To understand the Persian Gulf War, it is necessary to understand the past. The Gulf War was not the first major conflict in the Middle East, nor is it likely to be the last. The Mideast has been torn by strife for centuries, reaching as far back as the time of the Crusades and earlier. As the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, religion has always played a major role in the strife of this land. In the 20th century, oil thrust the Middle East onto the world stage. The next few pages detail some of the more important events of the recent past affecting the Mideast today: previous U.S. involvement in the Mideast, the founding of Israel, the tragic civil war in Lebanon, and the Iran-Iraq War-an eight-year war that toughened Iraqi troops to the rigors of desert warfare. Desert Shield was a five-month period in which Allied nations built up their armed forces to face Saddam Hussein's army. Then came Desert Storm, opening with a month-long air war against Iraqi troops and war-making capabilities. Finally, Allied forces-such as these U.S. soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment-began the final phase, the land war. It was only a matter of time before victory was assured.
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