the ejection of the Iraqi army from Kuwait in February 1991. But the beginning of that victory began in August 1990 when America's premier contingency force, the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps, was ordered to Saudi Arabia. This is the story of the XVIII Airborne Corps' epic role in the first Gulf War, from the vulnerable early days of the Desert Shield defense of Saudi Arabia through its Desert Storm attack into Iraq and the Coalition's "end-sweep" to block Iraqi reinforcement and escape from the Kuwait Theater of Operations. Written by a former officer who was intimately involved with XVIII Airborne Corps planning and execution, this is a history filled with heretofore unrevealed detail and lessons for soldiers, historians and generations to come. From Planning to Victory is destined to become a Gulf War classic. -- Amazon.

Invasion and response -- The balloon goes up -- Assembling the Corps -- The line in the sand -- The build up -- Desert Shield -- The soldiers' life -- The offensive plan -- The French join the Corps -- Logistics -- Transition -- The Corps moves -- Pre G-Day actions -- Division Daguet -- 101st Airborne Division -- The Corps right flank -- G+1, 25 February -- G+2, 26 February -- G+3, 27 February -- War's end -- Consolidation -- The road back.