The document discusses the Highway of Death during the 1991 Gulf War. American and coalition forces attacked a retreating Iraqi military convoy traveling on Highway 80 between Kuwait and Iraq over 10 hours. Aircraft dropped cluster bombs and incendiary rounds, destroying over 1,800 vehicles and resulting in between 200-1,000 casualties. The attack was controversial as the Iraqi forces were withdrawing and some argue it violated the Geneva Conventions.
The document discusses the Highway of Death during the 1991 Gulf War. American and coalition forces attacked a retreating Iraqi military convoy traveling on Highway 80 between Kuwait and Iraq over 10 hours. Aircraft dropped cluster bombs and incendiary rounds, destroying over 1,800 vehicles and resulting in between 200-1,000 casualties. The attack was controversial as the Iraqi forces were withdrawing and some argue it violated the Geneva Conventions.
The document discusses the Highway of Death during the 1991 Gulf War. American and coalition forces attacked a retreating Iraqi military convoy traveling on Highway 80 between Kuwait and Iraq over 10 hours. Aircraft dropped cluster bombs and incendiary rounds, destroying over 1,800 vehicles and resulting in between 200-1,000 casualties. The attack was controversial as the Iraqi forces were withdrawing and some argue it violated the Geneva Conventions.
The document discusses the Highway of Death during the 1991 Gulf War. American and coalition forces attacked a retreating Iraqi military convoy traveling on Highway 80 between Kuwait and Iraq over 10 hours. Aircraft dropped cluster bombs and incendiary rounds, destroying over 1,800 vehicles and resulting in between 200-1,000 casualties. The attack was controversial as the Iraqi forces were withdrawing and some argue it violated the Geneva Conventions.
Content About highway Army forces Used weapons Controversies Interesting fact Conclusion The Highway of Death isa six-lane highway between Kuwait and Iraq officially known as Highway 80 During the American led coalition offensive in the Persian Gulf War American, Canadian, British and French aircraft and ground forces attacked retreating Iraqi military personnel attempting to leave Kuwait On the night of February 26–27, 1991 The attack began when A-6 Intruder attack jets of the United States Marine Corps blocked the head and tail of the column on Highway 80
Over the next 10 hours, scores of U.S. Marine and
U.S. Air Force aircraft and U.S. Navy pilots from USS Ranger attacked the convoy using a variety of weapons. This bombing was done with cluster bombs and incendiary rounds. A cluster bomb is a weapon containing
multiple explosive submunitions.
Vehicles surviving the air attacks were later engaged by arriving coalition ground units, while most of the vehicles that managed to evade the traffic jam and continued to drive on the road north were targeted individually. The wreckage found on the highway consisted from: At least 28 tanks and other armored vehicles. The great majority of vehicles were civilian types: ◦ cars ◦ buses ◦ milk trucks ◦ tractors ◦ ambulances ◦ and fire trucks Also it should be emphasized that they The massacre of withdrawing Iraqi were retreating. However, retreating does soldiers violates the Geneva Conventions not equal surrendered. If they didn’t of 1949, Common Article III, which surrender then they were enemy outlaws the killing of soldiers who are combatants. Moreover retreating or out of combat,” wrote Joyce Chediac. “falling back” is considered a tactical “The Iraqi troops were not being driven movement. The vast majority of the out of Kuwait by U.S. troops as the Bush casualties of war occur in the retreat, and administration maintains. They were not so effectively the object of battle is to retreating in order to regroup and fight force the opposing army into retreat, at again. In fact, they were withdrawing, which point you deal the true “’death they were going home.” blow”. Controversies Interesting fact: Most of the vehicles were abandoned by the time they were struck. While high casualty counts are upwards of 10,000 for the entire battle, low end estimates are only around 200-300. The final tally is probably in the low 1000s. In total between 1800-2700 vehicles were destroyed. Conclusion After the carnage was over, some 2,000 mangled Iraqi vehicles, and charred and dismembered bodies of Iraqi soldiers lay for miles along what came to be known as the “Highway of Death”.