CBS2 Classics

By Jeff Capellini
NEW YORK (CBS) ― Long before he was found hiding in a hole, Saddam Hussein was the Middle East's biggest bully.

On Aug. 2, 1990, the Iraqi dictator tested the patience of the United States by invading tiny Kuwait, then a wealthy yet defenseless country.

Hussein's life hasn't been the same since.

Despite repeated requests by the U.S.-led coalition to remove his troops from Kuwait, Hussein would not relent. He was given numerous deadlines to comply; yet he continued to ignore the world. President George Bush authorized the deployment of troops to the Middle East in anticipation of an air and sea war against Iraq.

Hussein, for all intents and purposes, dared the Americans to attack his country.

Then, on Jan. 16, 1991, Bush gave the Iraqi dictator what he wanted, armed conflict.
Click here to see a CBS2 Classics breaking news report showing Dan Rather telling the nation the U.S. has gone to war

Operation Desert Storm was kicked off by a massive air campaign that pummeled strategic positions throughout Iraq. Click here to see a CBS2 Classics clip showing incredible pictures of Smart missiles striking targets in Kuwait and Iraq, and scenes of Baghdad's skyline lit up by missiles and anti-missile fire

In the first few days of the war, coalition forces launched thousands of missiles from the Persian Gulf and flew thousands of sorties over Iraqi airspace.

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story on coalition air supremacy

Americans back at home were able to view war as it happened for the first time, thanks to advances in technology. People watched in amazement as laser-guided bombs and tracer fire were seen over the airwaves using night vision technology. Buildings and roads were obliterated right before our eyes. Cameras hitched rides on missiles, riding shotgun on suicide missions that would end with a massive explosion somewhere in or around Baghdad.

Names like Schwarzkopf and words like SCUD and Patriot missiles were on everyone's tongue as Americans remained glued to their televison sets for immediate dramatic reports from the front lines.

Click here to share your memories or stories about the 1991 Gulf War.

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story on technology bringing the fighting into our homes

Yet despite the coalition's dominance throughout the six-week-long war, there were moments that left some questioning the need for bullets and bombs. Though the nightly news was filled with pictures of fighter jets, Tomahawk missiles and Apache attack helicopters successfully hitting their targets in Iraq, Americans were sometimes given moments of pause.

A few days into the offensive, Iraq launched SCUD missile attacks against Israel, the United States' closest ally. It didn't take long for news outlets to air footage of leveled neighborhoods in Haifa and Tel Aviv.

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story on SCUD missile attacks in Israel

Jews in New York flocked to temples and synagogues to pray for their friends and families in Israel. However, soon they were worrying more about themselves as bomb threats became a daily occurrence in the city. Threats of violence against the United States started dominating the headlines and the nightly news.
Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story on bomb threats and heightened security in NYC

At the same time, troops from this area started getting called to war.

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics report about reservists from Garden City getting the call

Click here to see CBS2 Classics story about soldiers from Staten Island leaving for war

Not too long after the first bombs were dropped, the first POWs started showing up on American TV screens. New York was not spared the horror. Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story about one New York family's struggle to come to grips with a POW scenario

Despite the unavoidable ugliness of war, tri-state area residents showed overwhelming support throughout the entire conflict. Whether it was spray-painted sheets hanging in trees or enormous advertising signs along highways applauding President Bush, the message was clear: The U.S.-led war in the Middle East was being fought for the right reasons.

Area residents started thinking of all kinds of inventive ways to do "their part" in supporting the war effort.

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story about yellow ribbons and American flags flying off shelves

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics story on unbridled patriotism in New Jersey

Click here to see a CBS2 Classics report about how one New Jersey family took a simple idea and turned it into a great show of support for the troops

By Feb. 26, the coalition had taken control of Kuwait City, and on March 3 Iraq accepted terms of a cease-fire.

In all, the United States suffered a little more than 300 deaths in the war, a remarkable number considering the enemy's losses. In June 1991, the U.S. estimated that more than 100,000 Iraqi soldiers died, 300,000 were wounded, 150,000 deserted and 60,000 were taken prisoner.

The largest single loss of coalition forces happened as a result of a SCUD missile attack against U.S. military barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Twenty-eight Army reservists from Pennsylvania were killed in the attack.

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