Operation Desert Storm: A View from Inside China
by Carol Forseth, English Faculty
August 1990:
Iraqi forces invade Kuwait. Iraq annexes Kuwait. The United Nations Security Council and the Arab League condemn the actions.
Operation Desert Shield begins.
Iraqi closes all borders.
I move to Nanchang, China, to teach English at Jiangxi Teachers’ University with a team of American teachers.
January 1991:
Operation Desert Storm is launched in Iraq. Coalition air attacks begin with “shock and awe.”
Saddam Hussein declares that “the battle in which you are locked is the mother of all battles. Our rendezvous with victory is very near.”
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ignores UN resolutions, sets fire to six hundred Kuwaiti oil fields, and dumps millions of gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf.
American teachers in China in a near total media blackout.
No Internet.
No email.
Teachers, starved for news, huddle daily around a radio at 7 AM and 7 PM for Voice of America News updates on the Gulf War. One teacher assigned to raise hand over radio to improve reception.
February 1991:
Iraq Air Force flies its fleet of new and expensive MiG fighter jets to Iran for safekeeping.
Teachers huddle around the radio every twelve hours for Voice of America updates.
President George H. W. Bush issues a 24-hour ultimatum: Iraq must withdraw from Kuwait to avoid starting a ground war.
Teachers huddle around the radio every twelve hours for Voice of America updates.
Coalition forces invade Iraq and Kuwait.
Tens of thousands of Iraqi troops surrender to coalition forces.
Teachers huddle around the radio every twelve hours for Voice of America updates.
One hundred hours later, President George H.W. Bush announces ceasefire, declaring that the Iraqi Army is defeated.
American teachers feeling great relief at the reports of ceasefire, listening to 7 p.m. VOA broadcast while reporter is interviewing Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney:
Reporter: “How might the Iraqi Air Force have made better use of their military aircraft?”
Cheney: “Could’ve flown ‘em.”
