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Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad Kindle Edition
Based on reporting that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Thunder Run chronicles one of the boldest gambles in modern military history: the surprise assault on Baghdad by the Spartan Brigade, the Second Brigade of the Third Infantry Division (Mechanized). Three battalions and fewer than a thousand men launched a violent thrust of tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles into the heart of a city of five million people—and in three days of bloody combat ended the Iraqi war.
More than just a rendering of a single battle, Thunder Run candidly recounts how soldiers respond under fire and stress and how human frailties are magnified in a war zone. The product of over a hundred interviews with commanders and men from the Second Brigade, it is a riveting firsthand account of how a single armored brigade was able to capture an Arab capital defended by one of the world’s largest armies.
“The best account of combat since Black Hawk Down.” —Men’s Journal
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherGrove Press
- Publication dateDecember 1, 2007
- File size9112 KB
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Review
About the Author
From The Washington Post
The same metaphor could be used to describe the pictures and stories relayed by embedded reporters in Iraq. This innovative program took civilian reporters and attached them to combat units on the ground and at sea. The downside was that these journalists often saw little more than their unit's piece of the battlefield. Fortunately, this cannot be said of David Zucchino's Thunder Run, which chronicles the armored assaults on Baghdad by the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division. Zucchino paints a vivid picture of the battle by stitching together the narratives of soldiers, officers, generals and Iraqis whom he interviewed during and after the war. As a result, his book goes far beyond the "first draft of history" that he filed from Baghdad in April 2003.
Zucchino wasn't meant to cover the Spartan Brigade or its thunder runs. He was originally embedded with the 101st Airborne Division, a light infantry force that was supposed to get the mission to assault Baghdad. But in the fog of war, both things changed. Zucchino and his equipment were dumped into a canal by a vehicle accident, and he decided to hitch a ride with the 3rd Infantry Division instead of the 101st. As it turned out, his instincts paid off, and he accidentally found himself with a ringside seat for the war's pivotal battle.
The Spartan Brigade's mission was to slice through Baghdad to the heart of the Hussein regime in order to break the Iraqi army and the Iraqi people's will to fight. Conventional wisdom held that it was unwise to send armored forces into urban areas and, indeed, given the recent U.S. experience in Somalia, that it was unwise to fight in cities at all. However, American planners were convinced that an armored force could smash through Baghdad's defenses without getting bogged down in house-to-house fighting.
More important, though, the mission was designed to win the information war in Iraq. The presence of American tanks in Baghdad would give the lie to propaganda that said Iraqi soldiers were killing American soldiers in droves and winning the war. Mohammed Said al-Sahaf, the beret-wearing Iraqi minister of information known as "Baghdad Bob," particularly irked officers in the 3rd Infantry Division with his claims that U.S. forces were committing "suicide at the gates of Baghdad." The best way to prove him wrong, joked Spartan Brigade commander Col. David Perkins, was to "ask for validation for parking for a hundred tanks" in the middle of Baghdad. As Zucchino shows, not everything went right for the brigade during its two assaults on Baghdad. A tank caught fire a few miles into the first thunder run, slowing the column and jeopardizing the entire mission. One tank mistook a journalist with binoculars for an artillery spotter and killed two reporters with a deadly accurate shot to the Palestine Hotel during the second thunder run. The Iraqis' low-tech weapons pounded the Americans' high-tech tanks and Bradley armored vehicles on both missions and exacted a heavy price from support vehicles brought up to refuel and rearm the Spartan Brigade. Iraqi fighters also came close to severing the brigade's line of communication during one of the war's toughest battles, for three highway interchanges known as Objectives Moe, Larry and Curly.
Most of Thunder Run's narrative focuses on the captains, lieutenants and sergeants who led the fight -- men (only men fought in the brigade's three combat battalions) mostly in their late twenties and their thirties who had all served in the post-Vietnam Army, grown up on stories from the Gulf War, and come of age in that conflict or the brushfire deployments of the 1990s. An after-action review credited these officers and their training with producing a "seasoned fighting force that was trained and ready to fight and win on any battlefield."
