In The Company Of Soldiers: A Chronicle Of Combat

by Rick Atkinson

From Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author Rick Atkinson comes an eyewitness account of the war against Iraq and a vivid portrait of a remarkable group of soldiers

For soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division, the road to Baghdad began with a midnight flight out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in late February 2003. For Rick Atkinson, who would spend nearly two months covering the division for The Washington Post, the war in Iraq provided a unique opportunity to observe today's U.S. Army in combat. Now, in this extraordinary account of his odyssey with the 101st, Atkinson presents an intimate and revealing portrait of the soldiers who fight the expeditionary wars that have become the hallmark of our age.
At the center of Atkinson's drama stands the compelling figure of Major General David H. Petraeus, described by one comrade as "the most competitive man on the planet." Atkinson spent virtually all day every day at Petraeus's elbow in Iraq, where he had an unobstructed view of the stresses, anxieties, and large joys of commanding 17,000 soldiers in combat. Atkinson watches Petraeus wrestle with innumerable tactical conundrums and direct several intense firefights; he watches him teach, goad, and lead his troops and his subordinate commanders. And all around Petraeus, we see the men and women of a storied division grapple with the challenges of waging war in an unspeakably harsh environment.
With the eye of a master storyteller, the premier military historian of his generation puts us right on the battlefield. In the Company of Soldiers is a compelling, utterly fresh view of the modern American soldier in action.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Middle East, American History

319 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Rick Atkinson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven works of history, including The Long Gray Line, the Liberation Trilogy (An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle, and The Guns at Last Light), and The British Are Coming, the first volume of the Revolution Trilogy. His work as a historian and journalist has won numerous awards, including three Pulitzer Prizes.

Reviews

[Christopher Blain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book. I was In D company 3/502INF 101st and I can tell you it is correct in every way. From those cold nights at Campbell loading trains to the hot hell of Karbala, it is those little details that civilians see as boring that saves our lives. Moving the 101st from Ft Campbell to Kuwait in a month and then invading a country is no easy task. 99% of what we do is boring, but it is that 1% that they write books about. We sit in that hot seat and make those life and death commands when others do not or will not. I can tell you it is safer to read the book than live it. It was one hell of a ride and I do miss being in the company of those soldiers.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In February 2003, author and Washington Post reporter Rick Atkinson, was invited to join and follow the movements of The 102st Airbourne Division through the invasion of Iraq. Atkinson was assigned to follow Major General David H. Petraeus. Many other journalists were also invited onto the road to Baghdad, when the U.S Government decided to have an open door policy in war.

In the harsh and unforgiving land of Iraq, Atkinson lives the life of soldier and does a wonderful job of recording what that consists of.

This book shows a much different side to Atkinson, as the story, unlike his other books, is told in the first person. I not only got into the brains of the soldier, but got to know Atkinson more as person than just another storyteller.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author shadows David Petraeus during the invasion of Iraq, and after each recounted episode contrasts the competence and integrity of the soldiers with that of the Bush administration.

Lots of minutiae about somewhat random things, like discussions over whether to tape or paint helicopter blades to protect them from the sand. Those particular details weren't completely random, the vulnerability of helicopters to ground fire and sand is mentioned repeatedly.

The story of the looting is interesting - in another book it is mentioned that U.S. soldiers were authorized to shoot looters while in Haiti (or another country?) in the 90's, and there was therefore no looting. In Iraq no authorization existed, and there was a high level acceptance of the looting of Baath party buildings which degenerated into the looting of anything by the time that filtered to the street level. The author talks about painstaking attention made by the military to not damaging city infrastructure (the more they damage the longer they have to stay around afterward to see it rebuilt), but then the looters ended up destroying it in the anarchy following the invasion.

[Ericka Clou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Left me a bit cold. The author did a good job of honoring the history of the region, describing the movements like an interesting chess game, and examining some of the bumbling policy behind the war. But Atkins follows General Petraeus but we never really find out who the man himself is. Atkins doesn't follow any particular soldier so he fails to humanize the conflict the way the accounts I've read by soldiers always do. Atkins also made me nervous every time he detailed American military weaknesses. Shhh. The end is sad and scary though.

[Clyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

In In the Company of Soldiers Rick Atkinson chronicles his experiences as an embedded reporter with the 101st Airborne Division (air assault) during the Iraq war in 2003. His book brings back the concerns and fears of that war that have become somewhat blurred by time. I didn't find this book to be quite as engrossing as Atkinson's earlier The Long Gray Line, perhaps because In the Company of Soldiers is in fact a chronicle -- a diary of events as it were -- without a strong core theme. Other than the war itself and the accounts of warriors doing their jobs, the most important thing in this book is Atkinson's portrayal of General David H. Petraeus. In fact it was the recent high-profile scandal leading to Petraeus's resignation that prompted me to read this book. The complex man Atkinson shows us is enigmatic -- driven and driving, highly intelligent, obsessive over details, hyper competitive, intense, honorable, and at times humorous. Leadership is both a trade and an obsession for him. That portrayal and the tale of day to day life with soldiers make this a good book. I recommend it to those interested in the military, the Iraq war, or General Petraeus.

[David Hymas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Not sure what to say about this book. Atkinson is a great author of military history, as demonstrated by his Pulitzer for An Army at Dawn. But I couldn’t find a full version of this audiobook and the abridged version really left me wanting. Big chunks were just skipped in favor of a different narrator’s very brief summary. This juxtaposition hurt the narrative and the logical progression of the story. The book also suffers from command perspective. The author mostly follows Gen. Petraeus around when he commanded the 101st Division. It doesn’t pitch the story as a profile of Patreus’s command but that’s mostly what it turns into. It would have been better if we saw other perspectives of the invasions since if you wanted a command view, there are better and more comprehensive ones (e.g., Cobra II by Gordon). Because I listened to the abridged version, it makes me wonder how much more detailed the full version would have been.

[John Boyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Iraq War is now over 20 years ago and history books will certainly begin to pour out covering the event. Atkinson provides us an on the ground experience of the main ground invasion in Iraq back in 2003. He was there on the ground living with the soldiers and seeing the battles unfold from the perspective of the commanders of the 101st Division. While the author's political views creep out at times, Atkinson does a good job of focusing on the events that took place and the people involved in them. It was a pleasure to read and gave me new insights into the struggles and dangers that our soldiers faced in this first of our 21st century wars.

[Erica Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could have read another five chapters worth and felt it ended a little preemptively, honestly. Easy to comprehend for someone with zero military knowledge, and I appreciate that it wasn't a celebration of gore and violence.

[S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

very fine, tight war writing. history of the quagmire. couldn't be long enough.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

The invasion of Iraq at the Division level. Well-written but limited in scope and effect.

Rick Atkinson's brief account of the 101st Airborne Division's role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq is a well written book that offers a General Officer-focused narrative. In this case, that GO is David Petraeus on his first combat tour. As Atkinson was embedded at the 101st headquarters, this senior leader focus is understandable, but it's also somewhat limited. It really should be titled "In the Company of Generals" because that's almost exclusively the focus.

We get lots of paragraphs about BUBs and CUBs (Battle Update and Command Update Briefs, respectively) where various staff members nervously brief Petraeus and Petraeus gets a journalistic tongue-bath from Atkinson. There are some unintentionally hilarious moments where Petraeus says his goal is always to "do the right thing publicly" and another scene where his wedding rings "falls off" and he and Atkinson spend a few paragraphs looking for it.

Given Petraeus' subsequent moral failings, this is high comedy.

As for the strategic side of things, Atkinson does an adequate job of presenting *some* aspects of a Division preparing for and going to war but it's frequently too focused on *Rick Atkinson's* journey to war or anybody within Petraeus' immediate orbit (aides, drivers, Deputy Commanding Generals). You could open to nearly any page at random and find "West Point." Is this a good or bad thing? History and other books will judge.

Because of this top-heavy focus, the reader gets little sense of how these Division-level decisions/briefs/problems/solutions actually play out at a unit or Soldier level. A more comprehensive look at the Division's deployment would have been better but instead we're mostly stuck at the headquarters for 300+ pages.

