How Saddam Hussein Sparked the Gulf War I SLICE HISTORY

[00:00:01][music] >> The war really begins from the moment Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq, launches his troops into Kuwait.

[00:00:13]These are spearheaded by 100,000 of his Republican Guard, supported by helicopter gunships, armored personnel carriers, mobile artillery, and tanks.

[00:00:28]The tiny Kuwaiti armed forces cannot hope to hold out against the battle-hardened Iraqi troops.

[00:00:45]Although Iraq has always considered Kuwait a part of its own territory, the public reason for the invasion is to prevent Kuwait's oil being sold cheaply.

[00:00:55]That keeps Gulf oil prices down generally, and Iraq needs to sell its own oil for higher prices.

[00:01:02]Immediately the invasion begins, the United Nations Security Council condemns it.

[00:01:07]Moscow stops arm shipments to Baghdad, and the West begins freezing all Iraqi and Kuwaiti assets.

[00:01:16]The next day, the Americans announce they'll be sending a naval task force to the Gulf. [music] Iraq moves its troops closer to the border with Saudi Arabia, and fears grow that the Middle East's richest oil nation might be occupied as well.

[00:01:34]The [music] American response is to begin what becomes the most impressive logistic military operation since World War II.

[00:01:45]4,000 troops of the US [music] 82nd Airborne Division, the elite American paratroopers, along with F-15 and A-10 aircraft, are immediately flown to Saudi Arabia. They're the spearhead of a force that within 6 months will number 1 million.

[00:02:04]Converging in support are nearly 50 American, British, French, and Soviet warships.

[00:02:10]Special forces are undoubtedly flown in, too.

[00:02:15]The diplomatic war then begins in earnest. [music] Iraq announces the annexation of Kuwait and orders out all the foreign diplomats there. The UN condemns this, too.

[00:02:27]12 out of 20 Arab countries agree to send military aid to Saudi Arabia.

[00:02:33]While this is going on, Britain sends in its first squadron of Tornadoes and Jaguars.

[00:02:40]>> The government will contribute forces to a multinational effort for the collective defense of the territory of Saudi Arabia and other threatened states in the area and in support of the United Nations embargo.

[00:02:54]>> Saddam Hussein says he'll leave Kuwait, but linking it to the condition that Israel withdraws from the territories it occupied during the Arab-Israeli War in 1973.

[00:03:05]More and more foreigners try to flee Kuwait, but a Briton, Douglas Cross Gerry, is shot while trying to get away.

[00:03:14]Then a sinister development. Iraq orders 400 Britons and 2,500 Americans to report to hotels or face arrest.

[00:03:24]They're to be detained and housed at key installations as a human shield against Western attack.

[00:03:31]The BBC's World Service issues advice from the Foreign Office.

[00:03:35]>> The Iraqis have stated that if the British community do not move voluntarily, they will face unspecified difficulties.

[00:03:45]If you choose to move, please take all food from your residence with you to give to the management to help their food stocks.

[00:03:55]>> Saddam Hussein's decision is to backfire on him. Those wavering in his support now see the lengths to which he will go to win his so-called [music] holy war.

[00:04:07]Another 40,000 troops are immediately ordered into Saudi Arabia from the US.

[00:04:12]And as well, President Bush sends 20 stealth fighter bombers, some of America's most modern fighter aircraft.

[00:04:21]In the midst of the diplomatic war and the military build-up, there's one small act of resolve that few will forget.

[00:04:28]>> Earlier >> Little Stuart Lockwood is paraded before Iraq's TV cameras to show how well the British hostages are being treated.

[00:04:38]>> Are you getting your milk, Stuart?

[00:04:41]And with cornflakes, too.

[00:04:43]There you go, then.

[00:04:47]>> His courageous look of defiance and contempt wins the hearts of millions.

[00:04:52]>> [clears throat] >> Three weeks after the invasion, the UN gives its approval for force to be used to support a trade embargo against Iraq.

[00:05:03]Britain sends its second squadron of Tornadoes in as the stories of brutality and rape begin to emerge from within Kuwait.

[00:05:12]Mrs. Thatcher begins to attack Europe for its slow response to the crisis.

[00:05:17]Slow and patchy, she calls it.

[00:05:20]>> Some of the military support in some countries was much more hesitant and it was patchy and much later.

[00:05:26]And that therefore we set out the solution that NATO as such must be more ready to put defensive forces out of area.

[00:05:38]>> Saddam Hussein begins to crack a little.

[00:05:41]He allows women and children hostages, guests he calls them, to leave.

[00:06:22]President Gaddafi of Libya, one of his few supporters, offers to supply him with food and fuel.

[00:06:28]But, within 5 weeks of the invasion, American Marines have completed their static defense of Saudi Arabia against invasion from Iraq. It's Margaret Thatcher's cue to announce in a Commons emergency debate, British ground troops will be sent to the Gulf. 100,000 US troops are already [music] in place.

[00:06:48]3 days later, the US Chief of Staff, Colin Powell, says he has 162,000 troops [music] in theater.

