Persian Gulf War

1991

• U.S. troops engaged: 2,183,000
• Allied casualties: 147
• U.S., Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, and Italy went to war against Iraq on January 16, 1991, in response to Iraq's August 1, 1990, invasion and annexation of Kuwait.
• President Bush sent 430,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to lead the U.N.-sponsored coalition and protect that country from an attack by Iraq.
• The U.N. Security Council set a Jan. 15, 1991 deadline for Iraq to withdraw unconditionally from Kuwait.
• The next day, Congress gave approval for a huge air attack against military targets in Iraq and Kuwait.
• A ground war followed. U.S. and coalition forces were too much for Iraq President Saddam Hussein and his troops and the attack ended in four days.
• Iraq withdrew from Kuwait on February 28, 1991—though not before setting fire to more than 500 Kuwaiti oil wells.
• Official cease-fire declared, 1991; Iraq agreed to U.N. peace terms, and Saddam Hussein remained in power.

See The Persian Gulf War for more details about the dates and events of this war.

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