1990 – 1991
After Iraq invaded and purported to annex Kuwait in August 1990, the United Nations imposed sanctions and later authorized member states to use force to restore Kuwaiti sovereignty. A United States-led coalition conducted a 42-day air campaign and four-day ground offensive that expelled Iraqi forces. The rapid victory coexisted with disputed Iraqi military losses, civilian deaths, destruction of infrastructure, and postwar uprisings crushed by Saddam Hussein’s forces.
Chapter-by-chapter narrative with maps, primary sources, and key events.
Explore battles on a live map with a timeline slider and territory overlays.
Deep-dive into every major engagement — commanders, casualties, significance.
Biographical flip cards with real portraits, facts, and full biography pages.
Trace each figure's full life journey — birth, education, battles, and death — on a live map.
Scroll-driven visualization of casualties — each dot a thousand lives.
Weapons, war machines, and the military innovations that defined how this conflict was fought.
Cause-and-effect chains tracing the war's long shadow on history.
War crimes, massacres, and the darkest chapters of this conflict — documented for history.
After Iraq invaded and purported to annex Kuwait in August 1990, the United Nations imposed sanctions and later authorized member states to use force to restore Kuwaiti sovereignty. A United States-led coalition conducted a 42-day air campaign and four-day ground offensive that expelled Iraqi forces. The rapid victory coexisted with disputed Iraqi military losses, civilian deaths, destruction of infrastructure, and postwar uprisings crushed by Saddam Hussein’s forces.
The Gulf War was fought from 1990 to 1991.
The Gulf War was fought between Coalition Forces and Iraq.
An estimated 28,792 people died in The Gulf War, including roughly 25,292 military and 3,500 civilian deaths. Figures are scholarly estimates and vary by source.
Major engagements included Operation Desert Sabre — The Left Hook, Battle of Objective Norfolk, Battle of Medina Ridge, and Operation Desert Storm Begins.