Sword Point

The author of Team Yankee (1987) presents a highly detailed, hypothetical war between the US and USSR, the stakes being control of Iran. Friends and fans of limited warfare will no doubt flock to this impressively researched and quite probably accurate description of events following a Soviet invasion of Iran; the less military-minded may find themselves swamped by the myriad battle groups with their enormous armories of acronyms. The book follows events in both hemispheres from the very first days of the Russian invasion. Things go very much in favor of the Soviets from the start. The Iranians, despite their fanatical devotion to the Islamic Republic, are outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and outgunned. The US is unable to react with full-fledged battle force for weeks, but does manage to send in some tactical groups that keep the war from becoming a Russian rout. Readers, in the meantime, follow the American effort to put together a battle plan and assemble the men and material required to fight not only the Soviets but also the Iranians - who have refused to roll over and die and who continue to loathe The Great Satan. American strategy includes everything short of tactical nuclear weapons. America finally starts shipping over big guns and major manpower, and the old enemies go toe to toe in a fair fight. We see it all. Not for the casual reader. The soldiers are likable enough, but they are entirely overshadowed by the weapons and analyses of battles that are, for the most part, impenetrable. The reader who makes it through will feel like a veteran. (Kirkus Reviews)