OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL

TRAINING AND DOCTRINE COMMAND, PHILIPPINE ARMY

Camp General Mateo Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal

Submitted by:

2LT GUWAY, WANDER

2LT KIMMAYONG, MICHAEL
2LT PADILLO, DOUGLAS
2LT TAYABAN,NORIEL
2LT TONDO, LOYD
2LT TONGYA-EN, EFREN

Submitted to:

JOSEPH C MANAGULA
CPT (CE) 0-11551 PA

23 September 2004
 GULF WAR

BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

The Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34

nations led by the United States. The war started with the Iraqi invasion to

Kuwait in August 1990. Before the War, Iraq was extremely indebted to several

Arab Countries like Egypt including a $14 billion debt to Kuwait. Iraq Hoped to

repay its debts by raising the price of oil through OPEC Oil Production Cuts, but

instead, Kuwait increased production, lowering prices, in an attempt to leverage

a better resolution of their boarder dispute. In addition, Iraq charged that Kuwait

had taken advantage of the Iran-Iraq war for oil and build military outpost on Iraqi

soil near Kuwait boarder. Furthermore, Iraq charge that it had performed a

collective service for all Arabs by acting as a buffer against Iran and that

therefore Kuwait and Saudi Arabia should negotiate or cancel Iraq’s war debts.

Aside from those conflicts, Iraq claimed that its only intent was to reclaim its

province Kuwait.

The United States and Coalition Forces interfere with the war on conflict

of Kuwait and Iraq for some reasons. One reason is that the United State

accused Iraq of having chemical and biological weapons or weapons of mass

destruction which is a violation under UN policies and a world threat. Another

reason is that Iraq’s history of human rights abuses under President Saddam

Hussein and due to United States public justification for their involvement in the

conflict. The first reason given was the importance of oil to the American

economy as well as to other ASEAN and European countries of after a long

series of UN security council and Arab league long table conferences, resolution

were passed regarding the conflict which includes resolution 678 giving Iraq a

withdrawal deadline to Kuwait but Iraq insisted to withdraw.

On January 12, 1991, the United States congress were authorized to use

military forces to drive Iraq out of Kuwait including the coalition of 34 countries

which includes Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada,

Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, South

Korea, Spain UAE, United Kingdom and other countries.

On January 16, 1991, one day after the deadline set in resolution 678.

the coalition launched a massive air campaign codenamed desert storm

employing smart bombs, cluster bombs, cruise missiles and daisy cutters.

The war’s other common names are the Persian Gulf War, War in the

Gulf, Iraq-Kuwait Conflict. UN-Iraq conflict, Operation Desert Shield, Desert

Storm, Desert Sabre, 1990 Gulf War and 1990-1991 Gulf War. The war were

aerial and ground combat employing air assaults, ground operation, aerial

bombardments and naval operation.

OPPOSING FORCES

Iraq ruled by Saddam Hussein

During the gulf war, Iraq was ruled by Saddam Hussein, who assumed

power in 1979. Saddam Hussein, came from trusted Sunni of Arab Tribe who

maintains his power by carefully selecting individuals who are usually from his

trusted Sunni tribes before rising to the top of the BAATH party ranks, Saddam
Holds and assured various positions such as an assassin, a party thug and a

chief of Iraqi Internal Security that gave him first hand knowledge on how to take

and keep power to stay in power. Saddam eliminated potential rivals either by

killing them, transferring and demoting them to prevent them from developing an

independent power base. He also satisfies people by offering them economic

rewards and championing their aspirations for FRAGI =========== particularly

for the families of regime soldiers to secure their loyalty.

Aside from those strategies, Saddam likewise uses political measure to

solidify his rule by curry favor with core Arab nationalist supporters in the region

and Sunni Arab domination within Iraq. He also uses financial reward to Co-opt

leading tribal figures and employs the media to trumpet his identity as a powerful

leader.

Qualition Forces led by United States

The coalition forces composed of various countries which includes,

Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada,

Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy,

Kuwait, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia,

South Korea, Spain, United Arab Emirates, united Kingdom and United States as

the head of the coalition forces the US troops represented 74% of 660.000

troops who participated in the theater of war.

Among the coalition forces, Canada was one of the first nations to

condemn Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and it quickly agreed to join the U.S. led

coalition. The country participated trade blockage against Iraq supply ship was
also sent to aid the gathering coalition forces, field hospital and fighting squadron

were send to support the ground war.

