Publisher Description
For soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division, the road to Baghdad began with a midnight flight out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in late February 2003. For Rick Atkinson, who would spend nearly two months covering the division for The Washington Post, the war in Iraq provided a unique opportunity to observe today’s U.S. Army in combat.
Granted complete access to the commanders and troops of the 101st, Atkinson saw their war from the preparations in Kuwait through the occupation of Baghdad. As the war unfolded, he witnessed the division’s struggles to overcome a murderous attack by one of its own soldiers, a disastrous Apache helicopter raid, and fierce resistance from guerrilla diehards in Najaf, Karbala, and Hilla.
At the center of Atkinson’s drama stands the compelling figure of Major General David H. Petraeus, described by one comrade as “the most competitive man on the planet.” Atkinson observes Petraeus as he teaches, goads, and leads his troops and subordinate commanders in several intense battles. All around Petraeus, we watch the men and women of a storied division grapple with the challenges of waging war in an unspeakably harsh environment. But even as the military wins an overwhelming victory, we also see portents of the battles that would haunt the occupation in the long months ahead.
In the Company of Soldiers is a dramatic, utterly fresh view of the modern American soldier in action from the premier military historian of his generation.
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“A very interesting account of the invasion of Iraq. The author follows the 101st Airborne lead by current Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Petraeous, in the lead up and the intial faze of the war in Iraq. You meet many of the officers involved in the planning and execution of the invasion plan. The behind-the-scenes look at how the invasion plan changes from hour to hour is most profound aspect of the book. It is not so much a infantry story, most of the novel is spent with the officers discussing strategy, the military heirarchy and political ideas. The background information about the military men involved is a nice addition to the novel, especially the focus on the other campaigns these soldiers have been through. The author consistently compares the present military battles, engagements and tatics with the past exploits of the American military with aplumb. This aspect of the novel was the most enjoyable aspect for this reader, the direct comparsion between the conversations between officers and military engagements, and the long history of the military.”
—
Patrick (4 out of 5 stars)
