Persian Gulf War

Persian Gulf War
US Air Force · Public domain · source
Conflict	Persian Gulf War
Caption	Coalition forces during Operation Desert Storm
Date	2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991
Place	Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Persian Gulf
Result	Coalition victory
Combatant1	Coalition:, United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, Syria, and others
Combatant2	Iraq
Commander1	Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., Colin Powell, Peter de la Billière, Khalid bin Sultan
Commander2	Saddam Hussein, Ali Hassan al-Majid
Strength1	956,600 total
Strength2	650,000 total
Casualties1	Coalition military deaths: ~300, Coalition wounded: ~1,000
Casualties2	Iraqi military deaths: 20,000–50,000, Iraqi wounded: 75,000+

Persian Gulf War. The conflict, initiated by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, was a decisive military operation led by a United Nations-authorized coalition of 35 nations, primarily headed by the United States. The ensuing campaign, known as Operation Desert Storm, successfully expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait in early 1991, restoring the Al Sabah dynasty. The war had profound implications for regional politics, global energy security, and modern military doctrine.

Background and causes

The immediate catalyst was the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990, ordered by President Saddam Hussein. Longstanding tensions included disputes over the Rumaila oil field and accusations that Kuwait was engaging in economic warfare by exceeding OPEC production quotas. Iraq, financially crippled after the Iran–Iraq War, also sought to cancel massive debts owed to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The broader geopolitical context involved Cold War dynamics, with the Soviet Union in decline and the United States emerging as a singular superpower. The United Nations Security Council swiftly passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 660, demanding an unconditional withdrawal.

Course of the war

The war consisted of two major phases: Operation Desert Shield, the defensive buildup of coalition forces in Saudi Arabia, and the offensive Operation Desert Storm. The air campaign commenced on 17 January 1991, with massive strikes by coalition aircraft from bases in Saudi Arabia, carriers in the Persian Gulf, and platforms like the B-52 Stratofortress. Key early targets included Baghdad and Iraqi air defense systems. The ground campaign, Operation Desert Sabre, began on 24 February, featuring a massive left-hook maneuver by the United States Army's VII Corps (United States) and XVIII Airborne Corps through the Saudi Arabian desert. Decisive engagements included the Battle of Khafji and the Battle of 73 Easting. Coalition forces liberated Kuwait City and advanced into southern Iraq before a ceasefire was declared on 28 February.

Coalition forces and Iraqi military

The multinational coalition was unprecedented, with major contributions from the United States Central Command under General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., with oversight from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Colin Powell. Key allied contingents included the British Army's 1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom), the French Army's Division Daguet, and the Egyptian Army. The Royal Saudi Air Force and forces from Syria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh also participated. The Iraqi Army, one of the world's largest at the time, was equipped with Soviet-era technology like T-72 tanks and relied on entrenched defensive lines, including the heavily fortified Saddam Line. Key Republican Guard divisions, such as the Tawakalna Division, formed the strategic reserve.

Aftermath and legacy

The conflict ended with the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement of 1991 and the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 687, which imposed strict disarmament mandates on Iraq and established the United Nations Special Commission. While Kuwait was liberated, the war left significant environmental damage from the Kuwaiti oil fires and deliberate oil spills. Internal Shia and Kurdish rebellions were brutally suppressed by Saddam Hussein's regime, leading to the establishment of Iraqi no-fly zones enforced by the United States Air Force. The war cemented American military prestige and demonstrated the effectiveness of new technologies like precision-guided munitions and stealth aircraft such as the F-117 Nighthawk.

International relations and diplomacy

Diplomatic efforts were centered on the United Nations, where the United States and the Soviet Union, under Mikhail Gorbachev, cooperated to build consensus. Key resolutions included United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, which authorized member states to use "all necessary means." Secretary of State James Baker undertook extensive shuttle diplomacy to secure critical support from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Syria. The war solidified the post-Cold War security architecture, with nations like Japan and Germany providing major financial contributions. It also set the stage for continued confrontation, leading to the later Iraq War and ongoing inspections crises involving the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Category:Wars involving Iraq Category:Wars involving the United States Category:1990s conflicts