Saudi Arabia also joints the coalition due to its fear that Iraq could

threaten its territory. Other countries join the coalition because of economy back

down due to high price of petroleum products.

DATES OF CONFLICT:

Began: August 2, 1990 – Iraqi invasion of Kuwait

Ended: March 3, 1991 – Iraq accepts cease-fire

TYPE(S) OF CONFLICT: Inter-State

RELATED CONFLICTS:

Predecessor: (Related conflicts occurring at the same time)

The First Persian Gulf War (1980 – 1988)

Concurrent: (Related conflicts occurring at the same time)

Lebanese Civil War (1975 – 1991)

CRITICAL AND DECISIVE POINTS

A. PRINCIPLES OF WAR

1. Objectives

 To surround and destroy the Iraqi group of forces at Basra.

 To create an attack group between the Tigris and Euphrates

with a front toward Baghdad.

 To disrupt Iraq’s military and political control, to disorganize

Iraq’s forces and to destroy the main Iraqi attack forces.

2. Offensive

On February 24, the coalition launched its long-anticipated land

offensive. The bulk of the attack was in southwestern Iraq, where

coalition forces first move north, then turned east toward the Iraqi port of

AL Basrah. This maneuver surrounded Kuwait, encircling the Iraqi forces

there and in southern Iraq, and allowed coalition forces (Mainly Arab) to

move up the coast and take Kuwait City. Some Iraqi units resisted, but

the coalition offensive advanced more quickly than anticipated.

Thousands of Iraqi troops surrendered. Others deserted. Iraq then

focused its efforts on withdrawing its elite units and sabotaging Kuwaiti

infrastructure and industry. Many oil wells were set on fire, creating huge

oil lakes, thick black smoke, and other environmental damage. Two days

after the ground war began, Iraq announced it was leaving Kuwait.
3. Population Support

He war in the Persian Gulf was a war of religious fervor, and

cruel leadership. DESERT STORM was the same type of war that had

occurred in this area for May year except for one fact. In OPERATION

DESERT STORM, sophisticated technology was used to end the war in a

quick and timely manner.

In 1979, SADAM HUSSEIN took control of Iraq, and immediately

set the tome for his rule by killing 21 of his cabinet members. He wanted

to make his country whole once again, so in 1990 he invaded Kuwait and

less than 4 hours he had taken Kuwait and controlled 24% of the world’s

oil supplies. It seemed as if his next target was Saudi Arabia.

This was where the United States entered after a call for protection

by Saudi Arabia. The United States set a deadline, January 15, 1991 for

all Iraq forces to be out of Kuwait, but Saddam ignored the deadline. That

triggered the Desert Shield or the build up of troops in the region and

eventually led to Desert Storm, an all-out attack to free Kuwait.

It can be clearly said that due to the extreme power and

sophistication of the US and her allies that Saddam and his tiny nation of

17 million people stood no chance against the military might that is the

United States and his allies.

 4. Principle of Mass

Amid growing tension between the two Persian Gulf neighbors, Saddam

Hussein concluded that the United States and the rest of the outside world would

not interfere to defend Kuwait. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait

and quickly seized control of the small nation. Within days, the United States,

along with the United Nations demanded Iraq’s immediate withdrawal. U.S. and

other U.N. member’s nations began deploying troops in Saudi Arabia within the

week, and the world wide coalition.

BATTLE SUMMARY

The ground war proved and decisive. Four days of fighting was more

than the Iraqis could stand.

 The war left many questions unanswered. Much happened in the

aftermath to make pundits believe the war should have been prosecuted further

– then again…

Iraq invades its tiny neighbor, Kuwait, after talk’s bread down over oil

production and debt repayment. Iraqi president Saddam Hussein later annexes

Kuwait and declares it a 19th province of Iraq (August 2). President Bush

believes that Iraq intends to invade Saudi Arabia and take control of the region’s

oil supplies. He begins organizing a multination coalition to seek Kuwait’s

freedom and restoration of its legitimate government. The UN Security Council

authorizes economic sanctions against Iraq. Bush orders U.S. troops to protect

Saudi Arabia at the Saudis’ request and “Operation Desert Shield” begins

(August 6). 230,000 continue a huge military buildup in Kuwait, the President

orders an additional 200,000 troops deployed to prepare for a possible offensive

action by the U.S.-led coalition forces. He subsequently obtains a UN Security

Council resolution setting a January 15, 1991 deadline for Iraq to withdraw

unconditionally from Kuwait (November 8).

