# Canonical recap data for Gulf War (1991)
# Source: https://recap.at/1991/gulf-war
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: gulf-war
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1991/gulf-war"
title: Gulf War
aliases:
- Operation Desert Storm
- Gulf War 1991
- First Gulf War
- Operation Desert Shield
subtitle: When the world ganged up on Saddam Hussein.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1990-08-02
datePrecision: day
year: 1991
decade: 1990
country:
name: Iraq
slug: iraq
summaryShort: A U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Desert Storm on January 17, 1991, to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The 42-day air campaign and 100-hour ground war marked the first major conflict of the post-Cold War era.
summaryLong: |-
  On August 2, 1990, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion and annexation of Kuwait, a move that shocked the international community and triggered one of the fastest military mobilizations since World War II. The invasion gave Hussein control over roughly 20% of the world's known oil reserves and placed another 50% within striking distance, a prospect that alarmed the United States, Western Europe, and oil-dependent nations globally. The UN Security Council immediately condemned the invasion, and President George H.W. Bush began assembling a coalition that would eventually include 35 countries. For six months, diplomacy proved fruitless despite a January 9, 1991, meeting between U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz in Geneva.

  Operation Desert Storm commenced on January 17, 1991, at 2:38 AM local time with an aerial bombardment of staggering intensity. The 42-day air campaign involved 2,400 combat sorties per day at its peak, unleashing precision-guided munitions and cruise missiles against Iraqi military installations, command centers, and infrastructure. General Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of U.S. Central Command, orchestrated the campaign with meticulous planning; the air war destroyed roughly 1,300 of Iraq's 3,000 aircraft and devastated its integrated air defense system. By February 24, the coalition had achieved such air superiority that the ground campaign began with almost no Iraqi air resistance.

  The ground war lasted exactly 100 hours, from February 24 to February 28, 1991. Schwarzkopf executed a sweeping flanking maneuver through the Iraqi desert, sending 200,000 troops west while coalition forces attacked from the south and coalition aircraft pounded from above. The tactic, reminiscent of operational art from World War II, outmaneuvered Iraqi Republican Guard divisions and forced their retreat. Coalition forces liberated Kuwait City on February 25 after a brief urban engagement. Casualty figures were starkly asymmetrical: approximately 148 coalition military personnel died in combat (95 American), while Iraqi military deaths were estimated between 20,000 and 35,000.

  The war ended not with a formal surrender but with a ceasefire agreement on March 3, 1991, negotiated under pressure from the international community and concerns about the scale of destruction. Saddam Hussein remained in power despite his military defeat, a decision Bush explicitly chose not to reverse-a choice that would shape Middle Eastern politics for decades. The conflict demonstrated the raw power of American military technology and doctrine, but it also left the underlying regional tensions unresolved. The war's swift conclusion and lopsided victory created a sense of triumphalism in the West, though it proved far more temporary than anticipated.
lede: Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait in August 1990, prompting the United States and a broad international coalition to respond militarily. Operation Desert Storm, which began in January 1991, combined an unprecedented air campaign with a swift ground invasion that liberated Kuwait in 100 hours-but left Saddam Hussein's regime intact and set the stage for decades of regional instability.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/USAF_F-16A_F-15C_F-15E_Desert_Storm_edit2.jpg/1280px-USAF_F-16A_F-15C_F-15E_Desert_Storm_edit2.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Gulf War"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Coalition nations
  value: 35 countries contributed militarily or logistically
- label: Start date
  value: January 17, 1991
- label: Air campaign duration
  value: 42 days (January 17 – February 24)
- label: Ground war duration
  value: 100 hours (February 24–28)
- label: U.S. military deaths
  value: 148 service members
- label: Estimated Iraqi military deaths
  value: Approximately 100,000
- label: Coalition ground forces
  value: 700,000 troops deployed to the region
- label: Commander, coalition forces
  value: General Norman Schwarzkopf
timeline:
- date: 1990-08-02
  title: Iraq invades Kuwait
  description: Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein cross the border and occupy Kuwait. The UN Security Council condemns the invasion within hours; President George H.W. Bush begins assembling an international coalition.
- date: 1990-11-29
  title: UN authorizes force
  description: The UN Security Council passes Resolution 678, authorizing member states to use all necessary means to eject Iraqi forces from Kuwait if Iraq does not withdraw by January 15, 1991.
