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The Persian Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm or the First Gulf War, was an international conflict that took place between 1990 and 1991. It was instigated by Saddam Hussein's invasion and occupation of Kuwait, with the apparent aim of acquiring the nation's large oil reserves, cancelling Iraq's debt to Kuwait, and expanding Iraqi influence in the region. The war was a decisive victory for the US-led coalition, with Iraqi forces either surrendering or fleeing Kuwait by the time a ceasefire was declared on February 28, 1991.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1990-1991 |
| Cause | Iraq's invasion of Kuwait |
| Leader of Iraq | Saddam Hussein |
| Coalition | 42-country coalition led by the US |
| Coalition Casualties | 300 troops |
| Iraqi Casualties | 8,000-10,000 troops |
| Outcome | Iraqi defeat and retreat from Kuwait |
| Resolution | UN Security Council Resolution 686 |
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What You'll Learn
The invasion of Kuwait
The Gulf War, also known as the Persian Gulf War, was an international conflict that took place between 1990 and 1991. It was triggered by Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait, which began on August 2, 1990, and marked the beginning of the Gulf War.
In the lead-up to the invasion, tensions in the Persian Gulf region had been building. Iraq, governed by Saddam Hussein, had become increasingly hostile towards Kuwait, accusing them of stealing oil from the Al-Rumaylah oil field, which sits on the border between the two countries. On July 17, 1990, Saddam launched a televised verbal attack on Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates for exceeding oil export quotas set by OPEC. Talks between the two countries broke down on August 1, and just a day later, Iraqi armoured divisions invaded Kuwait.
The invasion was internationally condemned, and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanded Iraq's immediate withdrawal from Kuwait. However, Iraq defied these demands and continued its occupation of Kuwait. During this occupation, Iraqi troops committed numerous atrocities, including pillage, rape, torture, murder, and theft of Kuwait's economic assets. They also removed valuable artefacts and treasures from museums and banks in Kuwait. Despite some initial negotiations and proposals for resolution, Iraq refused to withdraw, and the UNSC adopted Resolution 678 in November 1990, issuing an ultimatum to Iraq to unconditionally withdraw from Kuwait by January 15, 1991.
Faced with Iraq's continued defiance, a 42-country coalition led by the United States launched a military offensive, known as Operation Desert Storm, on January 16-17, 1991. This phase of the conflict involved a massive US-led air campaign that targeted Iraq's air defences, communications networks, government buildings, weapons plants, oil refineries, and infrastructure. The coalition forces also implemented a ground invasion, known as Operation Desert Sabre, on February 24, 1991, with troops advancing from northeastern Saudi Arabia into Kuwait and southern Iraq. Within just a few days, Kuwait City was retaken, and by February 28, 1991, Kuwaiti independence was restored, and the Persian Gulf War came to an end.
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Operation Desert Storm
The Gulf War, also known as the Persian Gulf War, was an international conflict that took place between 1990 and 1991. It was triggered by Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. The invasion was ordered by Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, with the aim of acquiring Kuwait's large oil reserves, cancelling Iraq's debt to Kuwait, and expanding Iraqi power in the region.
The air campaign was followed by a ground assault on February 24, 1991, known as Operation Desert Sabre. Coalition forces launched a massive ground offensive from northeastern Saudi Arabia into Kuwait and southern Iraq. Within three days, Kuwait City was liberated, and U.S. forces advanced into Iraq, attacking Iraqi armored reserves from the rear. The elite Iraqi Republican Guard mounted a defense south of Al-Basrah but was defeated by February 27.
The Gulf War resulted in significant casualties, with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Iraqi forces killed and around 300 coalition troops killed. The conflict also had a significant environmental impact, with Iraqi forces causing over 600 oil well fires and the largest oil spill up to that point. The bombing of Iraqi chemical weapons facilities was identified as the primary cause of Gulf War syndrome, a cluster of illnesses reported by veterans of the conflict, including fatigue, anxiety, muscle and joint pain, headaches, memory loss, and post-traumatic stress reactions.
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The US-led coalition
The Persian Gulf War, also known as the First Gulf War, took place between 1990 and 1991. It was an international conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The US-led coalition's response to this invasion set important precedents for the use of military force in the post-Cold War era.
