The Gulf War
How did a swift victory reshape power and peace in the Middle East?
4.7 (20)
52 mins
Discover the unfolding of the Gulf War as a rapid military campaign that liberated Kuwait but left complex political challenges unresolved. Explore how shifting US strategies after the Cold War set the stage for ongoing conflict and regional instability.
Ep 1:
Invasion: The Line in the Sand
When Iraq's tanks crossed into Kuwait in 1990, it exposed a decade of Cold War bargains gone wrong—and set the world on a collision course with Saddam Hussein.
Ep 2:
Desert Storm Unleashed
As diplomacy collapsed, a massive coalition assembled in the desert. Then, in the dead of night, Operation Desert Storm unleashed the most devastating air campaign the world had seen.
Ep 3:
The War America Didn't See
Behind the sanitized footage of smart bombs and surgical strikes lay a hidden toll of destruction and censorship—and a hundred-hour ground war that shattered Iraq's army.
Ep 4:
Schwarzkopf's Triumph, Bush's Blunder
General Schwarzkopf's brilliance won the war, but a fateful concession at the ceasefire table let Saddam crush uprisings Bush himself had encouraged.
Ep 5:
Victory Without a Plan
With peace talks underway, America chose retreat over resolve—rejecting a buffer zone and standing by as Saddam reasserted his brutal grip on Iraq.
Ep 6:
The War That Never Ended
Saddam survived the war that was supposed to end him. Decades later, the unresolved choices of 1991 would haunt America's next Iraq war.
Discussions (13)
Carter
Level 6 · 8 mo agoBush refusing to march on Baghdad was a rare moment of genuine foresight. He actually understood that breaking Iraq simply hands the region to Iran.
Louis
Level 8 · 9 mo agoBush calling for an uprising then ghosting the Kurds is absolutely DISGRACEFUL. Typical establishment creating a mess and refusing to finish the job.
Clifford
Level 5 · 8 mo agoFriedman is right on the GPS. If Iraq jammed the satellites the coalition gets nerfed hard. Relying on that system so early was actually wild.
