Gulf War

The Gulf War was a big conflict between Iraq and a group of 42 countries led by the United States. It happened in 1990 and 1991. It had two main parts: Operation Desert Shield, which was the building up of troops from August 1990 to January 1991, and Operation Desert Storm, which started with bombing on January 17 and ended with the freeing of Kuwait on February 28.

It began when Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Iraq wanted Kuwait’s oil and was angry about money it owed. The world quickly said this was wrong. The United Nations told Iraq to leave Kuwait or face serious consequences. Countries around the world joined together, with big help from the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and Egypt.

The coalition started bombing Iraq and Kuwait on January 17, 1991. Iraq tried to start fights with Israel and Saudi Arabia by firing missiles, but this did not work. On February 24, the coalition began moving soldiers on the ground. After just over 100 hours of fighting, Kuwait was freed and the fighting stopped.

The war changed how battles were fought. For the first time, people could watch the war on TV thanks to CNN. The United States used new technology like satellites, GPS, and special airplanes called stealth aircraft. Big tank battles happened, some of the largest ever fought by American soldiers. The war also caused big problems for the environment when Iraq set many oil wells on fire and spilled a lot of oil into the water.

Names

The war is also known by other names, such as the Second Gulf War (not to be confused with the 2003 Iraq War), Persian Gulf War, Kuwait War, or Iraq War before the term "Iraq War" became linked to the 2003 conflict. Iraqi officials called it Umm al-Ma'arik, meaning "mother of all battles." After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Gulf War of 1990–1991 is often called the "First Iraq War".

Common terms for the conflict include Gulf War and Persian Gulf War, especially in western countries. Some writers called it the Second Gulf War to set it apart from the Iran–Iraq War. Liberation of Kuwait is the term used by Kuwait and many Arab nations that joined the coalition.

Many countries gave their own names to their parts in the war. For example:

• Operation Desert Shield was the US name for the buildup of forces from August 1990 to January 1991
• Operation Desert Storm was the US name for the conflict from January to February 1991
  • Operation Desert Sabre was the name for the final air and land battle in February 1991
• Operation Desert Farewell was the name for the US troops returning home after Kuwait was freed
• Operativo Alfil was the Argentine name for their military activities
• Opération Daguet was the French name for their activities
• Operation Friction was the Canadian name
• Operation Granby was the British name
• Operazione Locusta was the Italian name

Background

See also: Rationale for the Gulf War, Iraq–Kuwait relations, and Iraq–United States relations

During a time when the world was divided into two big groups of countries (the Cold War), Iraq was friends with one group, the Soviet Union, and had troubles with the other group, led by the United States. The United States did not like some of Iraq's actions, especially regarding its support for groups that attacked others.

When Iraq went to war with Iran in 1980, the United States stayed neutral but helped Iraq with supplies and support to stop Iran from winning. By 1988, when the war ended, Iraq was in deep debt, mostly to nearby countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq wanted these debts forgiven but was refused.

Iraq and Kuwait also had land disputes. Iraq claimed Kuwait belonged to them, but Kuwait disagreed. Iraq also accused Kuwait of taking more oil from shared fields than allowed, which hurt Iraq's economy. These arguments led to rising tensions between the two countries.

In July 1990, Iraq moved troops near the Kuwait border and made threats. The United States sent ships and planes to the area in response. Despite some talks, Iraq felt that other countries were working against them, and tensions kept growing.

Invasion of Kuwait

Main articles: Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Timeline of the Gulf War (1990–1991)

In August 1990, Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, invaded the nearby country of Kuwait. The invasion began with bombing of Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait. Iraq had demanded money from Kuwait, and when Kuwait did not agree, Iraq decided to invade.

The Iraqi army was very large and well-equipped, while Kuwait's military was smaller and not fully prepared. Iraqi forces attacked from different directions, quickly taking control of most of Kuwait within just two days. Many Kuwaiti soldiers either escaped to nearby Saudi Arabia or were overwhelmed by the Iraqi forces.

