The vicious urban battle for the Iraqi city of Fallujah in November 2004 was a turning point in the ongoing campaign by the US and its allies against Iraqi insurgents. It was significant in the use of both multinational and Iraqi government forces, and it paved the way for the relatively peaceful national elections held in January 2005. Ballard, a US American commander during the Fallujah campaign, tells the whole story, beginning with the deaths of American contractors in March 2004 and continuing through the battle, the reconstruction of the city, and the precedent-setting elections that followed. Based on first-person accounts, interviews, and official documents, this book gives readers a rare insight into the significant actions and innovative techniques of the year-long fight for the city. Beginning with an historical overview of the initial crisis in Fallujah and the similar coalition battle in Najaf, the book includes a detailed account of the planning and execution of the operation to take the city. Finally, it describes the political and military lessons proven in Fallujah, including coalition force integration, information operations, urban combat techniques, interagency coordination and innovative reconstruction procedures. This is the story of real combat in Iraq from the perspective of the American military.