Gulf War | History, Cause, & Effect

The Gulf War was a global conflict that lasted around seven months. The First Gulf War was started on that day when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein captured the southeast part of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. He aimed to get control over the profitable oil supply chain of the Middle East region. In response, the United States of America and the UN Security Council jointly demanded Hussein withdraw his troops from Kuwait by mid-January 1991.

Today in this article, we will discuss the Gulf War with its phenomenon and attached information in detail. Let’s start.

The Gulf War – Overview

The Gulf War or The First Gulf War Or Persian Gulf War took place between August 1990 to February 1991. In response and to save Kuwait, the United States of America and the UN Security Council demanded to withdraw his Iraqi troops from Kuwait. But Hussein refused to do so.

In an act of retaliation, the coalition forces led by the USA launched a two-stage air offensive action i.e. Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm on 17th January 1991. After 42 days of massive attacks, U.S. President George Bush declared a cease-fire on February 28th. By that time, most Iraqi troops who were present in Kuwait had either surrendered or fled.

War Name	The Gulf War The First Gulf War or the Persian Gulf War
Duration	August 2nd, 1990 – February 28th, 1991
Location	Primarily Kuwait and Iraq, with operations conducted in neighboring countries
Parties Involved	Coalition Forces led by the United States, including countries like the UK, France, Saudi Arabia, and others Vs Iraq
Causes	Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2nd, 1990, citing territorial disputes and economic reasons majorly oil
Key Events	Invasion of Kuwait, United Nations resolutions, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Liberation of Kuwait, Ceasefire
Casualties	147 U.S. personnel, 47 British troops, Iraqi military deaths range from 8,000 to 50,000 and civilians killed or wounded.
Outcome	Coalition forces victory, liberation of Kuwait, significant destruction in Iraq, economic and military sanctions imposed on Iraq, establishment of no-fly zones.
Effects	Ongoing instability in Iraq Impact on Middle Eastern geopolitics Subsequent conflicts like the Iraq War

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Iraq’s Aggression For Oil and Power – Direct Cause of Gulf War

The Gulf War is a classic example to explain Iraq’s aggression for oil and power. There are so many previous equations related to geopolitics that caused this war with a mass loss of lives of the common people of so many countries. Persian Gulf War was started in on August 1990. Here are some possible reason as mentioned below.

• Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein hoped that the oil reserve of southeast Kuwait would help him to repay the massive debt that accounted for the Iran War.
• If he captures this region, it will give him significant bargaining power as a gatekeeper of the Middle Eastern oil reserve.
• On the other hand, this invasion made the USA worried as they supplied weapons to them for the Iran War.
• The USA thought Iraq was about to make a larger effort to consolidate its power over the Gulf Region.
• With the USA’s help, Iraq’s Army became the fourth largest military force in the World with about one million troops.

The Gulf War – Starting Phase

In an act of retaliation of the Hussein’s decision not to withdraw his troops form Kuwait, the coalition forces led by USA launched a two-stage air offensive action i.e. Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm on 17th January 1991. The retaliation of the invasion took place in two stages as mentioned below.

Operation Desert Shield (August 1990 – January 17th, 1991)

• Five days after the invasion, President Bush declared the Operation Desert Shield.
• It was conducted by 34-nation in a coalition in the United Nations.
• 33 nations joined this mission to enhance the US troop strength in the region to more than 500,000.
• Operation Desert Shield was launched to create “a line in the sand” to protect both Saudi Arabia and liberate Kuwait from Iraq’s rage.

Operation Desert Storm (January 17th – February 28th, 1991)

• Operation Desert Storm was the combat phase of the Gulf War conflict.
• It began with a 5-week bombing campaign of some 2,000 sorties a day.
• It deployed “smart bombs”. These bombs were able to find their target with pinpoint accuracy.
• These bombs were used to destroy a broad range of strategic Iraqi targets during the war.
• In reply, Iraq launched short-range “Scud” missiles to target the civilian and military forces of Saudi Arabia and Israel.
• The Gulf War was the first American conflict that was shown live on television.
• CNN aired live images of bombings and other events of the war.

Effect – The Gulf War

There are so many effects of the gulf war in the World’s context. Here are some of them as mentioned below.

• This war and Iraq’s invasion also caused a geopolitical oil crisis in the whole World.
• The Gulf War Recession was caused by this war. It was a period when an economic downturn happened in the United States and other parts of the world. The recession impacted oil prices and savings with the loan crisis.
• Iraq lost around 25000 to 50000 of its troops with more than 3000 civilians.
• Only 300 troops were killed from the coalition side.
• Kuwait lost around more than 4000 troops with 1000 civilians.
• Saudi Arabia and Israel also lost so many civilians in Iraqi scud missile attacks.

The Gulf War – The End

After the fourth day of the ground campaign, the Iraqi forces fled Kuwait by setting fire to hundreds of oil wells. US President Bush declared a ceasefire. The Gulf War came to an end and the Kuwait was liberated from Iraq. US and other nations allowed Saddam Hussein to stay in power in Iraq. Though, Iraq had to submit to searches for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). President Bush had built the UN coalition around removing Iraq from Kuwait. But, the decision to allow Saddam to remain in power in Iraq became controversial. The Gulf War hardly came to an end because of the United States’ involvement in the matters of Middle East.

Conclusion on the Gulf War

The Gulf War is a reminder of the interplay between geopolitical matters, the military force, and diplomatic relations. But they are also important in addressing global conflicts. On the other hand, Saddam Hussein was not a man of integrity. After this loss, he started to do his terrorist activities. In future the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 that triggered the second war in Iraq began in 2003.

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FAQs on the Gulf War

What was the reason for Gulf War?

In August 1990, Iraq invaded the country of Kuwait to its southeast in a bid to gain more control over the lucrative oil supply of the Middle East.

Who won the Gulf War?

The offensive was a decisive victory for the coalition, who liberated Kuwait and promptly began to advance past the Iraq–Kuwait border into Iraqi territory.

Who was the Gulf War fought against?

The Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991), was a war waged by coalition forces from 35 nations led by the United States against Iraq in response to Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait.

How many people died in the Gulf War?

The human toll of the Persian Gulf war as many as 100,000 deaths, 5 million displaced persons and over $200 billion in property damage ranks this conflict as the single most devastating event in the Middle East since World War I.

How did the Gulf War end?

The invasion of Kuwait led to a United Nations Security Council embargo and sanctions on Iraq and a U.S.-led coalition air and ground war, which began on January 16, 1991, and ended with an Iraqi defeat and retreat from Kuwait on February 28, 1991.

What happened to Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War?

After his capture on 13 December 2003, his trial took place under the Iraqi Interim Government. On 5 November 2006, Saddam was convicted by the Iraqi High Tribunal of crimes against humanity related to the 1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi’a and sentenced to death by hanging.