{"product_id":"the-fires-of-babylon-eagle-troop-and-the-battle-of-73-easting","title":"The Fires of Babylon: Eagle Troop and the Battle of 73 Easting","description":"With a Foreword by General (ret) Fred Franks - Commander  VII Corps in Desert Storm As a new generation of main battle tanks came on line during the 1980s  neither the US nor USSR had the chance to pit them in combat. But once the Cold War between the superpowers waned  Iraqs Saddam Hussein provided that chance with his invasion of Kuwait. Finally the new US M1A1 tank would see how it fared against the vaunted Soviet-built T-72.  On the morning of August 2  1990  Iraqi armored divisions invaded the tiny emirate of Kuwait. The Iraqi Army  after its long war with Iran  had more combat experience than the U.S. Army. Who knew if Americas untested forces could be shipped across the world and thence contest the battle-hardened Iraqis on their homeground? The Kuwaitis had collapsed easily enough  but the invasion drew fierce condemnation from the UN  which demanded Saddams withdrawal. Undeterred by the rhetoric  the Iraqi dictator massed his forces along the Saudi Arabian border and dared the world to stop him. In response  the U.S. led the world community in a coalition of 34 nations in what became known as Operation Desert Storm - a violent air and ground campaign to eject the Iraqis from Kuwait. Leading this charge into Iraq were the men of Eagle Troop in the US Armys 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment.  Commanded by then-Captain HR McMaster  Eagle Troop was the lead element of the US VII Corps advance into Iraq. On February 26  1991  Eagle Troop encountered the Tawakalna Brigade of Iraqs elite Republican Guard. By any calculation  the 12 American tanks didnt stand a chance. Yet within a mere 23 minutes  the M1A1 tanks of Eagle Troop destroyed more than 50 enemy vehicles and plowed a hole through the Iraqi front. History would call it the Battle of 73 Easting.  Based on hours of interviews and archival research by renowned author Mike Guardia  this minute-by-minute account of the U.S. breakthrough reveals an intimate  no-holds-barred account of modern warfare.","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44909586841653,"sku":"ByrdShop_1612002927","price":311.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/ByrdShop_1612002927.jpg?v=1768127072","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-fires-of-babylon-eagle-troop-and-the-battle-of-73-easting","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}