USPS Persian Gulf War

 

USPS on 2 May 2000 issued a 33 cent stamp commemorating the Persian Gulf War. It was one of 15 stamps included in the 1990s series called "Celebrate the Century". This multicoloured stamp was printed by Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd, using a lithograph method. It featured 11 ½ perforations. A total of 8,250,000 stamps were printed. First Day Cover originated from Monterey, CA. This cover of returning US forces to a ticker-tap victory parade in New York, however, is postmarked Escondido, California on 2 May 2000.

The Persian Gulf War was the first major international encounter since the end of the Cold War. The war was fought between Iraq and a coalition of 39 countries, organised mainly by the United States and the United Nations.

The war took place in Iraq and the small, oil-rich nation of Kuwait.  Western governments believed Iraq was prepared to invade Saudi Arabia next, and that the world’s supply of petroleum was in jeopardy. The coalition placed embargoes on Iraq, but they refused to retreat. On 17 January 1991, the bombing of Iraqi military and industrial targets began. A massive ground attack was launched in February, and the Iraqis were quickly defeated and driven out of Kuwait. 

Immense human suffering in the Middle East occurred as a result of the Gulf War. Environmental damage occurred when the Iraqis set hundreds of Kuwaiti oil wells on fire and dumped huge amounts of oil into the Persian Gulf. Baghdad was hit by some of the most devastating air raids in history, knocking out communication and public works systems.