Program Directory

 
Columbus Metropolitan Club - Baghdad at Sunrise: A Brigade Commander's War in Iraq
 
Play
 
Dr. Peter Mansoor, Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired), is currently the Chair of Military History at The Ohio State University. He is also author of the critically acclaimed book "Baghdad at Sunrise."

The memoir details his command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division-the "Ready First Combat Team"- during its first year in Iraq, from the sweltering, chaotic summer after the Ba'athists' defeat to the transfer of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government a year later. Uniquely positioned to observe, record, and assess the events of that fateful year, Mansoor now explains what went right and wrong as the U.S. military confronted an insurgency of unexpected strength and tenacity in Baghdad in July 2003.


It was a time when Iraqi politicians were squabbling over how to create a democratic civilian government. His account has been described as masterful and the book described as "the best personal memoir of the Iraq War" by military men and critics alike.

General David Petraeus said "Baghdad at Sunrise Mansoor's superb description of his brigade's experiences during our first year in Iraq is a must read for soldiers, scholars, and policymakers alike-and all would do well to examine the lessons he draws from his experiences." is a masterful account of command in counterinsurgency operations.
February 4, 2009