<b>The First Gulf War saw decisive battles between two rival infantry fighting vehicles developed during the Cold War: the Soviet BMP and the US Bradley. Sure to appeal to all those interested in armored warfare since World War II, this fully illustrated study assesses the battles between Iraqi BMP infantry fighting vehicles and US Bradley IFVs during the First Gulf War of 1991.</b><br><br>In the mid1960s, the Soviet Union unveiled the BMP1, the first true &quot;infantry fighting vehicle.&quot; A revolutionary design, the BMP marked a significant departure from the traditional &quot;armored personnel carrier&quot;, sporting a lower silhouette and a highercaliber armament than rival APCs. One of the most fearsome light-armored vehicles of its day, it caused great consternation on the other side of the Iron Curtain as the Americans scrambled to design a machine to rival the BMP. The result was the M2 Bradley -- though the American type seemed to be at an immediate disadvantage, with a higher profile, lighter armaments and a lack of speed compared to the BMP.<br><br>This book examines the first time these Cold War icons clashed -- not on the plains of Europe, but in the deserts of southern Iraq during the First Gulf War. It examines how the Americans were able to combat the BMP in Iraq, despite their mechanical disadvantages. Featuring specially commissioned full-color artwork, this is the absorbing story of the origins, development, and combat performance of the BMP and Bradley, culminating in the bloody battles of the First Gulf War.