Operation Desert Storm began on January 16-17, 1991, with a massive US-led air campaign that continued throughout the war. This sustained aerial bombardment, known as Operation Desert Storm, destroyed Iraq's air defences and attacked its communications networks, government buildings, weapons plants, oil refineries, and bridges and roads. The coalition forces also launched a land campaign, known as Operation Desert Sabre, on February 24, 1991, with troops heading from northeastern Saudi Arabia into Kuwait and southern Iraq. Over the next four days, the coalition forces encircled and defeated the Iraqis and liberated Kuwait. The US-led coalition was able to achieve a decisive victory, with only 300 coalition troops killed in comparison to an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Iraqi casualties.
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Iraqi occupation of Kuwait
The Gulf War, also known as the Persian Gulf War, was an international conflict that began with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. This invasion, codenamed Project 17, marked the beginning of a seven-month Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.
In the lead-up to the invasion, tensions had been escalating in the region due to a complex interplay of political, economic, and territorial factors. One significant issue was the dispute over oil production, with Iraq accusing Kuwait of exceeding its OPEC quotas and cheating on production restrictions. Iraq, facing financial troubles due to declining oil prices and substantial debt, hoped to increase its oil revenues. Additionally, there were territorial claims and disputes over alleged slant drilling by Kuwait in Iraq's Rumaila oil field.
On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces rapidly overran Kuwait, resulting in widespread looting and severe violence against Kuwaiti civilians. The Iraqi occupation government condoned the removal of medical equipment, treasures of Islamic art, and approximately $1.6 billion in gold and cash from Kuwait. Iraqi troops engaged in a systematic campaign of pillage, rape, torture, murder, and theft of Kuwait's economic assets. During the occupation, they also instructed Kuwaitis to replace their license plates with Iraqi ones and set up security checkpoints to patrol the population.
The invasion of Kuwait was met with international condemnation, and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolutions urging Iraq to withdraw from Kuwaiti territory. However, Iraq defied these demands and continued its occupation. The UNSC's deadline for Iraq to withdraw passed, leading to the initiation of the Gulf War aerial bombardment campaign on January 17, 1991, marking the beginning of a military offensive by a US-led coalition of 42 countries.
The coalition's aerial bombing campaign targeted Iraq's air defenses, communications networks, government buildings, weapons plants, oil refineries, and transportation infrastructure. As Iraqi forces retreated from Kuwait, they set fire to over 700 oil wells. By February 28, 1991, the Iraqi military had been defeated, and Kuwaiti independence was restored.
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The liberation of Kuwait
The Gulf War, also known as the Persian Gulf War, was an international conflict that took place between 1990 and 1991. It was triggered by Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait, with the aim of acquiring Kuwait's large oil reserves, cancelling Iraq's debt to Kuwait, and expanding Iraqi influence in the region. The liberation of Kuwait, also known as Operation Desert Storm, was a decisive victory for the 42-country coalition led by the United States.
The conflict began on August 2, 1990, when Iraqi forces invaded and fully occupied Kuwait within two days. During the occupation, Iraqi troops committed various atrocities, including pillage, rape, torture, murder, and theft of Kuwait's economic assets. In response to the invasion, Kuwait and US delegations requested a meeting of the UN Security Council, which passed Resolution 660, condemning the invasion and demanding the withdrawal of Iraqi troops. However, Iraq defied these demands, leading to the formation of a US-led coalition of 42 countries.
The coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two phases: Operation Desert Shield, which marked the military buildup from August 1990 to January 1991; and Operation Desert Storm, which began with an aerial bombing campaign on January 17, 1991, and culminated in the liberation of Kuwait on February 28, 1991. The aerial campaign, involving US Air Force F-15s and F-16s, destroyed Iraq's air defenses and targeted its communications networks, government buildings, weapons plants, oil refineries, and infrastructure.
The Gulf War resulted in significant casualties, with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Iraqi forces killed and extensive damage inflicted on Kuwait and Iraq. The conflict also had lasting political and economic repercussions, with the US-led intervention setting important precedents for the use of military force in the post-Cold War era. The liberation of Kuwait marked a decisive victory for the coalition forces and restored Kuwait's independence, ending the Iraqi occupation and its human rights abuses.
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Frequently asked questions
The Gulf War, also known as the Persian Gulf War, began on August 2, 1990, when Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait.
The Gulf War was triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, which was carried out to acquire Kuwait's large oil reserves, cancel Iraq's debts, and expand Iraqi influence in the region.
The Gulf War ended on February 28, 1991, with a ceasefire declared by US President George H.W. Bush after Iraqi forces in Kuwait had surrendered or fled.
The Gulf War was an international conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States.
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