When President Bush’s ultimatum of February 23rd expired, the Coalition launched its massive offensive, with the expectation of a confrontation with Iraq’s Republican Guard shortly to follow. The actions occurred on the afternoon, and evening of 26th February, 1991, around the 73rd easting grid coordinate, near Objective Norfolk west of the Kuwait-Iraq border. Keeping this route open was crucial, as was closing it to prevent Iraq’s Army from escaping. On February 26th, VII Corps’ mechanized units encountered the Republican Guard and three of its own mechanized divisions, deployed to protect the flank of Iraq’s withdrawal corridor through Basra. After crossing into Iraq on 24 February, the Coalition’s armoured and airborne forces raced across the desert to locate and engage Iraq’s Republican Guard, known to be holding positions near the border with Kuwait.

Two days into the coalition ground war in Kuwait and Iraq, Phase IV of Operation Desert Storm, the armour of Third Army’s VII Corps attacked Iraq’s Republican Guard and other armour brigades in a series of battles, forty-one hours in duration, that commenced with the Battle at 73 Easting. McMaster described the success as a result of Saddam Hussein’s mistake in engaging in conventional warfare against the United States.Tank tactics at the Battle of 73rd Easting: February 26, 1991. The Battle of 73 Easting would go down as an epic demonstration of American superior military technology and tactics, but years later, McMaster would cite America’s success in the war as luring leaders into thinking the American military was indestructible. We had the advantage and had to finish the battle rapidly.” Had we halted, we would have given the enemy farther to the east an opportunity to organize an effort against us while we presented them with stationary targets.

… If we had stopped, we would have forfeited the shock effect we had inflicted on the enemy. “Gifford explained the situation to the squadron headquarters on the radio. “ called me from the command post to remind me that the 70 easting was the limit of advance.

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