73 Easting: Episode 3 — Bush Sends VII Corps

The decision to send VII Corps from Europe transformed the Gulf crisis from a defensive standoff into preparation for a major armored offensive. This episode explains why President George H. W. Bush and General Norman Schwarzkopf needed a Cold War heavy corps to eject Iraq from Kuwait and defeat the Republican Guard. VII Corps had been built for a mechanized war in Central Europe, with armored divisions, artillery, engineers, logistics, and the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment as its forward screen. Listeners learn how Lieutenant General Frederick Franks inherited the task of converting that powerful but Europe-focused formation into the offensive punch for the famous western envelopment. The deployment signaled intent, scale, and a new phase of coalition strategy. For more military history writing and books, visit MilitaryAuthor.me, and for magazines, galleries, and a massive archive of military photos and video, visit Trackpads.com.