Bush wins congressional approval for his position with the most

devastating air assault in history against military targets in Iraq and Kuwait

(January 16). He rejects a Soviet-Iraq peace plan for a gradual withdrawal that

does not comply with all the UN resolutions and gives Iraq an ultimatum to

withdraw from Kuwait by noon February 23 (February 22). The president orders

the ground war to begin (February 24). In a brilliant and lightning-fast campaign,

U.S. and coalition forces smash through Iraq’s defenses and defeat Saddam

Hussein’s troops in only four days of combat. Allies enter Kuwait City (February
26). Iraqi army sets fire to over 500 of Kuwait’s oil wells as final act of

destruction to Kuwait’s infrastructure. Bush orders a unilateral cease-fir 100

hours after the ground offensive started (February 27). Allied and Iraqi military

leaders meet on battlefield to discuss terms for a formal cease-fire to end Allied

prisoners of war are released (March 4). Official cease-fire accepted and signed

(April 6). 532,000 U.S. forces served in Operation Desert Storm. There were a

total of 147 U.S. battle deaths during the Gulf War, 145 nonbattle deaths and

467 wounded in action.

The air war was a devastating blow to the Iraqi military structure and was

a decisive factor in the outcome of the conflict.

SUCCESSOR: (Related conflicts that occur later)

Iraqi Shiite Revolt of 1991

Iraqi Kurdish Revolt of 1991

Iraq-U.S. Conflict (1991-Present)

Iraq-Kuwait Relations Prior to the 1990 Invasion.

1961-Iraq (President Qasim) threatens Kuwait, invoking old

Ottoman claims. Britain supports Kuwait and Iraq backs down.

1973, March-Iraq occupies as-Samitah, a border post on Kuwait-

Iraq border. Dispute began when Iraq demanded the right to occupy the

Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah. Saudi Arabia and the Arab

League convinced Iraq to withdraw.

1980-1988 Kuwait supports Iraq in the First Persian Gulf War with
Iran.
DECISIVE POINT OF BATTLE

a. COMMANDER:

George Bush of United States

Saddam Hussein of Iraq

b. RESOURCES:

Iraq’s 500,000 man army, 7,000 tanks, 3,000 artillery pieces and air

defense asset from soviet. The Coalition members had a highly sophisticated

weapons like patriots and lazer guided missile.

c. TROOPS:

BELLIGERENTS:

a. AFGHANISTAN – 300 troops

b. AUSTRIALIA
c. BAHRAIN – 400 personnel, 36 aircraft
d. BANGLADESH – 6,000 troops
e. BELGIUM – 1 frigate, 2 minesweepers, 2 landing ships, 6C-130
planes.
f. BRITAIN – 43,000 troops 6 destroyers, 4 frigates, 3
minesweepers, 168 tanks, 300 armored vehicles, 70 jets.
g. CANADA – 2 destroyers, 12 C-130 planes, 24 CF-18 bombers,
4,500 troops, Field hospital (1 Canadian field Hospital)
h. CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 200 chemical warfare specialists
i. EGYPT – 40,000 troops (5,000 special forces paratroopers)
j. FRANCE – 18,000 troops, 60 combat aircraft, 120 helicopters,
40 tanks, 1 missile cruiser, 3 destroyers, 4 frigates
k. GERMANY – jag bombergeschwader 43 consisting of 18 Alpha
jets and 212 soldiers stationed in Erhac/Turkey during the Gulf
war. 2 minesweeper, 2 supply vessel, 500 sailors altogether.
l. HONDURAS – 150 troops
m. ITALY – 3 frigates, 4 minesweeper, 10 tornado aircraft
n. KUWAIT – 11,000 troops, 2 missile boats, 1 barge operation
platform
o. NEW ZEALAND – 50 medical soldiers and 2 C-130
p. NIGER – 500 troops
q. OMAN – 25,500 troops, 63 airplanes, 4 exocet armed ships
r. POLAND – 1 hospital ship
s. QATAR – 1 squadron of mirage F-1E fighters
t. ROMANIA – 180 chemical warfare experts
 u. SUDI ARABIA – 118,000 troops, 550 tanks, 180 airplanes
v. SOUTH KOREA – 5 C-130 transport planes, 1 medical unit
w. SYRIA – 17,000 troops, 300T-62 Tanks
x. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – 40,000 troops, 80 planes, 200
tanks
y. UNITED STATES – 540,000 troops, 6 aircraft carriers,
submarines 4,000 tanks, 1,700 helicopters, 1,8000 airplanes

vs

IRAQ (Jordan, Yemen and the Palestine Liberation Organization

gave moral support to Iraq)