We get some light political commentary on the Bush administration's justifications and rhetoric leading up to and during the invasion as well as the aftermath of "major combat operations." It's critical but unobtrusive. Ultimately, this is an passable slice of wartime writing that opens a very small window into the initial invasion of Iraq from a very specific POV.

[Mark Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting, thankful for our Armed Forces, takes intentionality or previous knowledge to keep up with his military lingo

[Á · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book interesting, though not as engaging as Generation Kill. I suspect in part this is due to the strategic-level perspective of much of the book. I found my interest to be greatest when he was discussing his experiences and those of the people around him. It may be that for those that followed the invasion, the strategy is well known and what's interesting is the experience of the people, American and Iraqi, living through it.

I think the book also paints an interesting view of General Petraeus currently in charge of CENTCOM, who is being courted by the Republican Party as a potential presidential or vice-president candidate. Notable in Atkinson's depiction of Petraeus was his ambition.

Certainly this is well worth the read. I'm looking forward to the conclusion of the Liberation Trilogy written by Atkinson.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIRST LINE REVIEW: "They found the sergeant's body at midmorning on Saturday, April 12, 2003,just where an Iraqi boy had said it would be; in a shallow grave in south Baghdad, near the Highway 8 cloverleaf known to the U. S. Army as Objective Curley." With clarity, compassion and intelligence, one of my favorite war historian's (Atkinson) helped me better understand the arduous journey undertaken by the 101st in the initial sally into Iraq. As one of the most prestigious embedded journalists, he had constant access to Gen. Patreous, the result of which is a rich and sobering account of a war we should never have started.

[Diogenes Grief · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Rick Atkinson is the best historical journalist of our time and in 2003 he was embedded with the 101st Airborne, walking the same point in history as the soldiers themselves and he does his ever-perfect job of describing it as a chronicler.

[Stephen Morrissey · Rating 4 out of 5]

War is a lot of things, but straightforward and uncomplicated it is rarely (if ever(. Rick Atkinson brings forth the messiness of the Iraq War in his journal-like treatment of the opening stages of the war, serving as an embedded journalist under David Petraeus.

While the book captures the ordinary muck of a daily soldier's, and commander's, life during war, it lacks the overall cohesiveness of Atkinson's grander works on World War II, Vietnam and the Revolutionary War. The details are no doubt gripping, but the military jargon suffocates the narrative at certain points, tethering the author to interesting but arguably trivial minutiae amidst the swirl of war.

Readers will not find any treatment in these pages of the motives that propelled the United States to surge forth into the Iraqi desert in March 2003. "In the Company of Soldiers" is very much a tale of men and women on the front lines, with a fascinating look at how commanders can become caught up in the confusion of muddled intelligence, a changing enemy, and a battle plan that falls apart upon first contact with the other side.

The Iraq War, if it lives on in any visceral form in the consciousness of the nation, is remembered for its political repercussions, made-for-CNN aerial bombings, and hurling forth the word "insurgency" and "Shia" and "Sunni" into the American lexicon. Atkinson does much to add depth to this consciousness, or lack thereof, in shedding light on how our soldiers fought the war, how our commanders led the war, and how tragic their sacrifice seems when considering the picture beyond the battlefield.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan Rick Atkinson's work since I read his stellar An Army at Dawn, book 1 of a trilogy about the US Army's role in North Africa and Europe in WW II. Books 2 and 3 were also excellent. I also very much enjoyed The British Are Coming, the first book in a planned trilogy history of the Revolutionary War. In the Company of Soldiers is another fine account from Atkinson that details his experiences and observations as a journalist embedded with the 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait and Iraq at the time of Bush's ill-fated invasion of Iraq in 2003. I suspect that most Americans would like to forget that it ever happened and it's difficult to read this account without reawakening the feelings that one has about what seemed to be a never-ending war. Atkinson had access to the many of the top US commanders in the invasion, including General David Petraeus. Atkinson is unsparing in his description of the hubris exhibited by Bush and Rumsfeld when they sent a relatively small force to topple Saddam without any real blueprint for what to do when he fell. The subsequent events revealed that Atkinson was prescient when he wrote this book in 2005. Throughout the account, Atkinson's respect, admiration, and affection for the troops and their commanders is evident. Highly recommended book.

