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Conflicted: A History Podcast

The Gulf War 1991 – Part 3: Land of Darkness

Aug 10, 2023
The podcast discusses the final moments of the Gulf War, the opening attack on Baghdad, concerns over Israel and SCUD missile attacks, CNN's rise and impact on Gulf War coverage, soldiers' emotions and mindset, prayers and relief in a church, the loss of American soldiers and the devastation in Baghdad, surviving the catastrophe for Saddam Hussein, and the consequences of 9/11 and changing perspectives on invading Iraq.
02:05:08

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The intense bombing campaign in Baghdad during the Gulf War resulted in widespread destruction, loss of basic services, and a significant psychological toll on Iraqi civilians.
  • The sanitized media coverage of the Gulf War, particularly by CNN, created a distorted view for viewers at home, downplaying the overall destruction and casualties.

Deep dives

The Gulf War 1991: Operation Desert Storm

The third and final installment of the podcast series on the 1991 Gulf War is summarized. The episode covers the start of Operation Desert Storm, the unprecedented aerial campaign led by General Norman Schwarzkopf and the US military. It describes the intense bombing of Baghdad, the destruction of the city's infrastructure, and the impact on the Iraqi civilians. The summary highlights the discrepancy between the sanitized portrayal of the war in the media and the harsh reality faced by residents of Baghdad. The summary also discusses the concerns raised by international observers and the growing discomfort within the Bush administration regarding the prolonged destruction of the city. The summary concludes with the accidental bombing of a military bunker in Baghdad as a turning point in public opinion.

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