Synopses & Reviews
This compelling book presents an unparalleled record of what happened after U.S. forces seized Baghdad in the spring of 2003. Army Colonel Peter R. Mansoor, the on-the-ground commander of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Divisionand#151;the and#147;Ready First Combat Teamand#8221;and#151;describes his brigadeand#8217;s first year in Iraq, from the sweltering, chaotic summer after the Baand#8217;athistsand#8217; defeat to the transfer of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government a year later. Uniquely positioned to observe, record, and assess the events of that fateful year, Mansoor now explains what went right and wrong as the U.S. military confronted an insurgency of unexpected strength and tenacity.
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Drawing not only on his own daily combat journal but also on observations by embedded reporters, news reports, combat logs, archived e-mails, and many other sources, Mansoor offers a contemporary record of the valor, motivations, and resolve of the 1st Brigade and its attachments during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Yet this book has a deeper significance than a personal memoir or unit history. Baghdad at Sunrise provides a detailed, nuanced analysis of U.S. counterinsurgency operations in Iraq, and along with it critically important lessons for Americaand#8217;s military and political leaders of the twenty-first century.
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Review
"Mansoor's unflinching new account . . . is nearly unique, because his position was rare among military memoirists. . . . He tells the story of that fateful first year in Iraq from the point of view of one who saw decisions being made at the highest echelons, yet led soldiers in executing those orders day by day."and#8212;Bill Murphy, Washington Post
Review
"This is an exceptional memoir . . . .Simply stated, it is an impressive account that all prospective brigade, regimental and battalion commanders should read."and#8212;Frank Hoffman, Small Wars Journal
Review
and#8220;A moving, insightful, and unique account of a combat brigade's experience in Iraq crafted by a gifted soldier-historianand#8212;a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how the U.S. military is coping with counterinsurgency warfare in the 21st century.and#8221;and#8212;H. R. McMaster, author of
Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam Review
". . . extraordinarily valuable . . . destined to be studied in war colleges for generations. . . . a far better guide to counterinsurgency warfare than the official manual published by the Army and Marines. . . . This book has more intellectual integrity and utility."and#8212;Ralph Peters, New York Post
Review
and#8220;Colonel Mansoor has provided us with an exceptional memoir from mid-level of the tragic course of post-conflict operations in Iraq.andnbsp; It represents an account by a first-rate soldier and perceptive historian that is a must read for anyone interested in what really happened.and#8221;and#8212;Williamson Murray, author of A War To Be Won: Fighting the Second World War
Review
"Peter Mansoors extraordinarily valuable Baghdad at Sunrise . . . . is a far better guide to counterinsurgency warfare than the official manual published by the Army and Marines. . . . This book has more intellectual integrity and utility."-Ralph Peters, New York Post(Ralph Peters, New York Post, Sep 14 2008 )
Review
"The poetically titled
Baghdad at Sunrise: A Brigade Commander's War in Iraqandnbsp;takes discussion of foreign policy down to the nitty-gritty of operational reality."and#8212;Benjamin Lytal,
New York Sun (Fall Books Preview)
Review
"A valuable addition to the literature of the war. Mansoor's great strength as an author is his insight into the nature of insurgent warfare in Iraq and the tactics required to defeat itand#8212;subjects on which he brings impressive credentials to bear."and#8212;Jacob Laksin, City Journal
Review
and#8220;This book will be read by students at military academies and war colleges for years to come. It also speaks to general readers interested in Iraq, in the voices of our soldiers, and in understanding the problems we faced and those we created, without the hyperbole and politicization of most first-person accounts of the early years of this conflict.and#8221;and#8212;Frederick W. Kagan, American Enterprise Institute
Review
"Col. Mansoor displays the knowledge of a soldier alongside the narrative gifts of a true historian, weaving dramatic events together, capturing the thoughts and emotions of street-level fighters, and describing Iraqi society as it tries to emerge from the maelstrom of war."and#8212;Mark Moyar, Wall Street Journal
Review
"This is a moving, clear, lucid, and extrememly valuable account of midlevel operations in Iraq in the early, crucial stages of the insurgency, with many valuable lessons. . . . As a memoir, Col. Mansoor's book is honest, moving and exceptionally readable."and#8212;Martin Sieff, Washington Times
