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Overview of the Persian Gulf War
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Why I Chose the Persian Gulf War
I chose to research the Persian Gulf War because I wanted to learn more about the conflict. I had a general knowledge of the basics of the war and Operation Desert Storm, but I have never learned any details about it. -
Iraq invades Kuwait
Kuwait is invaded and annexed by Saddam Hussein with 100,000 men and 200 tanks. The Kuwaiti royal family seeks refuge in Saudi Arabia. The UN condemns the invasion through U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 660.
http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/military-history/the-first-gulf-war-timeline-of-events/ -
U.S. Plans Operations
Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and General Norman Schwarzkopf, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, create plans to defend Saudi Arabia from possible assaults by Iraq. The U.S. air and ground forces begin to receive troops and equipment in Saudi Arabia
https://www.britannica.com/list/persian-gulf-war-timeline -
U.N. Security Council issues Resolution 678
The U.N. Security Council authorized the use of "all necessary means" against Iraq if it did not withdrawal from Kuwait. The deadline for withdrawal would be January 15th, 1991. Failure to do so would mean the Iraqi troops would face a U.S.-led coalition with the support of the United Nations.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Persian-Gulf-War -
Coalition Forces are Prepared
U.S. personnel numbered around 540,000 along with smaller forces from Britain, France, Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other nations prepared to face off against around 750,000 Iraqi troops. Iraq had the support of Jordan (another vulnerable neighbor), Algeria, the Sudan, Yemen, Tunisia and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
https://www.history.com/topics/persian-gulf-war -
Operation Desert Storm
Massive U.S.-led air offensive hit Iraq’s air defenses before moving swiftly on to its communications networks, weapons plants, oil refineries and more. Stealth bombers, Cruise missiles, so-called “Smart” bombs with laser-guidance systems and infrared night-bombing equipment were some of the new technology that aided the operation.
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/01/operation-desert-storm-25-years-since-the-first-gulf-war/424191/ -
Operation Desert Sabre
In mid-February, the focus was shifted from the air to the ground in Kuwait and southern Iraq. A massive ground attack, Operation Desert Sabre, was launched by the allied forces. Troops headed from northeastern Saudi Arabia into Kuwait and southern Iraq. Over the next four days, coalition forces encircled and defeated the Iraqis and liberated Kuwait. At the same time, U.S. forces stormed into Iraq some 120 miles west of Kuwait, attacking Iraq’s armored reserves from the rear. -
Ceasefire is Declared
With Iraqi resistance on the verge of collapse, President Bush declared a ceasefire on February 28th, 1991, ending the Persian Gulf War. Hussein accepted peace terms that Iraq would recognize Kuwait’s sovereignty and get rid of all its weapons of mass destruction (including nuclear, biological and chemical weapons). An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Iraqi forces were killed, in comparison to only 300 coalition troops. -
Aftermath of the War
Saddam Hussein was not forced from power in Iraq. The U.S. failed to support uprisings of the Kurds against Hussein. The U.S. and Britain patrolled the skies in the years that followed, regularly exchanging fire with with Iraqi forces over the no-fly zone. Iraqi authorities made every effort to frustrate the implementation of peace terms, especially U.N. weapons inspections. This resulted in a brief resumption of hostilities in 1998, after which Iraq refused to admit weapons inspectors. -
The Second Persian Gulf War
In 2002, the U.S. sponsored a new U.N. resolution calling for the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq. After discrepancy over the inspections, the U.S. and Britain began amassing forces on Iraq’s border. Bush issued an ultimatum on March 17, 2003, demanding that Saddam Hussein step down from power and leave Iraq within 48 hours, under threat of war. Hussein refused, and the second Persian Gulf War–more generally known as the Iraq War–began three days later.
