Gulf War Guide — The Coalition Campaign to Liberate Kuwait
The Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm, was a brief but decisive military conflict between a US-led international coalition and Iraq. The war was triggered by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 and ended with the liberation of Kuwait in February 1991. The Gulf War was a demonstration of American military dominance in the post-Cold War era and established new standards for conventional warfare.
The Gulf War was remarkable for its speed, the overwhelming superiority of coalition forces, and the relatively low casualties on the coalition side. It was also a war of firsts — the first major conflict after the end of the Cold War, the first test of the post-Cold War international order, and the first war in which precision-guided munitions played a major role.
The Invasion of Kuwait
On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, a small, oil-rich emirate on the Persian Gulf. Kuwait was overwhelmed in a matter of hours, and its ruling family fled into exile. The invasion was motivated by Iraq’s claims that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, by disputes over oil production and pricing, and by Iraq’s desperate need for revenue after its long war with Iran.
The international response was swift and united. The United Nations Security Council condemned the invasion and imposed comprehensive economic sanctions on Iraq. President George H.W. Bush declared that the invasion “would not stand” and began assembling an international coalition to reverse the aggression.
The coalition eventually included 34 countries, including many Arab states like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria. The United States provided the bulk of the military forces, with contributions from Britain, France, and other allies. The coalition deployed over 500,000 troops to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield, the defensive phase of the operation.
The Air Campaign
On January 17, 1991, the coalition launched Operation Desert Storm, the offensive phase of the campaign. The first phase was an intensive air campaign designed to destroy Iraq’s command and control facilities, air defenses, and strategic infrastructure.
The air campaign was overwhelming. Coalition aircraft flew over 100,000 sorties in the first month, dropping precision-guided munitions, cluster bombs, and enormous bombs designed to destroy bunkers. The Iraqi air force was quickly destroyed or fled to Iran. Iraq’s air defense system was neutralized within days.
The air campaign also targeted Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction infrastructure, including suspected chemical and biological weapons facilities and nuclear research sites. These strikes were controversial at the time and were later criticized for their limited effectiveness.
The Ground War
The ground phase of the war began on February 24, 1991, and lasted only 100 hours. The coalition plan called for a massive flanking movement through the western desert of Iraq, while diversionary attacks and amphibious feints fixed Iraqi forces in place along the Kuwaiti border.
The plan worked brilliantly. American armored divisions swept around the Iraqi defenses, cutting off the Iraqi army in Kuwait. The Iraqi army, demoralized by weeks of bombing and unable to respond to the coalition’s speed and firepower, collapsed. Thousands of Iraqi soldiers surrendered without firing a shot.
The most famous action of the ground war was the Battle of 73 Easting, in which the American 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment destroyed an entire Iraqi Republican Guard division in a brief but intense tank battle. The battle demonstrated the overwhelming superiority of American M1 Abrams tanks and the training of American crews.
The End of the War
President Bush declared a ceasefire on February 28, 1991, 100 hours after the ground war began. Coalition forces had liberated Kuwait and destroyed the Iraqi army, but Bush made the controversial decision not to continue the advance to Baghdad to remove Saddam Hussein from power.
The decision to end the war was based on several considerations: the UN mandate was limited to liberating Kuwait, the coalition would have fractured if the war had been extended to Baghdad, and Bush feared that occupying Iraq would create a costly and open-ended commitment. The wisdom of this decision has been debated ever since, particularly after the Iraq War of 2003.
The war left Saddam Hussein in power, and he remained a threat to regional stability. The Kurdish and Shia uprisings that followed the war were brutally suppressed. The no-fly zones established to protect these populations created a state of ongoing conflict between Iraq and the coalition that lasted until the 2003 invasion.
The Military Revolution
The Gulf War was a demonstration of the revolution in military affairs that had been developing since the Vietnam War. Precision-guided munitions, stealth aircraft, night vision technology, satellite navigation, and real-time intelligence gave coalition forces an overwhelming advantage.
The war also demonstrated the importance of air power. The air campaign had destroyed the Iraqi command system and demoralized the Iraqi army before the ground war even began. The combination of precision bombing and overwhelming ground force, backed by advanced logistics and intelligence, established a new model for conventional warfare.
The war also showed the limitations of American military power. The failure to destroy Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, the inability to prevent the suppression of the post-war uprisings, and the continued threat from Iraq demonstrated that military victory did not necessarily translate into strategic success.
The Legacy of the Gulf War
The Gulf War reshaped the Middle East and American foreign policy. It established a pattern of American military intervention in the region that would continue for decades. It demonstrated the willingness of the United States to use military force to protect its interests in the Persian Gulf.
The war also had domestic consequences. The brief, successful campaign seemed to exorcise the ghost of Vietnam and restore American confidence in its military power. President Bush’s approval ratings soared to 89 percent, the highest ever recorded for a president. But the economic recession of 1991 and Bush’s failure to articulate a vision for the post-war order contributed to his defeat in the 1992 election.
The Gulf War is connected to the broader history of American military intervention in the Middle East. The Iraq War that followed in 2003 and the Afghanistan War that began in 2001 were shaped by the lessons and legacies of the Gulf War.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Iraq invade Kuwait?
Iraq claimed Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, disputed Kuwait’s oil production that drove down oil prices, and sought Kuwait’s wealth to recover from the Iran-Iraq War.
Why did the coalition win so quickly?
The coalition won because of overwhelming superiority in technology, training, and logistics. Precision weapons, air supremacy, and superior ground forces made the Iraqi army unable to compete.
Why didn’t the coalition remove Saddam Hussein?
The UN mandate was limited to liberating Kuwait, the coalition would have fractured if the war expanded, and the Bush administration feared an open-ended occupation would be costly.
Was the Gulf War a success?
The war achieved its immediate objective of liberating Kuwait. But the failure to remove Saddam Hussein meant that Iraq continued to threaten regional stability, leading to the Iraq War of 2003.
Conclusion
The Gulf War was a brief but significant conflict that demonstrated American military dominance in the post-Cold War era. The coalition’s overwhelming victory liberated Kuwait, destroyed the Iraqi army, and established a new model for conventional warfare. But the war’s limited objectives and the decision to leave Saddam Hussein in power left important questions unresolved, questions that would return to haunt the United States in the Iraq War of 2003.