The book, The Desert War, tells the story of the see-sawing battle between the Allies and the Axis combatants in North Africa which took place between September, 1940 and May, 1943 during World War II.  Moving back and forth between Cairo in the East and Tripoli in the West, the initiative changed many times between these combatants.  This combat theater saw soldiering at its best in that both sides were more or less evenly-matched and similarly equipped.  It was against this back drop that such battles of Gazala, Alam Halfa and El Alamein were fought and legends were born.  The 8th Army, the Africa Corps, the Italian Ariete Division, the Commonwealth forces and later the United States Army have all found their places in their legend.  Famous commanders including Generals Montgomery, Rommel, Wavell, Auchinleck and Patton respected by friend and foe alike have become military heroes.  The Desert War also saw the development and use of equipment like the Mitilda tank, the Grant and Sherman tanks, the fearsom Panzers and the dreaded tank-busting 88 mm flak gun.  This book presents a full account of the events of those years in North Africa: the strategies and tactics; the great generals; the battles and first-hand accounts of the battles.  The major sections of this book include the following: 1) The First Swing of the Pendulum; 2) Wavell's 30,000; 3) Enter the Africa Korps: Rommel's First Attack; 4) The Siege of Tobruk; 5) Duels with the Africa Korps; 6) Rommel Strikes Back; 7) The Fight at Gazala; 8) First Alamein: 8th Army Outwits Rommel; 9) Alam Halfa; 10) Alamein: The Tide Turns; 11) Torch and the Tunisian Bridghead; 12) The Chase to Mareth; 13) The Battle of Kasserine; 14) The Mareth Line; 15) Medjerda: The End in Africa and 16) The Desert Generals.  In addition to an informative narrative, this book includes the following features: 1) Approximately 58 black and white vintage photographs; 2) 7 rare wartime color photographs; 3) 3 black and white illustrations; 4) About 39 color illustrations; 5) Approximately 48 maps and 6) 1 table titled the "Line-up For the Battle.  This book is 64 pages and is in excellent condition.  The editors are Andrew Kershaw and Ian Close.  Edition published in 1975.