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History |
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Wars & Campaigns |
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►Boer
War
►First
World War
►►Western
Front
►►►Trench
Warfare: 1914-1916
►►►Allied
Offensive: 1916
►►►Allied
Offensives: 1917
►►►German
Offensive: 1918
►►►Advance
to Victory: 1918
►►Siberia
►Second
World War
►►War
Against Japan
►►North
Africa
►►Italian
Campaign
►►►Sicily
►►►Southern
Italy
►►►The
Sangro and Moro
►►►Battles
of the FSSF
►►►Cassino
►►►Liri
Valley
►►►Advance
to Florence
►►►Gothic
Line
►►►Winter
Lines
►►North-West
Europe
►►►Normandy
►►►Southern
France
►►►Channel
Ports
►►►Scheldt
►►►Nijmegen
Salient
►►►Rhineland
►►►Final
Phase
►Korean
War
►Cold
War
►Gulf
War |
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Operations |
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Battle Honours |
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Boer War
First World War
Western Front
Trench Warfare: 1914-1916
Allied Offensive: 1916
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►Somme, 1916 |
1
Jul-18 Nov 16 |
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►Albert |
.1-13
Jul 16 |
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►Bazentin |
.14-17
Jul 16 |
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►Pozieres |
.23
Jul-3 Sep 16 |
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►Guillemont |
.3-6
Sep 16 |
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►Ginchy |
.9
Sep 16 |
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►Flers-Courcelette |
15-22
Sep 16 |
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►Thiepval |
26-29
Sep 16 |
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►Le Transloy |
.
1-18 Oct 16 |
Allied
Offensives: 1917
|
►Arras 1917 |
8
Apr-4 May 17 |
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►Vimy, 1917 |
.9-14
Apr 17 |
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►Arleux |
28-29 Apr 17 |
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►Scarpe, 1917 |
.3-4
May17 |
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►Hill 70 |
.15-25
Aug 17 |
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►Messines, 1917 |
.7-14
Jun 17 |
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►Ypres, 1917 |
..31
Jul-10 Nov 17 |
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►Pilckem |
31
Jul-2 Aug 17 |
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►Langemarck, 1917 |
.16-18
Aug 17 |
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►Menin Road |
.20-25
Sep 17 |
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►Polygon Wood |
26
Sep-3 Oct 17 |
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►Broodseinde |
.4
Oct 17 |
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►Poelcapelle |
.9
Oct 17 |
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►Passchendaele |
.12
Oct 17 |
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►Cambrai, 1917 |
20
Nov-3 Dec 17 |
German Offensive: 1918
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►Somme, 1918 |
.21
Mar-5 Apr 18 |
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►St. Quentin |
.21-23
Mar 18 |
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►Bapaume, 1918 |
.24-25
Mar 18 |
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►Rosieres |
.26-27
Mar 18 |
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►Avre |
.4
Apr 18 |
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►Lys |
.9-29
Apr 18 |
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►Estaires |
.9-11
Apr 18 |
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►Messines, 1918 |
.10-11
Apr 18 |
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►Bailleul |
.13-15
Apr 18 |
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►Kemmel |
.17-19
Apr 18 |
Advance to Victory: 1918
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►Arras, 1918 |
.26
Aug-3 Sep 18 |
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►Scarpe, 1918 |
26-30 Aug 18. |
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►Drocourt-Queant |
.2-3
Sep 18 |
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►Hindenburg Line |
.12
Sep-9 Oct 18 |
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►Canal du Nord |
.27
Sep-2 Oct 18 |
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►St. Quentin Canal |
.29
Sep-2 Oct 18 |
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►Epehy |
3-5
Oct 18 |
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►Cambrai, 1918 |
.8-9
Oct 18 |
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►Valenciennes |
.1-2
Nov 18 |
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►Sambre |
.4
Nov 18 |
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►Pursuit to Mons |
.28 Sep-11Nov |
Second World War
War Against Japan
South-East Asia
Italian Campaign
Battle of Sicily
Southern
Italy
The Sangro and Moro
Battles of the FSSF
|
►Anzio |
22
Jan-22 May 44 |
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►Rome |
.22
May-4 Jun 44 |
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►Advance
|
.22
May-22 Jun 44 |
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to the Tiber |
. |
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►Monte Arrestino |
25
May 44 |
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►Rocca Massima |
27
May 44 |
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►Colle Ferro |
2
Jun 44 |
Cassino
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►Cassino II |
11-18
May 44 |
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►Gustav Line |
11-18
May 44 |
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►Sant' Angelo in
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13
May 44 |
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Teodice |
. |
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►Pignataro |
14-15 May 44 |
Liri Valley
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►Hitler Line |
18-24 May 44 |
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►Melfa Crossing |
24-25 May 44 |
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►Torrice Crossroads |
30
May 44 |
Advance to Florence
Gothic Line
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►Gothic Line |
25 Aug-22 Sep 44 |
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►Monteciccardo |