After the invasion, Iraq took control of Kuwait and set up a government led by one of Saddam Hussein's relatives. The Iraqi soldiers also took large amounts of money from Kuwait's bank, making the Kuwaiti money worthless. Despite this, many ordinary Kuwaiti people formed a resistance movement to oppose the Iraqi occupation, showing great bravery even without training.

Run-up to the war

Diplomatic means

In 1984, during a long war between Iran and Iraq, leaders in the United States worried the fighting might spread. They made plans to protect oil supplies and support friendly countries. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the United Nations quickly passed resolutions condemning the attack and asking Iraq to leave. Sanctions and a naval blockade were put in place to pressure Iraq.

Iraq tried to make deals, asking for things like control of certain islands and oil fields, but the United States and others refused. The UN later gave Iraq a deadline to leave Kuwait or face force.

Military means

Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait put nearby Saudi Arabia at risk. The United States sent troops and aircraft to help protect Saudi Arabia, starting Operation Desert Shield. More forces arrived, including ships, planes, and soldiers from many countries.

Creating a coalition

The United States worked with many nations to form a large group, called a coalition, to oppose Iraq’s actions. Countries like Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia joined, along with others from around the world. The coalition was one of the biggest since World War II.

Justification for intervention

The main reasons for getting involved were to protect Kuwait’s borders and to support Saudi Arabia, a key ally. There were also worries about Iraq’s weapons and past actions against its own people.

Public relations campaign targeting the public

To gain support for the war, Kuwait hired a public relations firm. They shared stories, including one about babies being taken from hospitals, which turned out to be untrue. These stories influenced many people and leaders to support military action.

Early battles

Air campaign

The Gulf War started with a big bombing campaign on January 16, 1991. For 42 days and nights, planes from many countries dropped lots of bombs on Iraq. They hit many places where Iraq kept its soldiers and tools for fighting.

Iraq tried to stop the planes, but their tools did not work very well. Only a few planes were lost during all the bombing.

Iraqi Scud missile strikes on Israel and Saudi Arabia

Main articles: Iraqi rocket attacks on Israel and Iraqi rocket attacks on Saudi Arabia

Before the war started, Iraq said it would attack Israel if the war began. Iraq sent missiles to Israel and Saudi Arabia during the war. These missiles caused some damage and hurt some people, but not as much as Iraq hoped.

Israel wanted to fight back, but the United States asked them not to, so other countries would not leave the group fighting with Iraq. The United States and others sent special missile defenses to help protect Israel.

Iraqi invasion of Saudi Arabia (Battle of Khafji)

Main article: Battle of Khafji

On January 29, Iraqi soldiers tried to take over a town in Saudi Arabia called Khafji. After two days of fighting, the Iraqi soldiers were pushed back by soldiers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United States. Many Iraqi soldiers were hurt or captured, and some American soldiers were also hurt in the fighting.

Counter reconnaissance for 2nd Armored Division

Main article: Battle of Norfolk

Task Force 1-41 Infantry was a strong group from the US Army that belonged to the 2nd Armored Division. This group was the first to enter Iraq from Saudi Arabia on February 15, 1991, and began fighting there on February 17, 1991. Their job was to stop the enemy from watching their movements. They worked with other units and were called Task Force Iron.

On February 15, 1991, they used artillery to attack enemy vehicles that were watching them. Over the next few days, they fought several small battles with Iraqi forces trying to gather information. They used missiles and artillery to defend themselves. Though they faced attacks, including mortar fire, they protected their position and continued their mission.

Breach

Task Force 1–41 Infantry was the first coalition force to enter Iraq from Saudi Arabia on February 15, 1991. They fought in battles against Iraqi forces starting on February 17, 1991. Before the ground fight began, a big artillery attack happened. About 300 guns from many countries fired over 14,000 shells. Special rocket systems added another 4,900 rockets aimed at Iraqi targets. This attack destroyed many Iraqi artillery guns.

