A personal account of a division in combat during Operation Desert Storm. The book gives an inside view of the French Division, Daguet, who, made up of hard-hitting Foreign Legion and Marine units, achieved all the objectives they were set.

This is a personal account of a division in combat during Operation Desert Storm. It is an inside view of the French Division, Daguet, which had the task of defeating a dug-in Iraqi Regular Division, taking a critical airfield and road junction, and protecting the entire left flank of the 18th Airborne Corp during the allied sweep to the left. The Daguet, made up of hard-hitting Foreign Legion and Marine units, achieved all of their objectives. General Norman Schwartzkopf described their actions as "superb". This memoir tells the story of the Division Daguet and concludes that the French, like the Americans, had much to overcome - major defeats and national crises of confidence. The French had suffered defeats in Indochina (1946-54) and Algeria (1954-62); the US had Vietnam. Both countries, fighting together, did much to wipe out those memories. Military historians, military professionals, and those interested in the Gulf War should find this personal, but highly informed, account fascinating. Cooke won a Bronze Star for his services in the Gulf.

Introduction - Crisis in the Gulf
The Line in the Sand
Cusine and the French Army
Fighting the Iraqis
As Salman Interlude
Epilogue - Folding the Tents.