CAUSES OF CONFLICT

 The United States accused Iraq of Having chemical and biological

weapons or weapons of mass destruction which is a violation under

United Nation Policies and a world threat.

 Iraq’s history of human rights abuses under President Saddam

Hussein and to United States Public Justification for their involvement

in the conflict. The first reason given was the importance of oil to the

American Economy as well as to other ASEAN and European

countries.
BATTLE OPERATING SYSTEM APPLIED

1) Seven Pillars of Army Operations

AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM

During DESERT STORM, 10th ADA Brigade from Germany commanded a

task force which included Dutch, US and Israeli Patriot batteries in defense of

Tel Aviv and Haifa. ADA Lieutenants were debriefed at the Israeli Defense

Force “PENTAGON” after each Scud attack. Within twenty Nine (29) hours of

“wheels up” for the first aircraft, the TF 4-43 ADA was operations in Israel in two

locations:

 TF 4-7 ADA (Patriot) deployed from Germany to Incirlik Turkey where

they provided ADA protection to critical assets poised at Iraq’s “black

door”.
  TF 2-43 ADA ( Patriot) deployed from Germany and was attached to

11th ADA Brigade, providing Scud defense of King Khalid Military City

in Saudi Arabia.

 TF 8-43 ADA (Patriot) deployed from Germany and provided general

support to VII corps.

After a 38-day air campaign, the DESERT SANRE ground offensive began with

allied forces sweeping through Iraqi defenses. The Iraqi army was crushed after

a mere 100 hours. Iraqi troops --- tired, hungry and war weary from six months of

economic blockade and more than a month of relentless allied bombing ---

surrendered by the thousands.

FIRE SUPORT SYSTEM:

By January of 1991, over half a million allied troops were deployed in

Saudi Arabia and throughout the Gulf region. Intense diplomacy between US

and Iraqi officials failed to bring an Iraqi withdrawal, so, on January 16, 1991,
allied forces began the devastating bombing of Iraq and her forces in Kuwait.

The allied bombing sought to damage Iraq’s infrastructure so as to hinder her

ability to make war while Saddam ordered the launching of his feared SCUD

missiles at both Israel and Saudi Arabia. He hopes to provoke the Israelis into

striking back at Iraq, which he theorized would split the Arab nations from the

anti-Iraq coalition due to the ongoing hostility between Israel and Arab world.

Israel came very close to retaliating, but held back due to President Bush’s

pledge to protect Israeli into striking back at Iraq, which he theorized would split

the Arab nations from the anti-Iraq coalition due to the ongoing hostility between

Israel and Arab world. Israel came very close to retaliating, but held back due to

President Bush’s pledge to protect Israeli cities from the SCUDs. As a result of

this promise, US patriot missile batteries found themselves deployed in Israel to

shoot down the SCUDs. Another results of the SCUD launches was to divert

Allied air power from hitting the Iraqi army to hunting for the elusive mobile

missile launchers. Even so, the allied air strikes and cruise missile attacks

against Iraq prove more devastating than expected.

INTELIGENCE OPERATION SYSTEM

During the very week King Fahd was persuaded to invite U.S. troops to

Saudi Arabia in order to defend his monarchy from the alleged threat of an Iraqi

invasion, a U.S. intelligence officer who was secretly sent to Kuwait by General

H. Norman Schwarzkopf reported the Iraq had began withdrawing its Republican

Guard divisions from Kuwait entirely.

 Several weeks before the Baghdad was bombed on January 17 th 1991,

U.S. intelligence agents successfully inserted a computer virus into Iraq’s military

computers. It was designed to disable much of Baghdad’s air-defense system.