[00:06:56]Only a few days after that, Britain announces it will send in the Desert Rats, [music] 6,000 soldiers of the famous 7th Armoured Brigade.

[00:07:07]They made their name in the North Africa campaign under Montgomery in World War II.

[00:07:13]And were based in West Germany, protecting NATO's front line.

[00:07:22]Now, the war of words begins to hot up.

[00:07:24]Support for Saddam at home grows to fever pitch.

[00:07:29]But, Israel's Prime Minister Shamir says he'll [music] attack Iraq if the United States doesn't.

[00:07:38]While the Arab League holds a summit meeting in Cairo, George Habash, leader of the terrorist group PFLP, says his organization will strike US [music] and Western targets the moment the US attacks Iraq.

[00:07:55]The next [music] day, the military command structures are agreed. Allied troops will be under US command while in the event of war, overall control rests with the Saudi Arabians. [music] British troops, led by Brigadier General Sir Peter de la Billière, former commanding [music] officer of the SAS, will be under US command.

[00:08:17]>> Very much at ease working with the Americans. I fought alongside them in Korea.

[00:08:21]I've worked with them intermittently throughout the whole of my 39 years in the service.

[00:08:29]>> Everyone knows though it will be four-star General Norman Schwarzkopf who will run the show. A former American footballer, he's called the Bear by his officers and Stormin' Norman by his men.

[00:08:42]>> As faithful as he feels, he feels if he comes across that border and comes down here, I'm completely confident that we're going to kick his butt when he gets here and it's going to be because of you folks right here.

[00:08:53]>> Throughout October, the diplomats try again to resolve the matter, but Baghdad will not withdraw from Kuwait.

[00:09:05]So, it's on October the 25th that Dick Cheney, the US Defense Secretary, announces that another 150,000 troops will go to Saudi Arabia.

[00:09:16]>> This is a long-term proposition. We're prepared for long haul if that's what it takes to get the job done.

[00:09:23]>> [music] >> Operation Desert Shield is now at its peak.

[00:09:29]Thousands of troops, vehicles, [music] and machinery, as well as sophisticated radars and advanced signaling and command and control equipment are being moved in by ship and air.

[00:09:43]>> [music] >> Day after day, week after week, the mountainous military force is moved into place.

[00:09:56]Saddam now threatens to turn the Arab Peninsula into ashes and proclaims that he'll win the war.

[00:10:04]In response, President Bush orders in another 100,000 troops.

[00:10:11]Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reinforces the Allied position in plain English.

[00:10:17]>> The peaceful solution would be for Iraq to get out of Kuwait.

[00:10:22]That is a matter for them. We hope they will do it. If not, we should have to take the military option and see that Iraq does leave Kuwait.

[00:10:33]>> [music] [music] >> Then, on November the 29th, the UN makes the decision which determines that a war is inevitable.

[00:10:50]If Iraqi forces stay in Kuwait after January the 15th, Allied troops will be permitted to remove them by force.

[00:10:57][music] Another crack appears in Saddam Hussein's armor. He releases all the hostages, some of whom were held as human shields and were therefore able to bring back helpful information about targets to the coalition's military planners.

[00:11:16]>> Actually, you'd have been better off if you'd probably gone home a few days later, cuz now we've got all the Christmas shopping to do.

[00:11:22]>> [laughter] [music] >> Prince Charles visits the Death or Glory Boys, the 17th/21st Lancers, famed for their courage during the Charge [music] of the Light Brigade.

[00:11:40]On the same day, Iraq claims it will not only never give up Kuwait, it [music] will deploy chemical weapons if attacked.

[00:11:47]>> What are we going to do?

[00:11:48]>> It was a situation that concerned the Queen in her Christmas message to the Commonwealth.

[00:11:53]>> Yes, sure.

[00:11:53]>> The invasion of Kuwait was an example on an international scale of an evil which has beset us at different levels in recent years.

[00:12:04]Attempts by ruthless people to impose their will on the peaceable majority.

[00:12:13]>> In the new year, another morale-boosting visit comes from the new Prime Minister, John Major.

[00:12:19]>> [music] >> After a few days, the Iraqi and US foreign ministers finally meet face-to-face in Geneva.

[00:12:26]They're together for 6 hours. The world awaits the outcome. It's stalemate. Iraq will not withdraw from Kuwait, and the allies will not negotiate anything else until they do.

[00:12:38]Desert Shield and Desert Sword are soon to become Desert Storm.

[00:12:43]>> I heard nothing today that in over 6 hours, I heard nothing that suggested to me any Iraqi flexibility whatsoever on complying with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

[00:12:57]>> It's a most remarkable logistical operation. 650,000 troops, 1,400 tanks, 1,200 armored vehicles, and self-propelled artillery.

[00:13:09]Over 500 [music] fighter planes, 300 helicopters, and more than 100 warships, >> [music] >> including five carrier battle groups.

[00:13:19]All with the engineering [music] support, medical backup, and command and control structure needed to operate on a desert battlefield or a gulf sea.

[00:13:32]>> [music]