This work investigates the operational, political, and human complexities of the 1991 Gulf War to provide a comprehensive record of the conflict. Rick Atkinson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, utilizes extensive access to military records and firsthand interviews to reconstruct the 42-day campaign. The narrative framework balances high-level strategic decision-making in the White House with the tactical realities faced by personnel on the ground, arguing that the war was defined as much by internal friction as by external combat.

The text is regarded as a rigorous and detailed chronicle of the Gulf War, noted for its journalistic precision and depth of research. It serves as a standard reference for understanding the logistical and strategic landscape of the early 1990s conflict.