Serves as an account of the involvement of Lt. Gen. Frederick M. Franks's command in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The arrival of Jayhawk with its armor heavy forces gave the coalition the offensive option to drive the Iraqi Army out of Kuwait, but the rapid conclusion of the popularly known 100-Hour War with smart bombs, precision-guided weapons, and efficient electronics fostered what the author calls the illusion of a simple, almost push-button, operation with a preordained outcome. Arguing that the endeavor was anything but simple, Bourque tells the full story of the VII Corps from its deployment to Saudi Arabia, through its phases of preparation and its offensive against the Iraqi Army, to finally its return to Europe and the United States, in the process bringing alive the scale and complexities involved in assembling, moving, and controlling men and materiel.

CMH Pub 70-73-1. No longer available for sale by the Supt. of Docs. Corrected edition available for sale from the Supt. of Docs., U.S.G.P.O., Stock number 008-029-00378-3, Price $52.00. Shipping list no.: 2003-0006-S.

Background : VII Corps in Europe -- Notification, deployment, and planning -- Port operations -- Tactical Assembly Area Juno -- Precombat training -- The defense of TAA Juno -- The Iraqi defenses and the 1st Cavalry Division -- 1st Infantry Division border activities and field artillery raids -- To the line of departure -- Final preparations -- Initial moves -- Into the breach -- Breakout : 25 February -- Objective Collins : night of 25-26 February -- Searching for the guard -- Flank and deep operations -- Destruction of the Tawakalna Mechanized Division -- Battle of Medina Ridge -- Exploitation and pursuit -- Battle's end -- Postwar operations -- Coming home.