2. Principles of War

POPULATION SUPPORT

The war in the Persian gulf was a war of religious fervor, and cruel

leadership. DESERT STORM was the same type of war that had occurred in

this area for may year except for one fact. In OPERATION DESERT STORM,

sophisticated technology was used to end the war in a quick and timely manner/

In 1979, SADAM HUSSEIN took control of Iraq, and immediately set the

tome for his rule by killing 21 of his cabinet members. He wanted to make his

country whole once again, so in 1990 he invaded Kuwait and less than 4 hours

he had taken Kuwait and controlled 24% of the world’s oil supplies. It seemed

as if his next target was Saudi Arabia.

This was where the United States entered after a call for protection by

Saudi Arabia. The United States set a deadline, January 15, 1991 for all Iraq

forces to be out of Kuwait, but Saddam ignored the deadline. That triggered the

Desert Shield or the build up of troops in the region and eventually led to Desert

Storm, an all-out attack to free Kuwait.

It can be clearly said that due to the extreme power and sophistication of

the US and her allies that Saddam and his tiny nation of 17 million people stood

no chance against the military might that is the United States and his allies.
PRINCIPLE OF MASS

Amid growing tension between the two Persian Gulf neighbors, Saddam

Hussein concluded that the United States and the rest of the outside world would

not interfere to defend Kuwait. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait

and quickly seized control of the small nation. Within days, the United States,

along with the United Nations demanded Iraq’s immediate withdrawal. U.S. and

other U.N. members nations began deploying troops in Saudi Arabia within the

week, and the world wide coalition.

When the allied armies launched the ground war on February 23, the Iraqi

occupation forces in Kuwait were already beaten. Cut-off from their supply

bases and headquarters by the intense air campaign, thousands of Iraqi soldiers

simply gave up rather than fight, as the allies pushed through Iraq’s defenses

with relative ease. In the few cases where the more elite Iraqi forces, such as

the Republican Guard, stood and fought, superior American, British and French

equipment and training proved the undoing of the Soviet-equipped Iraqis.

By February 26. U.S. and allied Arab forces, along with the underground

Kuwaiti resistance, controlled Kuwait City and allied air forces pounded the

retreating Iraqi occupation army. In southern Iraq, allied armored forces stood at

the Euphrates River near Basra, and internal rebellions began to break out

against Saddam’s regime. On February 27, President Bush ordered cease-fire

and the surviving Iraqi troops were allowed to escape back into southern Iraq.

On March 3, 1991, Iraq accepted the terms of the cease-fire and the fighting

ended.
RESULTS

Saddam Hussein rejection of diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis lead to

the decision to restore Kuwait’s sovereignty by military force. The ensuing air

war and the effects of the economic embargo decimated Iraq’s military

infrastructure, severed communication and supply lines, smashed weapons

arsenals, and destroyed morale. Overall, the coalition air campaign

accumulated a total 109,876 sorties over the 43 day war, an average of 2,555

sorties per day. Of these, over 27,000 targeted scuds, airfields, air defenses,

electrical power, biological and chemical weapons, headquarters, intelligence

assets, communication, Iraqi Army, and oil refining.

LESSONS LEARNED

Saddam Hussein remains a powerful, yet harsh leader of Iraq. In Iraq,

Saddam had the most powerful army of the Arab world. Even with the strongest

artillery, he has a history strategic disasters. His goal was to become the ruler of

the Middle East and his pride wouldn’t allow him to settle for any less. After an

unsuccessful war with his neighbor Iran, his next target was Kuwait. Kuwait was

a great source of oil, and Saddam thought it was belong to Iraq, as it had in the

past. On August 2, 1990, Saddam invaded Kuwait, and Saddam was suddenly

faced with an allied coalition against him, which he hadn’t expected. Saddam

was premature in his invasion of Kuwait, it mounted to be disastrous mistakes.

The miscalculations and mistakes during the gulf War, led to Saddam losing the

war, but maintaining his regime.

Saddam underestimated the power of coalition against him,

Saddam couldn’t see what was coming when found Iraq slashed with US laser
guided missiles. He found himself under allied bombardment of the Iraqi capital.

Even though Saddam may not have minded, the casualties reached up to one

hundred thousand over the course of the war. Even when the allies were able to

maintain a “blitzkrieg” blasting through Iraqi defenses, with few casualties,

Saddam still didn’t see of didn’t want to see what he was up against. This great

miscalculation cost Saddam Kuwait, the war, and his great power. Saddam may

have underestimated the allied forces, but he also underestimated his own

defenses.

