Conduct of the Persian Gulf War: Final Report To Congress - Invasion of Kuwait, Saddam Hussein, Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Maritime Interception, Air and Ground Campaign

Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, unleashed an extraordinary series of events that culminated seven months later in the victory of American and Coalition forces over the Iraqi army and the liberation of Kuwait. Pursuant to Title V, Public Law 102-25, this report discusses the conduct of hostilities in the Persian Gulf theater of operations. It includes: a list of fatalities; prisoners of war; U.N. resolutions; intelligence; Special Operations Forces; environmental terrorism; women in the combat zone; media in the battlefield; and weapon performance.

It builds on the Department's Interim Report of July 1991. A proper understanding of the conduct of these military operations the extraordinary achievements and the needed improvements is an important and continuing task of the Department of Defense as we look to the future. The Persian Gulf War was the first major conflict following the end of the Cold War. The victory was a triumph of Coalition strategy, of international cooperation, of technology, and of people. It reflected leadership, patience, and courage at the highest levels and in the field. Under adverse and hazardous conditions far from home, our airmen, soldiers, sailors, and marines once again played the leading role in reversing a dangerous threat to a critical region of the world and to our national interests. Their skill and sacrifice lie at the heart of this important triumph over aggression in the early post-Cold War era. The Coalition victory was impressive militarily and important geopolitically; it will affect the American military and American security interests in the Middle East and beyond for years to come. Some of the lessons we should draw from the war are clear; others are more enigmatic. Some aspects of the war are unlikely to be repeated in future conflicts. But this experience also contains important indications of challenges to come and ways to surmount them.

Chapters: Chapter I - THE INVASION OF KUWAIT * Chapter II - THE RESPONSE TO AGGRESSION * Chapter III - THE MILITARY OPTION — OPERATION DESERT SHIELD * Chapter IV - MARITIME INTERCEPTION OPERATIONS * Chapter V - TRANSITION TO THE OFFENSIVE * Chapter VI - THE AIR CAMPAIGN * Chapter VII - THE MARITIME CAMPAIGN * Chapter VIII - THE GROUND CAMPAIGN * SUMMARY OF THE GROUND CAMPAIGN * CONCLUSIONS * OBSERVATIONS

Some contents: Chapter I * THE INVASION OF KUWAIT * PRELUDE TO CRISIS * IRAQI MILITARY CAPABILITIES, 1990 * Republican Guard Forces Command * Army * Popular Army * Air Force * Air Defense Forces * Navy * Short Range Ballistic Missiles * Chemical Weapons * Biological Weapons * Nuclear Devices Program * Other Military Research and Development Programs * CONCLUSION * Chapter II * THE RESPONSE TO AGGRESSION * US RESPONSE — DRAWING A LINE * INITIAL WORLD RESPONSE * International Organizations * Western Reaction * Asian Reaction * REGIONAL RESPONSE * Coalition Members in the Region * Other Regional Responses * Israeli Reaction * IRAQI FOLLOW-UP TO THE INVASION * Political Maneuvering * Iraqi Atrocities * Iraqi Hostage Taking * Chapter III * THE MILITARY OPTION — OPERATION DESERT SHIELD * MILITARY SITUATION, AUGUST 1990 * MILITARY OBJECTIVES OF OPERATION DESERT SHIELD * CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS — OPERATION DESERT SHIELD * INITIAL DEPLOYMENT OF US MILITARY FORCES * WINDOW OF VULNERABILITY * EXPANDING THE DEFENSE * THE JOINT AND COMBINED COMMAND STRUCTURE * OBSERVATIONS * Chapter IV * MARITIME INTERCEPTION OPERATIONS * INTRODUCTION * STRATEGY AND OBJECTIVES * MULTINATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE MIF * OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES * SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING MARITIME INTERCEPTION OPERATIONS * EFFECTIVENESS * OBSERVATIONS * Chapter V * TRANSITION TO THE OFFENSIVE * INTRODUCTION * PLANNING FOR THE OFFENSIVE * Evolution of the Offensive Plan * THE IRAQI THREAT IN OVERVIEW * Intelligence Estimates * Enemy Vulnerabilities * Iraqi Centers of Gravity