Isaac Mounce

This is a campaign analysis of the 1970 Cambodian Incursion during the Vietnam War. As my Capstone Thesis, I analyzed the tactical, operational, and strategic successes and failures of the U.S./South Vietnamese armored offensive into Cambodia. While a tactical victory, the Incursion did little to turn the tide for the United States and South Vietnam.

The Battle of 73 Easting was an armored engagement during the Persian Gulf War to force the Iraqi Army out of Kuwait. The war began when Iraqi President Saddam Hussain invaded the small neighboring country of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. In response, the United States, along with other nations, establish themselves in Saudi Arabia to prepare to force Saddam to withdraw his forces; this would be known as Operation Desert Storm. Leading the Coalition was the head of the U.S. Central Command, General Norman Schwarzkopf. As part of Desert Storm, Schwarzkopf planned Operation Desert Saber, the ground-campaign followed by a month of air bombardment.  This led to the tank battle of 73 Easting. The opposing forces in this engagement was the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, part of the VII Corps against elements of the Iraqi Army’s elite Republican Guard, specifically the Tawakalna Division.

This paper is an analytical narrative of the Silesian Wars from 1740 to 1763, fought between Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria. Relying mainly on secondary sources, this paper will also briefly cover the beginnings of the Kingdom of Prussia, its rivalry with the Austrians (from both a military and a cultural point of view), Frederick's military genius, the capability of his army, and similar cultural factors between the two monarchs. Cultural factors that include how both sides waged war against each other, their motives, their standing in Europe, what type of cultural war, and how the governance of the Silesian province changed over time, all influenced by the beliefs of their respective countries and rulers or by the Enlightenment Period of the eighteenth century.

“[We] thought we had got over our greatest Difficulties, for we look’d upon our March through the Woods to be such: We were should be much above a Match for the French, if once we got into the open Ground near the Forts, where we could use our Arms. We had a Train, and a gallant Party of Sailors for working our Guns, full sufficient to master better Works than those of the French Forts, according to the Intelligence we had of them.”