Battle of the 73 Easting Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Battle of the 73 Easting - Thesis Example The 2ACD and 1ID of the US Army utilized advanced technology and superior military strategy to launch an intensive sustained surprise attack which destroyed the Tawakalna forces. This paper examines the main battles fought by the two US divisions that broke through the central lines of the Tawakalna force and the events that occurred in the two-day duration of the battle. The US-led Coalition Force victory over the elite Iraqi Republican Guard unit, Tawkalna division at 73 Easting is the most decisive ground combat that weakened the Iraqi military and gave way for the destruction of the other Iraqi Republican Guard units which ended the Gulf War (Borque 2). The Coalition victory in the 73 Easting battle is attributed to the superiority of the Coalition military forces, strong and decisive leadership and the utilization of a good battle plan. The victory of the Battle of 73 Easting is the result of the optimum combination of several Army Doctrines (Atkinson 9). First of all, the posse ssion of modern equipment and technology is important in battles. Secondly, a superior military strategy, audacity, effective communication and co-ordination can help defeat the most resolute and bravest army. Surprise, followed by intensive assault is an important tool to destabilize the enemy and prevent them from gaining their tempo and ensure their defeat. Finally, there is the need to use specialized units to execute specific tasks in order to gain military success. The Battle of 73 Easting culminated from the need to destroy and weaken the Iraqi Republican Guard (IRP), which had been a tool used by Saddam Hussein to destabilize international peace by invading Kuwait (Atkinson 2). The battle started on the 26th through to the 27th of February, 1991 at a barren desert just 25 kilometers off the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border. The 7th Corps of the US Army played major role in the Battle of 73 Easting under the command of Lieutenant General Fredrick Franks Jr (McGregor 2). General H. Norman Schwarzkopf held the Central Command of the operation (McGregor 2) . Jointly, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Division of the 7th Corps was the main unit of ground troops that was tasked with facing the Tawakalna central position in the 73 Easting Battle. They were ably supported by the 1st Infantry Division. A total of 4,500 troops made up the core of the 2ACD. However, for the purpose of the battle, 5,500 more troops joined the 2ACD in its three squadrons (Daily 52). Each squadron was equipped with a tank company, howitzer batteries, headquarters troops and three cavalry troops (MacMaster 1). Each troop cavalry had 120 soldiers, nine armored battle tanks and 12 bradley fighting vehicles (Daily 52). The British 1st Armoured Division in the south and the 3rd American Armored Division in the north supported the 2AD in the operation (Donaldson 182). The plan was to encircle the Tawakalna stronghold and meet the 2ACD and 1ID to cut off the Tawakalna stronghold. There is no report of the comma nder of the Tawakalna forces in the war (Adrian 362). It is logically inferred that it reported directly to and took orders from Saddam Hussein. In events leading to the battle, the Iraqi government, in defiance of international law had invaded Kuwait claiming it as an Iraqi territory (Musallam 1). The Tawakalna Division of the IRP was a significant elite unit that played a central role in the invasion and maintenance of Iraqi military presence in Kuwait (Adrian 362). The