Introduction
and key findings ............................................................................................
3
The
military
Coalition ........................................................................................................
4
The UK
contribution ....................................................................................................
5
Command and
control ................................................................................................
7
The US
campaign plan ...............................................................................................
9
The UK’s
planned role in offensive operations .........................................................
12
The
invasion ....................................................................................................................
15
The
decision to take military action ...........................................................................
15
The Chief
of the Defence Staff’s Directive ................................................................
16
Offensive
operations begin .......................................................................................
18
The launch
of the main offensive ..............................................................................
19
The air
campaign ......................................................................................................
27
The
maritime campaign ............................................................................................
28
23 and 24
March: UK forces reach Basra .................................................................
29
25 to 27
March: an operational pause ......................................................................
33
28 March:
one week
in ..............................................................................................
44
29 to 31
March: events .............................................................................................
48
1 to 3
April .................................................................................................................
57
4
April ........................................................................................................................
63
US forces
enter Baghdad .........................................................................................
64
The fall of
Basra ........................................................................................................
68
The
collapse of the Iraqi regime ...............................................................................
77
The
immediate aftermath ..........................................................................................
81
The end of
combat operations ..................................................................................
84
UK
influence on the planning and conduct of the military
campaign ........................
85
1