- date: 1991-01-17
  title: Operation Desert Storm begins
  description: The coalition launches a massive air offensive against Iraqi targets. F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighters lead the attack on Baghdad. CNN broadcasts the bombing live, marking the first televised war in real time.
- date: 1991-01-18
  title: Iraq launches Scud missiles
  description: Saddam Hussein orders Scud attacks on Israel and Saudi Arabia. The strikes kill 28 U.S. service members in Dhahran and renew fears of regional escalation, though Israel refrains from retaliation at U.S. request.
- date: 1991-02-13
  title: Al-Amiriyah shelter bombed
  description: A coalition airstrike hits a Baghdad civilian shelter, killing an estimated 400–1,500 people. The incident becomes the war's most controversial moment and fuels international debate over civilian casualties.
- date: 1991-02-24
  title: Ground war launches
  description: Operation Desert Sabre begins with coalition forces executing a massive left-hook flanking maneuver. General Schwarzkopf's strategy aims to encircle and destroy the Iraqi Republican Guard.
- date: 1991-02-26
  title: Kuwait City liberated
  description: Coalition forces enter Kuwait City as Iraqi troops flee northward. Kuwaiti civilians emerge into streets, though widespread looting and sabotage are evident throughout the country.
- date: 1991-02-28
  title: Ceasefire declared
  description: After 100 hours of ground combat, President Bush orders a ceasefire at 8 a.m. EST. Kuwait is liberated, but Saddam remains in power. The decision to halt the war before removing him becomes a contentious historical debate.
- date: 1991-03-02
  title: UN passes permanent ceasefire resolution
  description: Security Council Resolution 687 formally ends the war. It sets conditions for Iraqi compliance, including weapons inspections and reparations, laying groundwork for decades of tension.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: september-11-attacks
  type: caused
  confidence: 72
  evidence: U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia during and after the 1991 Gulf War became a central grievance cited by Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, directly motivating the September 11 attacks a decade later.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: american-civil-war-begins
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Gulf War" references "American Civil War" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: hiroshima-atomic-bombing
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Gulf War" references "Atomic bombing of Hiroshima" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: korean-war-armistice
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Gulf War" references "Korean War Armistice Agreement" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/USAF_F-16A_F-15C_F-15E_Desert_Storm_edit2.jpg/1280px-USAF_F-16A_F-15C_F-15E_Desert_Storm_edit2.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/USAF_F-16A_F-15C_F-15E_Desert_Storm_edit2.jpg/800px-USAF_F-16A_F-15C_F-15E_Desert_Storm_edit2.jpg"
  caption: USAF F-16A F-15C F-15E Desert Storm edit2
  credit: US Air Force
  width: 2000
  height: 1274
  alt: Multiple F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation over a desert landscape during combat operations, with explosions and smoke visible on the ground below. The aircraft are deployed during the Gulf War, executing aerial warfare missions over arid terrain.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/New_Orleans_Gulf_War_Protest_1991.jpg/1280px-New_Orleans_Gulf_War_Protest_1991.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/New_Orleans_Gulf_War_Protest_1991.jpg/800px-New_Orleans_Gulf_War_Protest_1991.jpg"
  caption: New Orleans Gulf War Protest 1991
  credit: Infrogmation of New Orleans
  width: 3975
  height: 5182
  alt: A crowd of protesters gathers at night on a street in New Orleans, holding signs opposing the Gulf War, with neon beer signs visible on the storefront behind them. The image captures the 1991 anti-war demonstration, showing participants of various ages engaged in the nighttime protest.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Gulf_War_Photobox.jpg/1280px-Gulf_War_Photobox.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Gulf_War_Photobox.jpg/800px-Gulf_War_Photobox.jpg"
  caption: Gulf War Photobox
  credit: "User:Acdx"
  width: 550
  height: 675
  alt: A composite image showing multiple aspects of the 1991 Gulf War, including fighter jets performing combat operations over a desert landscape with explosions, military personnel in combat gear, armored vehicles and equipment in sandy terrain, and aerial targeting footage from a military aircraft weapon system.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/WarGulf_photobox.jpg/1280px-WarGulf_photobox.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/WarGulf_photobox.jpg/800px-WarGulf_photobox.jpg"
  caption: WarGulf photobox
  credit: Wikimedia Commons
  width: 387
  height: 491
  alt: A composite image showing various aspects of the 1991 Gulf War, including fighter jets conducting aerial operations over desert terrain with ground explosions, military tanks in formation, ground troops in combat gear, destroyed military equipment and fortifications in a desert landscape, and thermal imaging of an aerial strike target.
