The Persian Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War, also known simply as the Gulf War, began on August 2, 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait—presumably in an attempt to steal the small country's large oil supply. Although the United Nations Security Council imposed economic sanctions on Iraq, Saddam Hussein, Iraq's leader, continued to increase his military forces in Kuwait. On August 6, the United States and its allies began to occupy nearby Saudi Arabia to prevent an attack on the Saudi oil supply. This combined military buildup was known as Operation Desert Shield. On November 29, the United Nations Security Council gave Hussein a deadline of January 15, 1991, to peacefully withdraw his forces. At the same time, the Security Council authorized the use of force by the United States and its allies if Hussein did not comply. Hussein ignored the deadline, and on January 18, Operation Desert Storm was launched. Under the leadership...