Persian Gulf War

A war between the forces of the United Nations , led by the United States, and those of Iraq that followed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein 's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The United Nations forces, called the Coalition, expelled Iraqi troops from Kuwait in March 1991.

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Notes

His rallying of the U.N. against the invasion of Kuwait is considered the high point of George H. W. Bush 's presidency.

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More About The Persian Gulf War

What was the Persian Gulf War?

The Persian Gulf War was a war fought between Iraq and a United States-led coalition of United Nations’ forces. The war was a result of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 and officially ended after Iraq agreed to a ceasefire in April 1991.

On August 2, 1990, the country of Iraq invaded its neighbor Kuwait and on August 8 formally announced that it had annexed the entire country. Iraq claimed that the invasion was justified based on Kuwait’s reluctance to lower oil production, which Iraq saw as an “act of aggression” against it. Most of the world was unconvinced by Iraq’s argument. Instead it saw the invasion as Iraq’s attempt to gain Kuwait’s wealth and territory and recoup some of the losses it suffered from the recent Iraq-Iran War.

On August 9, 1990, the United Nations Security Council unanimously declared the annexation of Kuwait to be illegal. In November 1990 it authorized the use of force to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait if Iraq did not withdraw by January 15, 1991. Iraq did not withdraw, and the first combat of the Persian Gulf War happened the next day.

Why is Persian Gulf War important?

The Persian Gulf War’s name comes from the Persian Gulf, a portion of the Arabian Sea that borders Iraq, Kuwait, and several other countries. It is also referred to as simply the Gulf War.

Although the war lasted only a few months, it is estimated that anywhere from 1,500 to 100,000 Iraqi soldiers died during it, while the United States suffered 382 casualties.

Iraqi forces were removed from Kuwait and the war was considered a coalition victory. However, Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s president, remained in power after the Persian Gulf War and did not comply with United Nations demands. Iraq and the United States and its allies fought another war, the Iraq War (sometimes called the Second Persian Gulf War) barely a decade after the end of the Persian Gulf War.

Did you know … ?

Father and son American presidents, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, both went to war with Hussein. The elder President Bush led the United States during the Persian Gulf War, while the young President Bush led the United States during the Iraq War. Hussein was ultimately captured by U.S. soldiers and sentenced to death by an Iraqi court in 2005.

What are real-life examples of Persian Gulf War?

This video shows footage from the initial Apache airstrikes of Operation Desert Storm during the Persian Gulf War:

As a relatively recent conflict, the Persian Gulf War is still discussed by military historians and people interested in recent military history.

Sen. @jamescita enlisted in the @USArmy in 1989 as a noncommissioned officer. She completed basic training just in time for the Persian Gulf War's Desert Storm by Christmas of 1990. Sen. Peshlakai served for 8 years—1989 to 1997.

Thank you for your service!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸#VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/X05gW9mXZV

— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) November 11, 2019

This photo reminds me of my time in Kuwait right after the Persian Gulf War when Saddam started burning the oil wells #SyriaCrisis pic.twitter.com/v7t8McMlIN

— Ehsan (@Ezaffar) February 17, 2017

What other words are related to Persian Gulf War?

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

The Persian Gulf War happened as a result of the illegal annexation of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990.

Persian Gulf Persian lamb

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