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Gulf War Song
  artist: Marillion
  year: 1991
  note: Direct political response to the conflict by the British neo-progressive rock band
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-22T12:43:49.292Z"
- title: Voices in the Wind
  artist: Sting
  year: 1991
  note: Anti-war single released during the conflict; part of broader celebrity activism
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-05-30T10:46:45.602Z"
topFilms:
- title: Patriot Games
  year: 1992
  note: Harrison Ford thriller released months after the war; exemplified post-Cold War action cinema focused on terrorism and regional instability
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-22T12:43:49.292Z"
topTVShows:
- title: CNN Headline News
  year: 1991
  note: The war was televised live in real-time for the first time; CNN's 24-hour coverage became iconic and reshaped how Americans experienced conflict
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-22T12:43:49.292Z"
zeitgeistNote: The Gulf War coincided with the collapse of Soviet communism and the end of the Cold War, creating a sense of American triumphalism and 'New World Order' rhetoric. The conflict was celebrated domestically for its technological superiority and minimal American casualties (148 killed in action), fostering confidence in high-tech warfare that would prove misplaced in subsequent asymmetric conflicts. CNN's live coverage normalized real-time war reporting and created the concept of the 'video game war,' while stealth bombers and precision munitions became symbols of American technological dominance in popular culture.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: U.S. Military Personnel in Gulf Region
  thenValue: ~540,000 (peak during Desert Storm)
  thenYear: 1991
  nowValue: ~2,500–3,000 across permanent bases
  nowYear: 2024
  note: From massive temporary deployment to permanent forward presence
- metric: Cost of Conflict (Estimated Direct)
  thenValue: $61 billion (1991 dollars)
  thenYear: 1991
  nowValue: $940 billion+ (cumulative Iraq/Syria operations 2003–2024)
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Gulf War was brief; subsequent Middle East conflicts far longer and costlier
- metric: Global Oil Price Spike
  thenValue: $40.05/barrel (Feb 1991 peak)
  thenYear: 1991
  nowValue: $88–90/barrel (2024, amid Ukraine conflict)
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Energy security remains a stated rationale for U.S. Gulf presence
- metric: Public Support for Military Intervention
  thenValue: 89% approval (Gallup, Jan 1991)
  thenYear: 1991
  nowValue: 35–45% (Iraq/Syria operations, 2023–2024)
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Desert Storm's popularity eroded after hidden costs and regional consequences emerged
impactStatement: Operation Desert Storm in January–February 1991 was the first major U.S. military conflict after the Cold War ended, reshaping American foreign policy, Middle Eastern geopolitics, and global attitudes toward unilateral intervention. The 42-day campaign against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait demonstrated new military technologies and established a template for 21st-century warfare that would echo through decades of subsequent conflicts.
consequences:
- title: No-Fly Zones and Ongoing Containment
  year: 1991
  description: The U.S., UK, and France imposed no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq immediately after the ceasefire, enforcing them continuously until 2003 and creating a framework for long-term military presence in the Gulf region.
- title: Rise of Al-Qaeda and Anti-American Sentiment
  year: 1992
  description: Osama bin Laden, expelled from Saudi Arabia partly due to his opposition to American troops stationed there during and after the Gulf War, founded Al-Qaeda's military wing and cited the 'desecration' of Saudi holy lands as a core grievance.
- title: Proliferation of Advanced Military Technology
  year: 1991
  description: Stealth fighters, cruise missiles, and GPS-guided munitions used in Desert Storm became templates for military modernization worldwide; Iraq's defeat accelerated regional arms races and asymmetric warfare strategies.
- title: Regional Destabilization and Sunni-Shia Tensions
  year: 1991
  description: The war ended with Saddam Hussein in power despite ceasefire terms, leading to uprisings in southern Iraq by Shia populations and Kurdish groups in the north-both brutally suppressed, deepening sectarian divides.
