The 1990s Gulf War was a conflict defined not just by precision airstrikes and high-tech weaponry, but by the raw human experience that unfolded in the sands of the Middle East.
Fought between 1990 and 1991, this war marked the first major post-Cold War military engagement and brought in a new era of real-time warfare, watched by the world through the lens of satellites and news cameras.
Yet beyond the headlines and military briefings, there were quieter, more personal moments, a convoy stretching endlessly into the desert, oil fields burning on the horizon. These powerful images tell the story, not just of battle, but of the people who lived it.
Here are the moments from the Gulf War that were frozen in time, each one a window into a war that changed everything for many.
1
U.S. Special Forces pose with the American flag.
2
Iraqi POWs are marched by Marine guards during Desert Storm. Taken by Patrick Downs
3
General Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of coalition forces.
4
President George H. W. Bush greets coalition forces and Saudi soldiers.
5
A U.S. soldier stands on top of a tank as Kuwaiti oil fields burn behind him.
6
British military vehicles roll across the Saudi desert during Operation Desert Storm.
7
A U.S. soldier wearing full chemical warfare gear.
8
Marines pose during Operation Desert Storm, 1991.
9
Airline crew poses on a destroyed Iraqi tank in front of burning oil fires
10
Taken during a Gulf War protest in New Orleans.
11
A silhouetted U.S. soldier stands watch as Kuwaiti oil fields burn in the background
12
Family and friends greet members of the 82nd Airborne Division upon their return from Operation Desert Storm
13
President George H.W. Bush greets U.S. troops deployed in the Saudi desert.
14
Egyptian troops march with allied Arab forces during Desert Storm operations in Saudi Arabia.
15
Kuwaiti M-84 tank patrols flying the Kuwaiti flag.
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