Saddam put too much confidence in his weapon system. Iraq had a 5

hundred thousand man army with 7,000 tanks, and 3,000 artillery pieces.

Saddam was positive this would be enough to outnumber the opposing coalition.

He had top of the line Soviet planes, but even those were a whole generation

behind US Technology. This left Iraq with little air defense. Without a view from

the air, it was hard for Saddam to see the “chessboard” or how the “playing field”

was set up. With little resistance, the US was able to take Iraq from the air.

One of Saddam’s biggest mistakes was letting his pride run the war. This

pride made him predictable and self-destructing. Even when Saddam realized

the US could wipe out cities, his elite Republican Guard” even kill him.

On February 22, 1991, under allied bombs, Saddam proposed a

“withdrawal”, but it turned out to be a hoax, and a mistake. When word got out

that morning, many Iraqis and Americans alike were cheering. It was too good

to be true. When finally reviewed by President Bush, it was learned the

surrender was much less that acceptable. It had many preconditions and even

some new ones. Saddam should have withdrawn unconditionally, but his pride
and poor tactics drove him to continue playing with US tolerance. This was the

last straw and the US with his allies set up to end Operation Desert Storm.

ACTION IF YOU ARE THE COMMANDER

If we put ourselves on the foot of Saddam Hussein, we would not

underestimate the capability of the enemy knowing that to fight with US and UN

will absolutely result to a defeat. At first hand, when the U.N. ask for a

diplomatic effort to solve the crisis, the Iraq government could have ask a

bilateral agreement to Kuwait as to the problem in oil and territorial dispute. I

believe that the U.N. will work for the good of both countries. One major factor

that had been considered was a good diplomatic relation with Kuwait after the

Russian Gulf War. If Baghdad gained only a good relationship at the Arab World

and not stand on its own to show to all that he is the most powerful, the situation

would not been gone into a worst and devastating war.

ACTUAL BATTLE RESULT

Casualty Fifures:

Iraq: original figures listed 100,000 Iraqi Military dead, but more recent

estimated place Iraqi dead at 200,000 military and 2,300 civilian.

United States: 148 killed in action, 485 wounded. Also, 121

Americans died through non-combat incidents.

COMBAT LOSSES

IRAQ EQUIPMENT LOSSES COALITION EQUIPMENT LOSSES

TYPE LOST ON HAND LOST ON HAND
Tanks 4,000 4,230 4 3,360
Artillery 2,140 3,110 1 3,633
Apc 1,856 2,870 9 4,050
Helicopters 7 160 17 1,959
Airplanes 240 800 44 2,600

ANALYSIS

Saddam Hussein’s rejection of diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis led to

the decision to restore Kuwait’s sovereignty by military force. The ensuing air

war and the effects of the economic embargo decimated Iraq’s military

infrastructure, severed communication and supply lines, smashed weapons

arsenals, and destroyed morale. Overall, the coalition air campaign

accumulated a total of 109,876 sorties over the 43-day war, an average of 2,555

sorties per day. Of these, over 27,000 targeted Scuds, airfields, air defenses,

electrical power, biological and chemical weapons, headquarters, intelligence

assets, communications, the Iraqi army, and oil refining. One can get some

perspective on the scope of the Gulf air war by comparing it to some

predecessors. The following table presents U.S. Army Air Forces, and U.S. Air

Force bomb tonnage statistics extracted from various wars, compare with Air

Force tonnage dropped in the Gulf War.

War Tonnage Length Tonnage/Month

World War II 2,150,000 45 months 47,777.78
Korea 454,000 37 months 12,270.27
Vietnam/SEA 6,162,000 140 months 44,014.29
Gulf War 60,624 1.5 months 40,416.00

The Gulf War was not an exercise in massive bombing unparalleled in

previous air war history; neither the sortie rates not the bomb tonnage statistics

made it so. The Air Force’s tonnage expenditure in the Gulf War was only 11%

of that expended against Japan (537,000 tons), less 4% of that expended

against Nazi Germany (1,613,000 tons), and less than one percent of the

tonnage which the Air Force dropped in Southeast Asia. In measures of tonnage

dropped per month, the Gulf air war ranked significantly below Vietnam, and was

only 85% if that in the Second World War. Yet, it was more decisive overall in

what it achieved than any of these previous wars.