The Gulf War was a 20th-century conflict that saw a Coalition force, headed by the United States, fight the Iraqi military following a devastating invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Split into two parts, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the combat that ensued resulted in widespread devastation, particularly along Highway 80.
Better known as the “Highway of Death,” this expanse of road bore witness to one of the worst events of the war.
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Stretching from Kuwait City, Kuwait, to the Iraq border, the six-lane Highway 80 was a way of traveling through the desert terrain of the two countries. The Iraqi forces made great use of the concrete expanse, using it to launch their invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
Around 88,000 Iraqi troops participated in the invasion, which had been prompted by longstanding tensions between the two sides, with the 20,000-strong force on the Kuwaiti side no match for their manpower and more advanced weaponry and tanks.
Occurring from August 2-4, the invasion marked not only the beginning of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, but also the Gulf War, which saw a Coalition force made up of military troops from numerous countries, including the United States, Egypt, France, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, fight for the country’s freedom.
Launching an assault on the ‘Highway of Death’
On February 26, 1991, the Coalition forces, made up of troops from the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, launched an assault on Highway 80. Authorized by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, it saw aircraft target the retreating Iraqi convoy, made up of thousands of military vehicles, with cluster bombs, causing their destruction. Also caught in the middle of the attack were civilians, who’d taken to the highway to try and escape the war zone.
To kick things off, Grumman A-6 Intruders with the US Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Aircraft Division blocked the convoy from the front and back, essentially boxing them in. With their escape route blocked, the Iraqi soldiers, many of whom were desperate to cross the border, found themselves trapped. Before long, the scene before them devolved into one of chaos and destruction, with US Navy, Air Force and Marine aircraft flying over and dropping their munitions.
By the end of the assault, human bodies and vehicles, charred and still ablaze, were strewn across the highway. While the exact number of casualties are unknown, it’s estimated at least 200 were killed, with most putting that total at over 1,000 individuals. On top of this, between 1,800 and 2,700 vehicles were either destroyed or held, and 2,000 Iraqi troops had been captured.
At the time, military personnel claimed the attack was necessary to protect nearby Allied forces, as blocking the highway would prevent Iraqi reinforcements from moving north and west of Kuwait.
Additional action along Highway 8
Highway 80 wasn’t the only site to witness insurmountable casualties as a result of the Coalition’s assault – on the Iraqi side of the border, hundreds more soldiers lost their lives, making up a significant portion of the overall death toll from the 10-hour attack.
This part of the road, officially known as Highway 8, was being used by the 1st Armored Division Hammurabi of the Republican Guard as an escape route, and it was bombarded by munitions deployed from US artillery units and attack helicopters that were under the command of Gen. Barry McCaffrey.
While those who survived made their way to Baghdad, they were engaged days later by McCaffrey’s forces in the controversial Battle of Rumaila, which occurred after US President George H.W. Bush had declared a ceasefire.
Criticism over what took place along Highway 80
Before long, images of what had taken place on Highway 80 were broadcast across the world by media outlets, who nicknamed it the “Highway of Death.” Many questioned if such a heavy-handed approach was necessary, and some wondered if what occurred could be considered a war crime under the Third Geneva Convention, as the Coalition had failed to distinguish between military targets and civilians.
In 1995, Norman Schwarzkopf explained his motivations for launching the assault. “The first reason why we bombed the highway coming north out of Kuwait is because there was a great deal of military equipment on that highway, and I had given orders to all my commanders that I wanted every piece of Iraqi equipment that we possibly could destroy,” he revealed.
“Secondly, this was not a bunch of innocent people just trying to make their way back across the border to Iraq,” he went on. “This was a bunch of r*****s, murderers and thugs who had r***d and pillaged downtown Kuwait City and now were trying to get out of the country before they were caught.”
Along with the human cost of the assault, people also pointed out its environmental and societal repercussions. The highway and surrounding area had become polluted by oil leaking from the damaged tanks and military vehicles, and the fires caused plumes of heavy, toxic smoke to rise into the air.
How has the ‘Highway of Death’ been memorialized?
The Highway of Death has been depicted in a variety of media that centers around the events of the Gulf War. Jake Gyllenhaal‘s Jarhead (2005) shows US Marines traveling through the concrete expanse, and the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare portrays a similar assault, showing newer generations the death and destruction that occurred along the road.
In terms of military strategy, the fighting that took place along Highway 80 set a precedent for future military operations. Not only did it highlight the importance of adhering to international laws, it also put an emphasis on maintaining ethical standards when it comes to warfare.
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Today, Highway 80 has been rebuilt; if you didn’t know what took place back in February 1991, you’d likely think it was like any other desert road. Notably, it was also used by British and American troops to launch the Iraq War in 2003.