The Battle of 73 Easting: Desert Storm's Biggest Tank Battle Could Have Ended in Disaster

July 18, 2020 Topic: Security Region: Middle East Blog Brand: The Reboot Tags: MilitaryTechnologyWorldDesert Storm73 Easting

The Battle of 73 Easting: Desert Storm's Biggest Tank Battle Could Have Ended in Disaster

A thrilling victory that easily could have ended in defeat.

Finally, he said, there was one overriding factor that would mark the difference between success and failure on the battlefield. “Leadership,” he bellowed. “Rommel—who was the commander of the entire German Army in Africa—led from the front. Gentlemen, our men deserve nothing less. There is no substitute for leading this way. I will be up front and I expect you to be there as well!” Days later we saw first-hand the chaos and unpredictability of war—and we witnessed Macgregor and McMaster both living out every word of their combat gospel: at the front, under enemy fire, and in charge!

Daniel L. Davis is a retired U.S. Army colonel who served multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a senior fellow with Defense Priorities. Follow him on Twitter @DanielLDavis1. This article first appeared in 2018 and is reprinted here due to reader interest.

Image: Wikimedia Commons