27-28 Aug 44 |
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►Point 204 (Pozzo Alto) |
31 Aug 44 |
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►Borgo Santa Maria |
1 Sep 44 |
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►Tomba di Pesaro |
1-2 Sep 44 |
Winter Lines
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►Rimini Line |
14-21 Sep 44 |
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►San Martino- |
14-18 Sep 44 |
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San Lorenzo |
. |
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►San Fortunato |
18-20 Sep 44 |
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►Sant' Angelo |
11-15 Sep 44 |
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in Salute |
. |
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►Bulgaria Village |
13-14 Sep 44 |
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►Pisciatello |
16-19 Sep 44 |
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►Savio Bridgehead |
20-23
Sep 44 |
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►Monte La Pieve |
13-19
Oct 44 |
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►Monte Spaduro |
19-24 Oct 44 |
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►Monte San Bartolo |
11-14
Nov 44 |
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►Lamone Crossing |
2-13
Dec 44 |
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►Capture of Ravenna |
3-4
Dec 44 |
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►Naviglio Canal |
12-15 Dec 44 |
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►Fosso Vecchio |
16-18 Dec 44 |
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►Fosso Munio |
19-21 Dec 44 |
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►Conventello- |
2-6 Jan 45 |
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Comacchio |
. |
Northwest Europe
Battle of Normandy
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►Quesnay Road |
10-11 Aug 44 |
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►St. Lambert-sur- |
19-22 Aug 44 |
Southern France
Channel Ports
The Scheldt
Nijmegen Salient
Rhineland
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►The
Reichswald |
8-13 Feb 45 |
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►Waal
Flats |
8-15 Feb 45 |
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►Moyland
Wood |
14-21 Feb 45 |
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►Goch-Calcar
Road |
19-21 Feb 45 |
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►The
Hochwald |
26
Feb- |
| . |
4
Mar 45 |
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►Veen |
6-10 Mar 45 |
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►Xanten |
8-9
Mar 45 |
Final Phase
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►The
Rhine |
23
Mar-1 Apr 45 |
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►Emmerich-Hoch
|
28
Mar-1 Apr 45 |
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Elten |
. |
Korean War
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Domestic Missions |
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►FLQ
Crisis |
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International
Missions |
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►ICCS
Vietnam 1973
►MFO
Sinai 1986- |
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Peacekeeping |
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►UNTEA |
W. N. Guinea 1963-1964 |
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►ONUCA |
C. America
1989-1992 |
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►UNTAC |
Cambodia
1992-1993 |
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►UNMOP |
Prevlaka
1996-2001 |
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Exercises |
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The Gulf War
The Gulf War (1990–1991)
(also called the Persian Gulf War, First Gulf War, or (erroneously, see
below) Operation DESERT STORM) was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition
approximately 20 nations led by the United States and mandated by the
United Nations in order to liberate Kuwait. The war was precipitated by an
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990. The invasion was met with economic
sanctions by the United Nations and a military build-up along the Iraqi
border with Saudi Arabia by coalition forces led by the United States,
called Operation DESERT SHIELD. An aerial campaign against Iraqi forces
began in January 1991, with a ground campaign liberating Kuwait in February
1991. The Canadian Forces' contribution to the campaign was termed
Operation FRICTION.
Background
After an eight year war
between Iran and Iraq with neither side being able to strike a decisive
blow, a cease fire was arranged in 1988. Saddam Hussein, Iraq's leader,
was left with the fourth largest standing army in the world - and a debt
equal to 80 billion US dollars.
Hussein looked to oil-rich
Kuwait as a simple solution; citing border disputes real or imagined, and
accusing the Kuwaitis of slant-drilling to obtain oil from Iraqi
territory, he ordered an invasion for 1 August 1990. The country was quickly
annexed.
Political and economic
sanctions were placed on Iraq, with the United Nations strongly objecting
to the annexation of Kuwait. Iraq had been seen as an ally of the US; the
overthrow of the pro-US Shah in 1979 and the yearlong hostage taking at
the US embassy had resulted in Hussein becoming a "strange bedfellow" in
the middle east for the US. Yet, when Kuwait was seized, fear that oil
resources in the region would be controlled by an out of control dictator
prompted the US to make hard decisions.
Fewer than two weeks
elapsed after Iraq's successful invasion before Operation DESERT SHIELD
had established a strong US military presence in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis,
also very much reliant on their oil production, were concerned that they,
too, might become a victim of Iraqi aggression and despite their
misgivings about large numbers of western troops using their country as a
military base, agreed to host a large coalition of forces.
Both sides began deploying
troops to the region; nearly 500,000 Iraqi soldiers with 4,300 armoured
vehicles were in southern Iraq by 1 January 1991; across the border were
assembled 650,000 troops and 3,600 AFVs.