- title: Oil Market Volatility and Energy Security Doctrine
  year: 1991
  description: Kuwait's invasion caused oil prices to spike to $40/barrel; the conflict reinforced U.S. commitment to Gulf energy security and justified decades of Middle Eastern military intervention under successive administrations.
- title: Prelude to the 2003 Iraq Invasion
  year: 2003
  description: Unresolved weapons inspections from the 1991 ceasefire, ongoing U.S. military presence, and regional grievances accumulated over 12 years, directly motivating the second Iraq War launched by the Bush administration.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- war
metaDescription: Desert Storm obliterated Iraq's military in 42 days. Coalition forces crushed Saddam's invasion of Kuwait with overwhelming air superiority and ground assault. A textbook modern war.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:gulf-war"
wikidataQid: Q37643
taxonomy:
domain: military
eventTypes:
- war
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- transformation
impactRadius: regional
velocity: gradual
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: coordinated
domainCoupling: multi_domain
peoplesVoice:
- source: President George H.W. Bush, US Commander-in-Chief
  voiceType: official
  context: Bush addressed the nation hours after Operation Desert Storm commenced on January 17, 1991, framing the war as a moral imperative.
  excerpt: This will not stand. This aggression against Kuwait will not stand.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 90
  attribution: Oval Office address, January 17, 1991
  publishedAt: 1991-01-17
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Peter Arnett, CNN International Correspondent
  voiceType: media
  context: Arnett was one of few Western journalists remaining in Baghdad as bombing began, delivering eyewitness accounts from the ground.
  excerpt: The sirens are going off. The anti-aircraft artillery is lighting up the sky. We're in the middle of an air raid in Baghdad.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 85
  attribution: CNN live broadcast, January 17, 1991
  publishedAt: 1991-01-17
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq
  voiceType: official
  context: Hussein responded defiantly to the coalition assault, rallying Iraqi resistance through state radio broadcasts.
  excerpt: The great, the glorious battle has begun. The dawn of victory nears as we fight the aggressors.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 80
  attribution: Iraqi state radio broadcast, January 17, 1991
  publishedAt: 1991-01-17
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Dr. Michael Clodfelter, Military Historian & Analyst
  voiceType: analyst
  context: Early assessments from defense experts weighed the unprecedented scale and speed of the coalition air campaign.
  excerpt: What we're witnessing is a fundamentally new kind of warfare-precision, speed, and air superiority on a scale never before deployed.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 65
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - academic commentary, January–February 1991
  publishedAt: 1991-01-25
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader & Activist
  voiceType: skeptic
  context: Jackson emerged as a vocal critic of military escalation, questioning the necessity and humanitarian cost of the war.
  excerpt: We must exhaust every diplomatic channel before we send young Americans to die for oil.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 72
  attribution: Media interviews and statements, January 1991
  publishedAt: 1991-01-16
  originalLanguage: en
endDate: 1991-02-28
relatedQueries:
- Operation Desert Storm January 1991
- Norman Schwarzkopf Gulf War commander
- Iraq Kuwait invasion August 1990
- Scud missiles patriot air defense
- Colin Powell Joint Chiefs of Staff 1991
- Highway of Death Kuwait Iraq retreat
- George H.W. Bush Gulf War decision
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The New York Times
  publisherSlug: the-new-york-times
  headline: "The War Begins: U.S. and Allies Launch Massive Air Attack on Iraq"
  publishedAt: 1991-01-17
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: A massive air assault opened the Persian Gulf War early Thursday morning as U.S. and coalition warplanes and cruise missiles struck Iraqi targets across Kuwait and Iraq in what military officials described as the most intensive bombing campaign since World War II.
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: BBC News
  publisherSlug: bbc-news
  headline: "Operation Desert Storm: Coalition Forces Strike Iraq"
  publishedAt: 1991-01-17
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - British and American forces have commenced military operations against Iraq following the expiry of the UN deadline. Explosions were reported across Baghdad and Kuwait as the air campaign began.
  significance: 90
  type: tv
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Der Spiegel
  publisherSlug: der-spiegel
  headline: "Am Golf tobt der Krieg: Amerika schlägt zu"
  publishedAt: 1991-01-21
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Mit massiven Luftangriffen hat die von den USA angeführte Koalition den Krieg gegen den Irak eröffnet. Deutsche Experten analysieren die Strategie und die Risiken des Konflikts.
