Questions
- How does a veteran’s view on the First Gulf War compare with the people’s view? How do veterans view America after serving in the military?
- Was the First Gulf war more decisive than the Second Gulf War? Why?
- To what extent did veterans disagree with each other about the war?
- Was the First Gulf War successful? In what terms was it successful?
- How did the war change the way veterans viewed other countries?
Discussions and Responses
Although some blame the First Gulf War for leading to attacks on the U.S on 9/11 and embroiling us into the Iraq War, the overall response to the war was largely positive. In fact, former president George Bush was praised for how he handled the circumstances. Bush’s approval rating was 89% by the end of the Gulf War. In the beginning of the war, many believed that the war would only last a couple weeks and were optimistic that the U.S. would see immediate success. One reason for the widespread public support was the rise in popularity of the 24-hour news cycle, which allowed the public to be actively involved in the war. However, some historians claim that the media coverage inaccurately portrayed the war by exaggerating certain aspects. Douglas Kellner, a professor at Columbia, claims that the media “framed the war as an exciting narrative” and chose to show only specifics parts of the war. This is due to the fact that during the Vietnam war, journalists were free to interview soldiers and ask their opinions. Americans at home saw all of the atrocities of war on their televisions, and as a result, many citizens protested the Vietnam war. In order for that to not happen, the military camps in the First Gulf War had public affairs officers who only released certain updates to the press. For example, at the time, CBS only showed the war from the perspective of the U.S Military.
Like the general public, most veterans strongly supported the war. The First Gulf War was seen as the United States’ first major victory after the loss of the Vietnam War, which led to an immense amount of patriotism among the veterans. However, there was also a fair amount of disagreement among veterans. Some believed that it was the U.S’s responsibility to intervene and that this was the only way to prevent World War 3, while others were against U.S’s involvement.
The First Gulf War was critical in changing the veteran’s view of other countries. For Mr. Rees, specifically, the war allowed him to experience other cultures first hand and taught him how to coexist with foreigners, such as people from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. His time in Kuwait pushed him out of his comfort zone and led him to dispel previously held stereotypes.
When compared with the Second Gulf War, the First Gulf War was deemed more decisive and successful. Although the war doesn’t receive the deserved awareness, the First Gulf War was significant because it created an unprecedented Christian-Judeo coalition, marked the beginning of a strong military presence after the Cold War, and succeeded in liberating the country of Kuwait. On the other hand, the Second Gulf War was seen as unnecessary and a failure. For example, according to Mr. Rees, the primary reason behind the failure of the Second Gulf War was outdated military tactics. He claimed that the U.S’s attempt to implement the same strategy from the First Gulf War was the issue with the Second Gulf War.
Like the general public, most veterans strongly supported the war. The First Gulf War was seen as the United States’ first major victory after the loss of the Vietnam War, which led to an immense amount of patriotism among the veterans. However, there was also a fair amount of disagreement among veterans. Some believed that it was the U.S’s responsibility to intervene and that this was the only way to prevent World War 3, while others were against U.S’s involvement.
The First Gulf War was critical in changing the veteran’s view of other countries. For Mr. Rees, specifically, the war allowed him to experience other cultures first hand and taught him how to coexist with foreigners, such as people from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. His time in Kuwait pushed him out of his comfort zone and led him to dispel previously held stereotypes.
When compared with the Second Gulf War, the First Gulf War was deemed more decisive and successful. Although the war doesn’t receive the deserved awareness, the First Gulf War was significant because it created an unprecedented Christian-Judeo coalition, marked the beginning of a strong military presence after the Cold War, and succeeded in liberating the country of Kuwait. On the other hand, the Second Gulf War was seen as unnecessary and a failure. For example, according to Mr. Rees, the primary reason behind the failure of the Second Gulf War was outdated military tactics. He claimed that the U.S’s attempt to implement the same strategy from the First Gulf War was the issue with the Second Gulf War.