Home · War & Conflict · 1991 Gulf War · The 1991 Gulf War
Topic spans: 1990 - 2001
The 1991 Gulf War
Unlike any conflict before, the Gulf War of 1991 played out in a brave new world of biological warfare. A round-the-clock television audience was captivated by the flying missiles that lit up the night sky. Canadian troops, sent abroad for combat for the first time since the Korean War joined the Allied forces to fight Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. On the surface, the occupation ended swiftly and decisively as the Iraqi forces retreated. But as was evident over the next decade, the problems remained unresolved.
32 television clips
6 radio clips
The invasion and annexation of Kuwait
Broadcast Date: Aug. 2, 1990
Tanks roll noisily into the capital, Kuwait City. The Iraqi forces, estimated to be in the tens of thousands, have taken the small emirate of Kuwait under siege, claiming possession. Some citizens take refuge in their homes while others secure escape routes across the desert and out of the country. Foreign correspondents including the CBC's Alison Smith try to make sense of the invasion, filing stories from their hotel rooms.The United Nations condemns the attack by Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein. Saddam justifies the assault by accusing Kuwait of stealing oil from Iraqi territory. Leaders around the world, however, condemn the Iraqi move as an act of "naked aggression," a transparent attempt to secure more of the region's oil resources. Canada deems Saddam's actions as "totally unacceptable." American President George Bush says he will seek to resolve the issue through trade sanctions against Iraq and that military action is unlikely.
The invasion and annexation of Kuwait
• Before Kuwait was invaded by Iraq, it held close to a quarter of the world's oil supplies. Petroleum is Kuwait's prime industry for export revenue and government earnings.• It was estimated that there were roughly 300 casualties in the overtaking of Kuwait. Witnesses described the event as "swift and vicious."
The invasion and annexation of Kuwait
Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: Aug. 2, 1990
Guest(s): Hettie Lubberding, Michael Trew
Host: Knowlton Nash
Reporter: Alison Smith
Duration: 4:40
Last updated:
July 15, 2008
Activez le Javascript sur votre navigateur...
38 clips in this topic . page
Television
3:10
July 15, 1983
American cruise missile testing to take place on Canadian soil.
Radio
4:23
Nov. 11, 1944
Each November 11, we honour the more than 116,000 Canadian men and women who died in war and peacekeeping missions.
Topic from Radio-Canada
For Teachers - Educational activities
External sites
- Department of Defence: 10 Years ago…The Gulf War!
- Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Canada-Iraqi Relations
- Department of Defence: Airfield Engineers: The Gulf War
- Department of Defence: Canada's Military Legacy
- Department of Defence: Status of Gulf War Veterans
- CIA: Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction Report
The invasion and annexation of Kuwait.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: July 15, 2008.
[Page consulted on Feb. 9, 2010.]