27 Feb (continuing)       (2,870 initial inventory), and 2,140 artillery pieces (3,110 initial inven-
                          tory) have been destroyed.
                    General Nornan Schwa~l:opf details battle plan of OPERA~QN DESERT
                          STORM. Outnumbered 2-1, with fewer tanks/artillery, facing a
                          heavily-dug in force, preliminary tactics were devised consisting of:
                    * Initial alignment of ground forces - Deliberately deployed forces near King
                          Khalid Military City directly aligned on Iraqi positions to present
                          frontal defensive line.
                    * Naval threat - Continual naval and Marine amphibious force presence
                          in Arabian Gulf served as a major deterrent by forcing Iraq to keep
                          thousands of troops deployed along the coastline to defend against a
                          possible large-scale amphibious landing. Conducted a number of
                          amphibious rehearsals, including Operation Imminent Thunder,
                          forcing Iraq to concentrate forces to defend against landing or raids.
                    * Air campaign - Utilized U.S. Navy (carrier-based), U.S. Marine and U.S.
                          and coalition ground air forces to isolate KTO, destroyed bridges
                          and supply lines running north or south in Iraq, interdicted reinforce-
                          ment and resupply, bombed troops to weaken and attrite number
                          (front line Iraqi troops attritted to 50% or below, second level attrit-
                          ted to 50-75%), destroyed Iraqi Air Force, and neutralized Iraqi
                          reconnaissance capability. Once blinded, allowed U.S./coalition
                          forces to shift to the west ("the Hail Mary play") without opposition or
                          counter-attack.
                    * Logistics - Troops flanking westward were equipped with fuel, ammo,
                          spare parts, water and food to be self-sustained for 60 days.
                    * Special operations - Special forces were inserted into Iraq providing
                          strategic reconnaissance/targeting.
                    Mter G-Day, the next two days, simultaneous sea and ground operations en-
                          sued: special forces conducted mine countermeasures in Arabian
                          Gulf, threatened coastal flanks with amphibious operations; carrier
                          and ground-based air strikes and restrikes prevented bridge rebuild-
                          ing; U.S. and coalition forces deployed to block a Republican Guard
                          avenue of egress out of Kuwait; set up a flanking guard position pre-
                          venting attack from any force; with naval gunfire support, began
                          attacks to the east to engage remnants of Republican Guard tank
                          units; 1st Marine Division engaged and seized Kuwaiti International
                          Airport; 2nd Marine Division encircled and cut off avenue of egress
                          out of Kuwait City.
                    General Schwarzkopf declares massive destruction of Iraqi army: states Iraq
                          is no longer a regional military threat. "unless someone choose~
                          rearm them in the future."
                    At 2100 (EST), President Bush addresses the nation, declares "Kuwait is
                          liberated. Iraq's army is defeated." The President announces that at
                          2400 (EST), "exactly 100 hours since ground operations commenced
                          and six weeks since the start of Operation Desert Storm, all U.S. and
                          coalition forces will suspend flirthe offensive combat operations."
                    Terms of the cease fire are:

                                            A-42


I-                 I

| Table of Contents | First Page | Prev Page | Next Page | Src Image |