During these battles, coalition forces faced Iraqi soldiers in strong defensive positions. They used guns, rocket launchers, and mortars to fight back. The coalition forces moved through these positions, capturing many Iraqi soldiers and destroying their equipment. They also captured important Iraqi leaders and many tanks and vehicles. The fighting was tough, but the coalition forces made progress in pushing back Iraqi defenses.

Main article: Battle of Norfolk

See also: Task Force 1-41 Infantry

Ground campaign

See also: Battle of Al Busayyah, Battle of Phase Line Bullet, Battle of 73 Easting, Battle of Norfolk, Battle of Medina Ridge, Battle of Kuwait International Airport, and Battle of Rumaila

Before the main ground attack, there was a big artillery fight that lasted for about 2.5 hours. Many tanks, vehicles, and other military equipment were destroyed in these battles. Some of the biggest tank fights in history happened during this time.

The U.S. had many tanks and other fighting vehicles. They fought many big battles against Iraqi forces. By the end of the fighting, many Iraqi soldiers were captured, and a lot of their tanks and vehicles were destroyed.

The U.S. Marines also fought important battles, especially at Kuwait International Airport. They destroyed many Iraqi tanks and took many prisoners.

The United Kingdom’s forces, known as the Desert Rats, also played a big role. They traveled far and fought hard, capturing or destroying many Iraqi tanks and vehicles.

Iraq had many tanks and fighting units, but they lost a lot during the battles. Many Iraqi soldiers were captured, wounded, or lost their equipment.

Liberation of Kuwait

Main article: Liberation of Kuwait campaign

See also: Order of battle of the Gulf War ground campaign

Before Kuwait was freed, there were attacks to confuse the Iraqis. On 24 February 1991, Marines and other forces moved into Kuwait and faced some traps but found many Iraqi soldiers ready to give up. There were a few fights, but most Iraqis didn’t put up much of a fight.

Kuwaiti forces helped free their city with little loss. On 27 February, Saddam Hussein told his troops to leave Kuwait, but some Iraqi soldiers at the airport kept fighting until they were defeated. After four days, Iraqi forces were driven out of Kuwait. Sadly, the Iraqis set many oil wells on fire before leaving.

Initial moves into Iraq

The ground war began with special forces moving into Iraq to gather information. On 15 February 1991, U.S. soldiers attacked Iraqi forces, catching them by surprise. There were also battles to trick the Iraqis about where the main attack would come from.

Coalition forces enter Iraq

On 24 February, large coalition forces moved into Iraq. They used surprise and quick moves to go around Iraqi defenses. The 101st Airborne Division flew far behind enemy lines to block escape routes. There were intense fights, but coalition forces kept moving forward, capturing many prisoners and destroying Iraqi equipment.

End of active hostilities

See also: Kuwaiti oil fires

After the fighting stopped, leaders from Iraq and the coalition met to discuss peace. During this meeting, Iraq was allowed to use helicopters for travel, but these were later used to fight rebellions in southern Iraq. On March 1, 1991, just after the peace agreement, people in Basra rose up against the government. The rebellion quickly spread to many large cities in southern Iraq such as Najaf, Amarah, Diwaniya, Hilla, Karbala, Kut, Nasiriyah, and Samawah.

In northern Iraq, Kurdish leaders began fighting, hoping for support that never came. Without help, the Iraqi army crushed both the Kurdish uprising and the rebellion in the south. Many Kurds fled to Turkey and Iran. The Iraqi government announced they had stopped all rebellions across the country.

In Kuwait, the leader returned to power. Many people thought to have helped Iraq were expelled from the country, including a large number of Palestinians. Some leaders in the United States were later criticized for not removing Saddam Hussein from power, believing it would have caused more problems and loss of life.