Review
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Baghdad at Sunrise is a masterful account of command in counterinsurgency operations.andnbsp;Colonel Peter Mansoor's superb description of his brigade's experiences during our first year in Iraq is a must read for soldiers, scholars, and policymakers alikeand#8212;and all would do well to examine the lessons he draws from his experiences.and#8221;and#8212;David H. Petraeus, General, US Army
Review
"This is the best personal memoir of the Iraq War that I have seen."and#8212;Conrad Crane, lead author of the
Army/Marine Corps Field Manual 3-24, Counterinsurgencyandnbsp;
Review
"The Iraq war has produced many good books by sergeants and lieutenants, but few notable memoirs by senior officers. Finally, in
Baghdad at Sunrise, Colonel Mansoor gives us an account of a year's combat in the Iraqi capital as seen by a brigade commander. What's more, he brings the eye of a trained historian to the task. He is candid about both the successes and the failures of the U.S. military. Read it."and#8212;Thomas E. Ricks, military correspondent, The Washington Post, and author of
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in IraqReview
"In reportage that crackles with the gunfire of street fighting, then segues into candid reflections on America's military doctrines and policies, Mansoor draws readers directly into the tension of the Iraqi conflict. . . . A sober and balanced perspective."and#8212;Booklist (starred review)
Review
"Mansoor won a prestigious military-history award for his book The GI Offensive in Europe. Baghdad at Sunrise seems all but certain to net him another."and#8212;Douglas Porch, Bookforum
Review
". . . good literature and good history. . . . [Mansoor's] style is crisp, clear, and understated. . . . He tells his story from his viewpoint without judging others in the absence of unimpeachable evidence, and even then, lets the reader draw his own conclusions."and#8212;COL Gregory Fontenot, Military Review
Review
"Mansoor's unflinching new account . . . is ne Mark Moyar - Wall Street Journal
Review
"The last twelve pages aloneand#8212;'reflections'and#8212;are worth the priceof the book. . . . Much rides on whether U.S. officials understand the lessons that Mansoor so eloquently lays bare."and#8212;Michael Rubin, Middle East Quarterly
Review
". . . extraordinarily valuable . . . destined to be studied in war colleges for generations. . . . a far better guide to counterinsurgency warfare than the official manual published by the Army and Marines. . . . This book has more intellectual integrity and utility."—Ralph Peters, New York Post Michael Rubin - Middle East Quarterly
About the Author
A conversation with Peter Mansoor...
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Q: Why did you decide to write a book about your experiences in Iraq?
A: My intention early on was to keep a daily journal as a personal memoir for my family.and#160; After some reflection, I decided that a book-length manuscript could fill a broader need by explaining what went right and wrong in Iraq during the crucial first year after the fall of Baghdad in 2003. A significant void exists in the history of the war, a genre currently filled by works written by reporters and senior public figures on the one hand, and personal memoirs written by relatively junior officers and soldiers on the other. By explaining the conflict from the perspective of a senior commander who served in Iraq, Baghdad at Sunrise fills a critical gap in the publicand#8217;s understanding of the war.
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Q: What unique perspectives do you bring to the history of the Iraq War?
A: My role as a brigade combat team commander has given me a unique perspective onand#160;and key insight into the execution of counterinsurgency operations. Iraq is in many important respects a brigade commanderand#8217;s war. My position gave me a glimpse into the workings of strategic decision-making in the Green Zone, along with a visceral feel for what was happening on the streets of Baghdad. My education as a historian helped me to put the events I witnessed into perspective and to understand their significance in the broader sweep of time.
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Q: What impact do you hope Baghdad at Sunrise will have?
A: My goal in writing Baghdad at Sunrise was to give the public a better idea of what happened on the ground in Iraq in the year after the fall of Baghdad, along with providing lessons for the future as the United States and its allies continue the struggle in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. A lot has been written about our political and strategic failings, but the story of U.S. Army operations in Iraq has been told mainly through the eyes of people outside the institution. My hope is that the book is also a good readand#151;not just a story worth telling, but a story well told.