As an embedded reporter, Zucchino spent enough time with the troops he covered to understand the complex social dynamics that define warriors under fire. "They were fighting for their country, of course, and for the inherent nobility of their profession," he writes. "But mostly, they were fighting to come home alive and to ensure that the men beside them came home, too. . . . A few men spoke of 'getting some,' that peculiar, sexually tinged reference to confronting the enemy and killing him. But most of them spoke of getting out of Iraq alive, and their buddies with them."
Reviewed by Phillip Carter
Copyright 2004, The Washington Post Co. All Rights Reserved.
Product details
- ASIN : B0051QM4O8
- Publisher : Grove Press (December 1, 2007)
- Publication date : December 1, 2007
- Language : English
- File size : 9112 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 362 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #542,233 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #39 in History of Iraq
- #84 in Iraq War History (Kindle Store)
- #334 in 21st Century History of the U.S.
- Customer Reviews:
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Customers find the book an interesting and well-written read. They appreciate the suspenseful pacing and details of the battles that take place. The writing style is described as fast, easy, and comfortable to understand. Readers find the book provides an excellent overview of the troubles and successes of the war with great insight into technology, training, and human effort.
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Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They say it's a must-read for armor enthusiasts and war buffs. The story is well-researched and keeps readers hooked for hours.
"...took place in Baghdad, into the flow of the story creating an interesting read...." Read more
"...It is quickly paced and will keep you reading for hours. An excellent book, I highly recommend it." Read more
"...Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad seems to be one of teh best accounts of the 3rd IDs "Thunder Run" into Baghdad...." Read more
"Great book. This is history. Not the media painted picture that lead the American people to believe the road to Baghdad was a cakewalk...." Read more
Customers find the book's pacing suspenseful and realistic. They say it provides an insight into the events leading to the downfall of Saddam. The account opens their eyes to the tragedies of war while offering an intimate portrait of what goes on in battle. Readers describe it as a good book on horrible events that brings the horrors of battle right into your living room with very descriptive writing.
"...One gets the feeling of being there and absorbing details of the battles that took place...." Read more
"...It brings the horrors of battle right into your living room with very descriptive passages of battle and the emotions of the men who fought in this..." Read more
"...It shows leadership and heroism...." Read more
"...I could not put this book down. The heroism, leadership and duty of these U.S. soldiers amazes me, yet I guess it really doesn't, as it seems the..." Read more
Customers find the writing style easy to read and well-written. They say it reads like a novel and is written in an understandable way.
"...Unlike some non-fiction works, this one reads almost like a novel. It is quickly paced and will keep you reading for hours...." Read more
"...Well written, and decently written. This book belongs in any library on the second Iraq war, and it will read well even in two hundred years...." Read more
"...eventually led to the final defeat of the Iraqi regime, the author's writing style and the composition of the book makes for an interesting and..." Read more
"This is a fast easy read written in a comfortable understandable manner...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's depth. They find it provides an excellent overview of the troubles and successes of the war, with great insight into events leading to it. The book is well-researched and written, providing details on technology, training, and human effort.
"...Nonetheless, Zuccino's book is an excellent overview of the troubles and successes of the Spartan Brigades experiences in Baghdad, the ferocity of..." Read more
"Well researched and provides an insight into what the events leading to the downfall of Saddam's regime...." Read more
"...I really good read, disturbing and terrifying at times with a great deal of insight, but a great read." Read more
"Well written with great detail of the technology, training and human effort that went into this accomplishment." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2004The author weaves personal stories of 3rd ID participants in Thunder Run, which took place in Baghdad, into the flow of the story creating an interesting read. One gets the feeling of being there and absorbing details of the battles that took place. Especially interesting was the bareing of strengths and weaknesses of the Abrams tank, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the thin-skinned resupply vehicles. Having watched what took place on TV, my original impression was that the forays into Baghdad were not difficult. After reading Thunder Run, I now have a completely different view of what took place, and applaud all of the 3rd ID for their tenacious fighting. I now realize that heavy armor units carried much more of the war rather than the view of air superiority doing it all. I also absorbed the point that personal body armor prevented lots of casualties.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2004There are currently many books out about the Iraqi war. This one focuses on the 3rd division and their "thunder run" up hiway 8 and eventually into downtown Baghdad. It brings the horrors of battle right into your living room with very descriptive passages of battle and the emotions of the men who fought in this untried military strategy. There are vivid descriptions of the firefights and through the narrative you get to see the war from the soldier's point of view. Unlike some non-fiction works, this one reads almost like a novel. It is quickly paced and will keep you reading for hours. An excellent book, I highly recommend it.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2006Zucchino's book Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad seems to be one of teh best accounts of the 3rd IDs "Thunder Run" into Baghdad. I've recelently read a lot of literature on the invasion of Iraq, including excellent books such as One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick and Generation Kill by Evan Wright which highlight the Marine advance and feign that helped contribute to the fall of Saddam, as well as other books about the Army's advance, to include Rick Atkinson's excellent account on the 101st Airborne. However, there have been relatively few books out there that have been able to concentrate on a specific battle. That's not to say that its such a bad thing. Many of the books listed above provide incredible insight into the commander's thoughts and the experiences of the troops through the 23 day advance and even the pre-invasion deployments of the 3rd ID to camp Doha, then Yankee, etc.