[Dan Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J Chivers just released his book "Fighters", which immediately landed on my shelves. He has been with soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. I recently read a couple of books by Kate Atkinson, and a while back Rick Atkinson's brilliant WWII trilogy. Thus I decided karma was telling me to read an earlier Rick Atkinson book about his time with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq before tackling Chivers.

Looking back from a distance of 15 years the combat experiences and revelations are as interesting because of the later careers of several of the players as they are for the development of a quick entry and 'conquering' of Iraq. Of course, anyone who can claim sanity knows Rumsfeld, Bush, Colin Powell, the CIA, NSA and most of the spook squad were out and out liars who embraced incompetence to get us into the Iraq war to begin with, and dolts such as L. Paul Bremer III continued the saga of idiocy, leading to a long and bloody ordeal.
Nevertheless, the story of how our military planned and executed the siege of a foreign country a third of the way around the world enlightens the mind, even if one followed the events as they unfolded. The eyes and the mind of a veteran reporter who is an award-winning military writer make this an engaging experience.
Recommended.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Atkinson's book, In The Company of Soldiers, is a well written chronicle of the opening days of the war in Iraq as seen from the Division level. I appreciated Atkinson's understanding of the military in general and his knowledge of military history in particular. That said, there were a couple times when I had to question his research, the most glaring to me being his incorrect definition of a FARP and his discussion of the "obtuseness" of naming a FARP after a gas station - while invading a country where many people believed the invasion was about oil. Just asking a couple questions of someone in the Army Aviation community could have given the correct definition and he would have found out that FARP naming conventions often use a fuel station theme. Minor discrepancies aside, I found this to be an accurate representation of the US Army and thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audio book.

[Michael Holm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for military history, especially modern warfare. This book describes the power of the US armed forces against an inferior military. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 was not a contest of equals. Weaknesses and disadvantages of US methods are revealed. Our soldiers and airmen were valiant and victorious. But true triump eluded them because of the occupation. I also learned the Middle Eastern preferred methods of fighting, probably all that is available to them because of their technological weakness. Note the use of cell phones to remedy the lack of radios. In retrospect, the US enjoyed an empty sense of victory. The claimed weapons of mass destruction were not discovered. When will the US learn to stay out of foreign conflicts which are relatively minor? If we weaned ourselves of foreign oil, we could afford to stay out of these eternal conflicts..

[Tom Gase · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay, but I liked Atkinson's books on World War II a lot better. This book is basically a glimpse into Major General David H. Petraeus as he directed attacks on the cities of Najaf, Karbala, Hilla and, ultimately, southern Baghdad between Feb and April in 2003. I thought this book possibly needed a few more maps in them, maybe every chapter or something like that. Hard to get into this one as it's just a bio almost on Petraeus before he was involved in a scandal a few years down the road. I think Atkinson does a very good job reporting, it's just the story of the book didn't always grab my attention. I read this during the Veteran's Day holiday and I'm glad I did, but there are better books by the award-winning author. Just my opinion.

[Andy Wiesendanger]

Reviewed before 2012:

Atkinson is embedded in the 101st division for first month or so in Iraq war, 2003. A very interesting, in depth look at what its like in modern army. You get a good feel for it. You don't really get much else, a little tactics/strategy of V Corps, and a bit more of 101st itself. Follows in some detail the attacks in Al Najaf, Al Hilla and Karbala. No maps tho, would've help give a better picture of what was happening. Also, he injected a bit much of his own politics, which I'm not interested in. Stark contrast to "Coldest Winter", where Halberstam was able to be much more objective. It is interesting to hear some of the officers, even early in 2003, wonder how long it would really take, and wondering if we're in over our heads.

