Showdown in Western Sahara Volumes 1-2

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Showdown in Western Sahara – Volumes 1 & 2 (Bundle)

This bundle combines both volumes of Showdown in Western Sahara, a detailed study of the conflicts surrounding the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara and the military campaigns that followed Spain’s withdrawal in 1975.

Western Sahara had a long history of tribal uprisings during the colonial period, often requiring Spanish forces to rely on air power to control the vast and sparsely populated territory. Large-scale operations during the late 1950s even saw the final combat use of the famous Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter.

Following Spain’s withdrawal, a new conflict erupted as the POLISARIO Front, representing Sahrawi nationalists, launched a guerrilla war against Moroccan and Mauritanian forces. The conflict evolved into a prolonged regional struggle, marked by mobile desert warfare, deep insurgent raids and countermeasures such as Morocco’s construction of extensive defensive earth berms supported by air power.

Volume 1 examines the earlier history of unrest in Spanish Sahara and the final years of Spanish colonial rule leading up to Spain’s withdrawal in 1975.

Volume 2 explores the war that followed, including POLISARIO’s insurgency against Moroccan and Mauritanian forces, foreign involvement, and the eventual shift to a low-intensity conflict that formally ended with a ceasefire in 1991.

Illustrated with numerous photographs, maps and colour profiles, this two-volume set provides a comprehensive look at one of the longest-running and least understood conflicts in modern North Africa.