Nonetheless, Zuccino's book is an excellent overview of the troubles and successes of the Spartan Brigades experiences in Baghdad, the ferocity of the battle, the trepidation and elation of the soldiers, and the brutality that goes with war and the loss of comrades. Immediatley the author is shot en-media-rez into the action during the night that the brigade receives the WARNO and then the hasty OPORD to go to battle. Zuccino then takes the reader on a harrowing adventure of the first Thunder Run which killed or wounded an estimated 1,200 enemy and then the brave decision to move the brigade to the center of the city and hold it.
But the adventure isn't as easy as it seems and the reader begins to understand the complexities of keeping this force alive, supplied, and preventing it from being isolated. Zuccino takes you to the brutal intersections of Larry, Moe, and Curly, Saddam's palace, and the staging point of BIAP, then Saddam International Airport. Zuccino's task, like Mark Bowden with the Battle of Mogadishu, was immense: to study and disseminate the pivitol battle of the war, and he succeeds magnificiently.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2024Product was delivered on time and was in great condition
- Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2022Great book. This is history. Not the media painted picture that lead the American people to believe the road to Baghdad was a cakewalk. Highly recommend.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2005How Baghdad was taken two years ago in April 2003 (at least the side West of the Tigris; the Marines took the East side). Well written, and decently written. This book belongs in any library on the second Iraq war, and it will read well even in two hundred years. This is how modern war is; it shows the abilities of the Abrams tank, the Bradley fighting vehicle; and how confusion can reign even in a well organized force. It shows leadership and heroism. It is a total contrast in style to "Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War" by Evan Wright - the other one of two books I read within three days on the same phase of the same war. Thunder Run is a book I recommend strongly - and your 13-year old daughter can read it.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2005The first night I began this book I had trouble sleeping. The sheer force of violence of these few days in Baghdad was overwhelming. I could not put this book down. The heroism, leadership and duty of these U.S. soldiers amazes me, yet I guess it really doesn't, as it seems the U.S. continues to produce folks from places like Ames, Iowa, Racine Wisconsin and Albany Georgia that are willing to risk it all. There is an element of comfort reading about the men and women of our military who stand in "harm's way" while the rest of us sleep at night.
The other element of the book that stuck me was the willingness of the enemy to "risk it all" as well, especially given the extreme disparity of equipment and training.
If you enjoy military history this is a must read. It is also a "must read" if you have an interest in what "harm's way" really represents.
Top reviews from other countries
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Manuel Jesus Caro AvalosReviewed in Spain on November 24, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars TODO CORRECTO
AUN SIENDO DE SEGUNDA MANO ME LLEGO EN PERFECTAS CONDICIONES
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myskydiverReviewed in Germany on December 9, 2013
4.0 out of 5 stars Okay
hatte mich interessiert, deswegen hatte ich es bestellt; sonst hätte es keine Möglichkeit gegeben.
Ich habe auch nur Teile gelesen, wurde mir empfohlen
- gunnerpotter246Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Awsome!
Could not put this down! Just the right mix of history and human interest and incredibly well written, the author was there which helps. No wonder they are making this into a movie in 2013, if you cant wait for that catch the original news footage on you tube....