[S Petrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave it four stars because it’s a little confusing with so many actors in the Iraq theater of war during 2003. For writing, it earns five stars. Rick Atkinson is a skilled writer. His words flow easily and I found that he can make a difficult, complex subject engaging

I agree with another reviewer’s comment that reading his books is a great way to increase one’s vocabulary. I kept my phone in hand to double check my comprehension using AI and online dictionaries. And that doesn’t count sourcing the built-in Glossary for explanations of military jargon: abbreviations, acronyms, nicknames, and technical terms.

It’s a scholarly piece. Well-indexed. Contains two helpful maps as well.

I want to read more of Atkinson’s work. I just ordered a used copy of The Long Grey Line.

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Atkinson writes as though he ate a word-a-day calendar and regurgitated it all over the pages. I found the title misleading. Atkinson wasn't really in the company of soldiers. He was in the company of commanding officers, particularly Petraeus. The overall book portrayed the military as bumbling their way through a war they weren't prepared to fight. Atkinson mentions that he "cared about these soldiers a great deal," but his writing never eludes to that, making it hard for readers ro connect with the men involved. Overall, the book left me feeling indifferent and glad I've read other, more personal accounts of the war, and the men who fought it.

[Brian Ruddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not on the level of Atkinson's Liberation Trilogy, The British Are Coming, or The Long Gray Line, which all rank among my favorite books of all time. This is a solid look at the war from division command perspective, following a pre-scandal David Petreaus. RA inserts his politics here more than his other books, which was perhaps inevitable as a contemporaneous account. That said, he makes his admiration for American soldiers clear, and all of his critiques of the Bush administration are totally fair.

I'd read Atkinson's other books first unless you have a special interest in Petraeus, but this is still a good effort from one of America's greatest historians.

[Sean Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Screaming Eagles lead the way

The question is which way is up or out? Atkinson is a news writer at WAPO but he is also a historian who writes very well and who shows he values humans of all sorts. When 101at are dropped into the beginning of the Iraq War, general Petraeus proved his warrior credentials while protecting the lives and health of his soldiers. If you ever wondered how such a difficult and uncalled for war became the clusterefuck of the new century, it is all spelled out right here. A piece of advice from Atkinson should be heeded: don't confuse the warriors with the war.

[Michael Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atkinson provides a unique lens as a reporter embedded in the 101st Airborne Division in the war in the Iraq, 2003/04. He gains the trust of the commanders on the ground, most notably, the Division Commander, Major David H. Patraeus. With this trust, the commanders and staff offers would share many of there inner most thoughts about the attack leading into Baghdad. Atkinson interprets those thoughts and his observations both objectively and honestly. To make his story more interesting, Atkinson weaves historical allusions concerning the biblical history, Greek History, and Persian history.

[Brian Miracle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with every other Atkinson book that I’ve read, this book is masterful storytelling. Atkinson embedded with General David Petraeus and the 101st Airborne Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He had access to the decision-making of Petraeus and his subordinates prior to and during the invasion and saw firsthand how they dealt with logistical and tactical challenges and how they adapted when things didn’t go as planned. This is a fine firsthand account of the 101st’s role in the invasion.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story about the 101st Airborne's deployment into Iraq in 2003 under the command of Gen. Petraeus. Interesting for a Soldier who deployed at the same time into the same area and now reading a higher level observation of the things I saw on the ground. Lack of communication from the top down provided many moments of frustration that could have been avoided if "in order to" would have been used in orders. Very interesting read.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book about the behind the scenes of what leads up to the Gulf War (post 9/11) and when the soldiers are waiting to be sent on a mission. Rick tells the story of what is being done at the highest level for the campaign being at the side of Major General David H. Petraeus. He was there for 2 months and given access to all the meetings that were done.

This was well written and I highly recommend it.

[Al Lock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written within the confines of what it is, which Rick Atkinson does a great job of addressing - this is primarily a first-hand account of a journalist who was embedded with the 101st Airborne Division and was directly around General Petraeus primarily.

Good look at the deployment of an Army Division (in this case, an Air Assault Division) to war, the problems faced, the adjustments to combat and the fog of war.

Recommended.