ABSTRACT
Operation Desert Storm, or the Persian Gulf War, was the first major employment of American military force after the Vietnam War. In important ways, it was a transitional military experience for the United States. The period between Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War thus provided the military a comparative respite in which to regroup and regenerate itself. Prior to 1979, the Iranian government had secured American access to Persian Gulf oil, acting effectively as a surrogate for American interests and minimizing the need for direct American presence. Changing military objectives and strategies divided the Persian Gulf conflict into two distinct but closely related phases, Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Desert Shield, as the name implies, was almost entirely defensive in nature. Desert Storm was purely offensive, designed to drive the Iraqis from Kuwait by force of arms, to destroy Iraq's offensive military capability, and thus to create a better state of peace in the war's wake.