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Niclas GrabowskiReviewed in Germany on April 6, 2008
3.0 out of 5 stars Wie man heutzutage ein Land (nicht) erobert
Das Buch ist das bisher beste Beispiel für "Embedded Journalism", das ich bisher gelesen habe. Spannend und dramatisch wie ein Roman geschrieben, aber dennoch genau und sorgfaltig recherchiert, erzählt es von der Eroberung Bagdads im letzten Golfkrieg. Kern des Buches ist dabei die Eroberung des Zentrums und des Regierungsviertels durch eine Brigade aus gepanzerten Einheiten praktisch ohne Unterstützung von Infanterie. Auf der Gegenseite standen unkoordinierte, teilweise irreguläre Einheiten, deren Waffen allerdings den gepanzerten Fahrzeugen der Amerikaner kaum Schaden zufügen konnten. So gerät die Heldengeschichte, die hier auch erzählt werden soll, etwas merkwürdig, denn Verluste auf amerikanischer Seite gibt es eher aufgrund von Zufällen, übersteigertem Selbstvertrauen, eigenem Feuer oder wenn sich mal wieder zwei Tanks gegenseitig in die Quere kommen - es gibt gleich mehrere Auffahrunfälle im Buch. So hat man den Eindruck, dass die Amerikaner oft mehr mit der eigenen Organisation zu kämpfen hatten als mit dem Feind. Und das wurde dann auch noch einigen Reportern zum Verhängnis, deren Hotel von einer amerikanischen Granate getroffen wurde.
"Raids" nannte man im Zweiten Weltkrieg isolierte, schnelle Vorstöße hinter die feindlichen Linien durch gepanzerte Fahrzeuge. Neu dagegen ist die Taktik, Raids auch in geschlossenen Städten durchzuführen. Ob es allerdings wirklich eine so gute Idee ist, sich in einer Stadt auf seine Panzerung zu verlassen, kann man auch hinterfragen, da die amerikanische Brigade letztendlich doch über eine nicht blockierte Autobahn direkt ins Stadtzentrum fahren konnte. Insofern erscheint mir der Verlauf dieser Aktion doch eher ein Sonderfall zu sein. Daher bin ich immer etwas skeptisch, wenn im Buch die Leistungen der Brigade als taktisches Meisterstück und als Neuerung in der Militärstrategie gefeiert werden.
Ohnehin ist das Buch spannender, wenn man es als politisches Buch liest. Die Form der Eroberung von Bagdad war nicht so geplant. Nach einem ersten, erfolgreichen Vorstoß in die Stadt wurde auf operativer Ebene vor Ort entschieden, das Stadtzentrum zu besetzen. Nicht ohne Grund spricht einer der leitenden Offiziere von einer "Putschstrategie", in der man ein Regime stürzt, indem man die wichtigsten Gebäude einer Hauptstadt besetzt. So entstand das Konzept für die Beendigung des Krieges nicht durch Politiker sondern durch die Militärs. Durch den überraschenden Vorstoß ins Zentrum sollte das Regime mit einem Schlag zusammenbrechen. Und damit löste sich natürlich auch jede öffentliche Ordnung sofort auf. Wie inzwischen bekannt ist, ist sie seitdem auch nicht wieder hergestellt worden.
Man ist deshalb versucht zu sagen, dass die Eroberung trotz des scheinbar so sichtbaren Erfolges (amerikanische Panzer vor Saddams Palast) eben doch irgendwie gescheitert ist. Aber diese Geschichte erzählt das Buch leider nicht. Denn der Epilog, der über die Weiterführung der Kämpfe bis heute erzählt, bleibt leider ohne Erklärung. Auch irritierend wirkt die ständige Schilderung, wie fest doch viele der amerikanischen Soldaten im christlichen Glauben verwurzelt sind. Und als dann der Militärkaplan das Töten der bösen Feinde rechtfertigt, kommt man sich als Europäer wie in einer Satire vor.
Aber Humor kennt dieses sonst sehr flüssig und spannend geschriebene Buch leider nicht wirklich.
- Brian Van NormanReviewed in Canada on January 21, 2024
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read.
A fascinating look at how USA military tends to uinderestimate its foes. This is not the first time I've read or watched multiple examples of military commanders send in their men and machines. In this case, the belief that tanks would clear the way into Baghdad with minimal support. It's a great read, though at times the mulitiple battles that errupted as a result become a trifle confusing as the author flits from one to the next. Still, for military enthusiasts it's a great look at how US forces stormed Baghdad.