On this day, January the 18th, in the year of 1991, the Persian Gulf War, the American and allied declared war against Iraq in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, entered its second day.

In August of 1990, a near decades long war with neighboring Iran left Iraq depleted of economic resources. A quick way for Iraq to gain such resources back was to invade the bordering nation Kuwait, who themselves had oil and better access to the ocean, allowing for easier exportation of oil.

The U.S. and other nations told Iraq to pull their military out of Kuwait, and when they didn’t, the U.S. and thirty-eight other nations retaliated with invasion, one of largest coalitions in history.

The Persian Gulf War would end the following month, with the coalition seeing below 1,000 deaths, while Iraq saw over 45,000 (History) (NPR).

To read more daily facts and tidbits and about American wars in the Middle East, see the Barron Perspectives “On this Day Archives” webpage articles such as “(Saddam Hussein Captured) On This Day – December 13th” and “On This Day – October 7th (Afghanistan War)”.