In 1990 Saddam Hussein's Iraq entered its neighbour Kuwait in an audaciously swift invasion. What followed was the 20th century's most hi-tech conflict. Take an inside look at the Gulf War and discover its strategy, tactics, technology, troop movements and more.
WELCOME
THE GULF WAR THEATRE
A TIMELINE OF THE GULF WAR • The first conflict of the 1990s saw a huge United Nations coalition liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in the largest military alliance assembled since WWII
THE LIONS OF MESOPOTAMIA • Born in the ashes of war, the nation of Iraq was destined to play a defining role in the Middle East throughout the 20th century, a period marked by brutal conflict and clashing geopolitical interests
CARVING OUT A KINGDOM • If the people of Iraq wanted full autonomy, they were going to have to fight for it
LAND GRAB: THE STRUGGLE FOR KUWAIT
RISE OF THE REPUBLIC • Haunted by zealous military figures determined to overthrow the established order, Iraq’s monarchy stood no chance
LIQUID GOLD
LAND OF BLOOD AND OIL • Riven by sectarian divisions and menaced from abroad, Iraq needed a saviour. It was given a tyrant
DEATH IN THE DESERT
THE INVASION OF KUWAIT • The Iraqi army struck suddenly and swiftly on 2 August, overwhelming the small number of Kuwaiti defenders and occupying the capital
THE UN RESPONDS • When news of the invasion spread around the globe, the United Nations Security Council gathered for an emergency session, the first of many galvanising the international response
A GLOBAL COALITION • Saddam Hussein’s Iraq had to fight a truly international alliance of 36 contributing nations dominated by the United States
LEADERS & COMMANDERS • In 1990 the US-led Coalition gathered half a million men from 31 countries in Saudi Arabia. They were led by multinational senior commanders
SADDAM HUSSEIN • Discover how a nationalist revolutionary from a broken home rose to supreme power in Iraq and became a bellicose opponent of the West
OPERATION DESERT STORM • WHAT BEGAN AS A CONFLICT OVER OIL PRICES SPIRALLED INTO THE DEADLY FIRST GULF WAR - A HUMILIATING LOSS FOR IRAQ
IRAQ’S ELITE REPUBLICAN GUARD • Saddam’s loyal and best-equipped divisions were on the frontline of the invasion, and formed the last line of defence during the Coalition attack
OPERATION DESERT SHIELD • As Iraq’s forces poured into Kuwait, an international Coalition formed to ensure the safety of other neighbouring countries, especially Saudi Arabia
PROTECTING SAUDI ARABIA
TORNADO GR.1 • Desert Storm was the combat debut for the venerable Tornado GR.1
TORNADO IN A STORM • On the first day of the Coalition offensive, Flight Lieutenant John Nichol was shot down while attacking an Iraqi air base. Here he shares his memories of the war, what it was like ejecting over the desert, and his time as a POW
EJECT! EJECT! • ESCAPING DISASTER IN THE SKIES AND SURVIVING WHAT COMES NEXT
PRISONER IN BAGHDAD • AFTER BEING CAPTURED, NICHOL ENDURED OVER SEVEN WEEKS OF CAPTIVITY, DURING WHICH HE WAS BEATEN, TORTURED AND PARADED ON TELEVISION BY THE IRAQIS
SCUD BALLISTIC MISSILES • Iraq’s long-reach terror weapon
SCUD BUSTERS • Before the Coalition’s ground offensive to liberate Kuwait commenced, Special Forces conducted dangerous missile-hunting missions inside Iraq
THE DEMISE OF BRAVO TWO ZERO • During the 1991 Gulf War, an SAS operation in the Iraqi desert went terribly wrong
BRAVO TWO ZERO BECOMES LEGEND • BOOKS AND TELEVISION ADAPTATIONS HAVE BROUGHT BRAVO TWO ZERO FAME AND ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY
OPERATION DESERT STORM • In early 1991, an American-led United Nations coalition ended Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait...
