The events in Iraq in 1941 had crucial strategic consequences. The country's oil reserves were a highly coveted prize for the Axis powers, and its location provided a corridor in the defence of Palestine and the Suez Canal. Had Iraq fallen to the Axis powers, Britain could have lost its foothold in the Middle East and the Mediterranean and risked losing World War II. This book examines the strategy and tactics of the Iraq campaign, the role of the Indian Army and the Arab Legion, the nature of expeditionary warfare and the complementary roles of air and land power.
Author Biography
Robert Lyman served in the British Army for twenty years, where he taught military history and international affairs. His book 'Slim: Master of War' (Constable, 2004) has been highly praised, and he is currently writing an analysis of the First GulfWar (1941). Educated at Scotch College, Melbourne and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, he also has degrees from the Universities of York, Wales, London and Cranfield. He lives in Berkshire. Howard Gerrard studied at the Wallasey School of Art and has been a freelance designer and illustrator for over 20 years. He has worked for a number of publishers and is an associate member of the Guild of Aviation Artists. He has won both the Society of British Aerospace Companies Award and the Wilkinson Sword Trophy and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey including Campaign 69: 'Nagashino 1575' and Campaign 72: 'Jutland 1916'. Howard lives and works in Kent.
