Traces more than a dozen short-term military operations from the last quarter of the twentieth century, including the Iranian hostage rescue attempt and the Gulf War.

Includes maps of: Mayaguez Incident; Persian Gulf Area, 1980s; Iran - Delta Entry/Exit Plan, April 24-28, 1980; Lebanon, 1983; U.S. Sector, Beirut, October 1983; Grenada and the Caribbean; Grenada; Libya and the Gulf of Sidra, 1986; Persian Gulf Area; 1980s; Military Installations in Panama; Objectives of Operation Just Cause; Expected Iraqi Avenues of Approach; Conduct of the Persian Gulf War; Somalia and Mogadishu; Balkans.

Part 1Gerald R. Ford: Rebounding Against Piracy -- 1 -- Chapter 1. Recovering SS Mayaguez and the Fight on Koh Tang -- 3 -- Part 2 James E. Carter, Jr.: Choosing Military Action -- 19 -- Chapter 2. America and Special Warfare -- 21 -- Chapter 3. Hostage Rescue Attempt -- 27 -- Part 3 Ronald W. Reagan: Lashing Out -- 43 -- Chapter 4. Intervention in Lebanon -- 45 -- Chapter 5. Intervention in Grenada -- 65 -- Chapter 6. Retaliatory Attacks on Libya -- 87 -- Chapter 7. Escort and Retaliation in the Persian Gulf -- 97 -- Part 4 George H. W. Bush: Using a Big Stick -- 111 -- Chapter 8. Storming Panama -- 113 -- Chapter 9. Gulf War: Desert Shield -- 127 -- Chapter 10. Gulf War: Desert Storm -- 142 -- Chapter 11. Rescue of the Kurds in Northern Iraq -- 152 -- Part 5 Intervention in Somalia -- 159 -- Chapter 12. President Bush Responds to Starvation -- 161 -- Chapter 13. President Clinton Crosses the Mogadishu Line -- 170 -- Part 6 William J. Clinton: On the Edge of the Balkans -- 183 -- Chapter 14. Intervention in Bosnia -- 185 -- Chapter 15. Intervention in Kosovo -- 212.