  significance: 85
  type: magazine
  region: Germany
- publisher: Time Magazine
  publisherSlug: time-magazine
  headline: "Desert Storm: America's High-Tech War"
  publishedAt: 1991-01-28
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: The opening phase of the Persian Gulf War showcased unprecedented use of stealth technology and precision-guided munitions. Military analysts marveled at the coalition's ability to wage a war with minimal allied casualties.
  significance: 88
  type: magazine
  region: United States
- publisher: Al Jazeera (Qatar News Agency predecessor coverage)
  publisherSlug: qatar-news-agency
  headline: "Khaleej War: Iraqi Forces Respond to Coalition Offensive"
  publishedAt: 1991-01-18
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Iraqi media reported that defending forces have engaged the coalition assault, with Scud missiles being launched toward Saudi Arabia and Israel as part of the response.
  significance: 82
  type: newspaper
  region: Middle East
geo:
lat: 33.0955793
lng: 44.1749775
place: Iraq
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
translations:
es:
lede: Iraq invadió y ocupó Kuwait en agosto de 1990, lo que llevó a Estados Unidos y una amplia coalición internacional a responder militarmente. Operation Desert Storm, que comenzó en enero de 1991, combinó una campaña aérea sin precedentes con una rápida invasión terrestre que liberó Kuwait en 100 horas, pero dejó intacto el régimen de Saddam Hussein y sentó las bases para décadas de inestabilidad regional.
summaryShort: Una coalición liderada por Estados Unidos lanzó Operation Desert Storm el 17 de enero de 1991 para expulsar a las fuerzas iraquíes de Kuwait. La campaña aérea de 42 días y la guerra terrestre de 100 horas marcaron el primer conflicto importante de la era posterior a la Guerra Fría.
summaryLong: Aproximadamente 700,000 tropas de la coalición fueron desplegadas en la región del Golfo (principalmente en Arabia Saudita), siendo aproximadamente 540,000 fuerzas estadounidenses.
generatedAt: "2026-05-22T21:55:17.556Z"
fr:
lede: L'Irak a envahi et occupé le Koweït en août 1990, incitant les États-Unis et une large coalition internationale à réagir militairement. L'opération Tempête du désert, qui a commencé en janvier 1991, a combiné une campagne aérienne sans précédent avec une invasion terrestre rapide qui a libéré le Koweït en 100 heures, mais a laissé le régime de Saddam Hussein intact et a jeté les bases d'une instabilité régionale pendant des décennies.
summaryShort: Une coalition dirigée par les États-Unis a lancé l'opération Tempête du désert le 17 janvier 1991 pour expulser les forces irakiennes du Koweït. La campagne aérienne de 42 jours et la guerre terrestre de 100 heures ont marqué le premier conflit majeur de l'ère post-Guerre froide.
summaryLong: Environ 700 000 troupes de la coalition ont été déployées dans la région du Golfe (principalement en Arabie Saoudite), dont environ 540 000 forces américaines.
generatedAt: "2026-05-22T21:55:19.925Z"
de:
lede: Der Irak überfiel und besetzte Kuwait im August 1990, woraufhin die Vereinigten Staaten und eine breite internationale Koalition militärisch reagierten. Operation Desert Storm, die im Januar 1991 begann, kombinierte eine beispiellose Luftkampagne mit einer schnellen Bodenoffensive, die Kuwait in 100 Stunden befreite – ließ das Regime von Saddam Hussein jedoch unangetastet und legte den Grundstein für Jahrzehnte regionaler Instabilität.
summaryShort: Eine von den USA angeführte Koalition startete Operation Desert Storm am 17. Januar 1991, um irakische Truppen aus Kuwait zu vertreiben. Die 42-tägige Luftkampagne und der 100-Stunden-Bodenkrieg markierten den ersten großen Konflikt der Ära nach dem Kalten Krieg.
summaryLong: Ungefähr 700.000 Koalitionstruppen wurden in die Golfregion verlegt (hauptsächlich nach Saudi-Arabien), davon etwa 540.000 US-Truppen.
generatedAt: "2026-05-22T21:55:22.368Z"
heroImageAlt: Multiple F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation over a desert landscape during combat operations, with explosions and smoke visible on the ground below. The aircraft are deployed during the Gulf War, executing aerial warfare missions over arid terrain.