Coalition involvement

Main articles: Coalition of the Gulf War and Naval organization of the U.S.-led coalition during the Gulf War

Many countries joined together to support the United States in the Gulf War. This group was called the coalition and included nations from around the world such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and many others. In total, 42 countries worked together to stop Iraq from taking over Kuwait.

The United States had the most troops, with 700,000 soldiers. Some countries, like Germany and Japan, did not send soldiers but gave money and supplies to help.

Australia

Main article: Australia in the Gulf War

Australia sent ships and medical teams to help keep the waters safe and support other forces. Australian ships helped clear mines and protect important areas.

Argentina

Main article: Operativo Alfil

Argentina, a country in South America, was the only nation from that part of the world to join the coalition. They sent ships to help control the waters around the Persian Gulf.

Canada

Main article: Operation Friction

Canada was one of the first countries to say they would help. They sent ships to protect the waters and aircraft to support the forces from the air.

France

Main article: Opération Daguet

France sent almost 18,000 soldiers and many aircraft to help in the fight. Their forces worked closely with American and Saudi troops.

Italy

Main article: Operazione Locusta

Italy sent aircraft to help with the air attacks. Their pilots flew many missions during the 42 days of fighting.

United Kingdom

Main article: Operation Granby

The United Kingdom sent a large group of soldiers, aircraft, and ships to help. Their forces were very important in fighting against Iraqi troops and helped destroy many enemy tanks.

Casualties

Civilian

More than 1,000 people from Kuwait were sadly lost during the time when Iraq took over their country. Many more were reported missing, and some remains were later found in places far away. The start of big air attacks led to many questions about how many everyday people were hurt or lost during the early days of the fighting.

One sad event happened when two planes dropped bombs on a building in a city, and many people inside were lost. There were different ideas about whether the building was just a place for families or if it had some important military use.

After the main fighting ended, there were uprisings in Iraq where many people were sadly lost.

Iraqi

The bombing by the coalition forces had a big effect on Iraq. The exact number of Iraqi soldiers who were lost is not known, but it is thought to be very high. Some believe between 20,000 and 35,000 soldiers were lost. Reports from different groups give different numbers, but all agree it was a heavy loss.

Coalition

The United States lost 148 soldiers in battles, with some of these losses happening because of mistakes by other allied forces. The United Kingdom lost 47 soldiers, France lost 9, and other countries lost 37 soldiers. Many more soldiers were lost in accidents that had nothing to do with fighting.

One of the biggest losses happened when a missile hit a building where many soldiers were staying, and 28 American soldiers were lost. In total, 190 soldiers from the coalition were lost in fights with Iraqi forces, and many more were lost in accidents or because of mistakes by other allied forces.

The number of soldiers who were hurt in fights was 776, including 458 from the United States.

Friendly fire

Sadly, some soldiers were lost because of mistakes made by other soldiers on their own side. Out of the 148 American soldiers lost in battle, 35 were lost this way. Eleven more were lost when their own weapons exploded. Nine soldiers from the United Kingdom were also lost when a plane mistakenly hit their group.

Aftermath

Gulf War illness

Many soldiers who fought in the war later reported feeling unwell. They described feeling very tired, having muscle pain, and stomach problems. Scientists are still trying to understand what caused these health issues. Some studies suggest that exposure to certain chemicals might be linked, but there isn’t enough information to be certain.

Effects of depleted uranium

The military used special bullets made from a material called depleted uranium. While this material isn’t very dangerous unless it gets inside the body, there has been concern about its long-term effects on people’s health. Some believe it may have contributed to health problems for soldiers and people living nearby, but scientists don’t all agree on this.

Highway of Death

During the war, Iraqi forces tried to escape from Kuwait by driving north on a main road. Coalition aircraft attacked these vehicles, leaving many destroyed cars and trucks along the highway. This event became known as the Highway of Death.

Palestinian exodus from Kuwait

After the war, many Palestinians living in Kuwait were forced to leave the country. This happened because Kuwaiti authorities were angry that Palestinian leaders supported Iraq during the conflict.