Operation DESERT STORM - an
aerial offensive - began on the night of 16/17 January 1991. Coalition air
forces, augmented by Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from the sea,
established air superiority over Iraq in four days, then turned their
attention to tactical missions, destroying Iraqi ground forces in their
well prepared defensive positions.
Ground War
Operaton DESERT SABER - the
actual name for the ground offensive - began on 24 February 1991. Coalition
commander General H. Norman Schwarzkopf initiated a deception plan, with
Marine units simulating an imminent offshore invasion from the sea,
pinning enemy units in place. With Iraqi aerial reconnaissance disabled,
the Coalition shifted its forces to the west, planning a wide sweeping
movement into the Iraqi rear using the US VII Corps. Kuwait itself was to
be liberated by Syrian, Egyptian, Saudi Arabian, United Arab Emirate, and
US Marine forces.
VII Corps, consisting of
the US 1st Armored Cavalry Division, US 1st Armored Division, and US 3rd
Armored Division, British 1st Armoured Division, US 1st Infantry Division,
and the US 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, also included forces from Kuwait,
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria along with other smaller contingents. An
Airborne corps including the French 6th Light Armoured Division, US 82nd
Airborne Division, US 101st Airborne Divisions, US 24th Infantry Division,
and the US 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment was also deployed into action,
moving fast and deep into the Euphrates Valley where it formed a blocking
force to prevent the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait in good order.
The ground campaign was
over in 100 hours, and was notable for how little actual fighting took
place. Iraqi soldiers, demoralized by the air campaign, surrendered en
masse when given the opportunity. Crack Republican Guard units, however,
favoured by better equipment and training as Hussein's personal Praetorian
guard, offered more resistance, but were also no match for Coalition
firepower. The end of the campaign came on 6 April 1991 when a formal
cease fire went into effect.
Canadian Participation
About 4,000 Canadian Forces
personnel participated in the Gulf War, with a peak of 2,700 personnel in
the Persian Gulf region. In addition to ships in the Persian Gulf, a sizeable Canadian Air Task Group was deployed to
Doha, Quatar with the joint Headquarters, in Manamah, Bahrain. This force
provided combat air patrols, air transport and air-to-air refuelling
missions, and Canadian CF-18 aircraft completed 56 bombing sorties against
Iraqi forces.1
-
Joint Headquarters -
Canadian Forces in the Middle East was established 6 November 1990,c
ommanded by Commodore Kenneth J. Summers, with a communications unit and
joint military staffs
-
Canadian Naval Task Group
- included HMCS Terra Nova and HMCS Athabaskan as escorts
for two US hospital ships. USHS Mercy included a Canadian medical
staff, the other vessel was USHS Comfort. HMCS Protecteur,
an armed oiler-replenisher, supported all Coalition naval forces in the
Gulf War. The five Sea-King helicopters attached to the group peformed
liaison, utility and recce tasks.
-
Canadian Air Task Group -
provided CF-18s for combat air patrols, sweep and escort missions, as
well as air-to-ground bombing against Iraqi ground and sea targets.
-
1 Canadian Field Hospital
- moved from Petawawa, Ontario to support British troops of 1 (UK)
Armoured Division. Became operational 25 February 1991 and stopped
operations on 4 March 1991.
-
Air Command Transport
Group - provided personnel and cargo transport via 27 CC-130 Hercules
aircraft and five CC-137 Boeing 707 (one of which provided aerial
refuelling for coalition aircraft). The Commander of Canadian Forces in
the Gulf also utilized a CC-144 Challenger.
-
Force Mobile Command
provided a company of infantry for security at two Canadian bases, Canada
Dry 1 and Canada Dry 2.
Operation BROADSWORD, a
deployment of 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group from Germany to the
Middle East, never materialized beyond the theoretical.2
The Canadian Forces
summarize experience in the war as follows:
Canada sent forces to the Persian Gulf
region in 1990-1991 to support the UN in its Security Council
resolutions to liberate Kuwait. Within the overall military operation,
Canadians provided detachments of air, navy, and land forces. There were
no Canadian casualties attributable to combat or military action during
the war.3
Aftermath and Postwar
Canada provided
peacekeeping troops to UNIKOM
(UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission), and a field engineer unit and
staffs created a new buffer zone between Iraq and Kuwait. Tasks included
construction and mine clearance. Naval units remained in the Gulf in
1991 and 1992 to enforce sanctions.
Notes
-
Canadian Forces Backgrounder 3 April
1997 Project Number BG-97.017
-
Dr. Sean Maloney explores
the reasons why in his article "Missed Opportunity: Operation
BROADSWORD, 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade and the Gulf War 1990-1991" in
The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin: Canada's Professional Journal
on Army Issues Volume 5, Number 1 (Department of National Defence,
Spring 2002)
-
CF Backgrounder, Ibid
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