Gulf War Ends
President Bush announced a ceasefire after 100 hours of ground combat liberated Kuwait
February 28, 1991
Iraq Invades Kuwait
On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces under President Saddam Hussein invaded and quickly occupied neighboring Kuwait. Iraq claimed Kuwait was historically part of its territory and accused it of stealing Iraqi oil by drilling sideways into shared fields. The invasion was swiftly condemned by the United Nations Security Council, which demanded immediate Iraqi withdrawal and imposed sweeping economic sanctions. The United States, under President George H.W. Bush, assembled an international coalition of 35 nations and began deploying troops to Saudi Arabia in an operation called Desert Shield to prevent any further Iraqi advance.
Desert Storm
When Iraq failed to withdraw by a UN deadline of January 15, 1991, the coalition launched Operation Desert Storm. Beginning on January 17, coalition air forces conducted an intensive bombing campaign against Iraqi military targets for 38 days. On February 24, ground forces crossed into Kuwait and Iraq. The ground campaign lasted just 100 hours. Iraqi forces were routed and fled Kuwait, setting hundreds of oil wells ablaze as they retreated in an act of environmental sabotage. On February 28, 1991, President Bush declared a ceasefire, and the liberation of Kuwait was complete.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Gulf War was a decisive military victory, but it left Saddam Hussein in power in Iraq, a decision that would haunt American foreign policy for years. The coalition declined to advance to Baghdad, fearing the consequences of occupying Iraq without an exit strategy. Kuwait was restored to its ruling family. The war demonstrated the overwhelming military superiority of U.S.-led forces and validated the military reforms that followed the Vietnam era. The large U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia left after the war became one of Osama bin Laden's stated grievances against the West. Use the date calculator to track the timeline from invasion to ceasefire.