Coalition bombing of Iraq's civilian infrastructure

Allied forces bombed many buildings and facilities in Iraq that weren’t directly related to fighting. This included power plants, factories, and roads. The idea was to weaken Iraq’s ability to support itself, but it also caused a lot of damage to everyday life for people living there.

Operation Southern Watch

After the war, the United States kept some troops in Saudi Arabia to help enforce rules about flying over parts of Iraq. This presence upset many people because Saudi Arabia is home to important religious sites for Muslims.

Sanctions

The United Nations placed economic sanctions on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait. These sanctions made it hard for Iraq to trade with other countries, which caused serious problems for everyday people, including poverty and lack of food.

Draining of the Qurna Marshes

Large wetlands in southern Iraq were drained during and after the war. This project aimed to change the land for other uses but also displaced people who lived there and damaged the environment.

Oil spill

At one point during the war, Iraq poured a huge amount of oil into the Persian Gulf on purpose. This caused a major environmental disaster and was one of the largest oil spills ever recorded.

Kuwaiti oil fires

As Iraqi forces left Kuwait, they set fire to many oil wells. These fires burned for many months, causing a lot of pollution and damage to the environment. It took a long time and a lot of money to put out these fires.

Cost

The war cost the United States about $61 billion, which is like $122 billion today. Many other countries helped pay this cost. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab countries near the Persian Gulf paid $36 billion, while Germany and Japan paid $16 billion. These two countries did not send soldiers to fight because of their laws.

The war also hurt many developing countries. Egypt lost about $1 billion, which was 3% of its money for that year. Yemen lost $830 million, which was 10% of its money, and Jordan lost $1.8 billion, which was a big part—32%—of its money for that year.

To help these countries, a group of 24 nations worked together to give $14 billion in aid. The World Bank also helped by giving money faster, and the International Monetary Fund made special loans available. The European Community offered $2 billion to support these nations too.

Media coverage

Main article: Media coverage of the Gulf War

During the Gulf War, the way news was shared was very different from the Vietnam War. The military controlled most of the information. Only certain reporters were allowed to go near the fighting, and even then, they had to stay with officers and could not share some details. This was to keep important secrets from Iraq.

Two reporters from the BBC stayed in Baghdad to share what they saw. They talked about a missile that followed a street and turned at a traffic light. Other groups also shared different views about the war, and some groups looked closely at how the news was being told to the public.

Technology and equipments

Further information: List of Gulf War military equipment

The Gulf War saw some of the first big uses of very accurate bombs and hidden airplanes, like the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk. Experts called it the "first space war" because the United States used satellites for watching, talking, and finding their way.

These accurate bombs, sometimes called "smart bombs," were important because they could hit targets without hurting many people. About 7.4% of all bombs dropped were these smart bombs. Other types included cluster bombs and very big bombs called "daisy cutters."

New GPS units helped soldiers move easily across the desert. Even regular GPS units were used because special military ones were not available for everyone. Special airplane systems like AWACS and satellite communications helped different parts of the coalition work together.

American copiers were used to copy Iraq's battle plans, and some of these copiers had hidden parts that told American airplanes where the plans were, helping to target bombings better.

Iraq used Scud missiles in the war, shooting them at Saudi Arabia and Israel. These missiles were made by the Soviet Union. The United States used Patriot missiles to try to stop the Scuds, but later studies showed they were not as successful as first thought.

In popular culture

The Gulf War has inspired many video games, such as Conflict: Desert Storm, Conflict: Desert Storm II, Gulf War: Operation Desert Hammer, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (which was not allowed in Kuwait). It has also appeared in movies, like Jarhead from 2005, based on a true story by a US Marine, and the 2016 Bollywood film Airlift, which tells about saving people from India during the war. Musician Gil Scott-Heron wrote a song called "Work for Peace" about the conflict.