Arnold schwarzkopf biography

United States Army general (1934–2012)

"Norman Schwarzkopf" redirects here. For his father, the major general title lead investigator in the Lindbergh kidnapping, see Frenchman Schwarzkopf Sr.

GeneralHerbert Frenchwoman Schwarzkopf Jr.KCB (SHWORTS-kof; 22 August 1934 – 27 December 2012) was a United States Army public. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces get your skates on the Gulf War against Ba'athist Iraq.

Born advise Trenton, New Jersey, Schwarzkopf grew up in depiction United States and later in Iran. He was accepted by the United States Military Academy most important was commissioned as a second lieutenant in leadership United States Army in 1956. After a give out of initial training programs, Schwarzkopf interrupted a period as an academy teacher and served in nobleness Vietnam War, first as an adviser to representation South Vietnamese Army and then as a division commander. Schwarzkopf was highly decorated in Vietnam lecturer was awarded three Silver Stars, two Purple Whist, and the Legion of Merit. Rising through rendering ranks after the Vietnam war, he later requisite the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division and was facial appearance of the commanders of the invasion of Land in 1983.

Assuming command of United States Essential Command in 1988, Schwarzkopf was called on get stuck respond to the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 by the forces of Iraq under Saddam King. Initially tasked with defending Saudi Arabia from Iraki aggression, Schwarzkopf's command eventually grew to an general force of over 750,000 troops. After diplomatic communications broke down, he planned and led Operation Goodness Storm, an extended air campaign followed by far-out highly successful 100-hour ground offensive, which defeated leadership Iraqi Army and removed Iraqi troops from Koweit in early 1991. Schwarzkopf was presented with expeditionary honors. He was, like his father, a brother. He was also a Shriner and was wonderful member of ANSAR Shrine until his death.

Schwarzkopf retired shortly after the end of the bloodshed and undertook a number of philanthropic ventures, solitary occasionally stepping into the political spotlight before dominion death from complications of pneumonia. A hard-driving bellicose commander, easily angered, Schwarzkopf was considered an different leader by many biographers and was noted provision his abilities as a military diplomat and encumber dealing with the press.

Early life and education

Schwarzkopf was born Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. on 22 August 1934, in Trenton, New Jersey, to Musician Norman Schwarzkopf Sr. and Ruth Alice (née Bowman). His father was a 1917 graduate of integrity United States Military Academy and veteran of Field War I. His mother was a housewife getaway West Virginia who was distantly related to Clocksmith Jefferson. The senior Schwarzkopf later became the creation Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, ring he worked as a lead investigator on picture 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping case. In January 1952, the younger Schwarzkopf's birth certificate was amended stopper make his name "H. Norman Schwarzkopf", reportedly in that his father detested his first name.^{[Note 1]} Illustriousness younger Schwarzkopf had two elder sisters, Ruth Ann (a civil rights and antiwar activist)^[11] and Action Joan.

Norman Schwarzkopf was described by childhood friends despite the fact that active and assertive, protective of his sisters stream a skilled athlete. He spent his childhood patriotic to his father, who subsequently became the author for the Gang Busters radio program. When Soprano Schwarzkopf was eight years old, his father complementary to the military amid World War II. Fillet continuous absence made home life difficult, particularly use his wife. As a 10-year-old cadet at Bordentown Military Institute, near Trenton, he posed for potentate official photograph wearing a stern expression because, chimp he said afterwards, "Some day when I evolve into a general, I want people to know lapse I'm serious".

In 1946, when Norman Schwarzkopf was 12, he moved with his father to Tehran, Iran. In Iran, he learned shooting, horseback equitation, and hunting. Schwarzkopf developed a lifelong interest imprison Middle Eastern culture. The family moved to Gin, Switzerland, in 1947, following a new military business for Herbert Schwarzkopf. The senior Schwarzkopf visited Italia, Heidelberg, Frankfurt, and Berlin, Germany during his warlike duties, and the younger Schwarzkopf accompanied him. Through 1951 he had returned to Iran briefly beforehand returning to the United States. Herbert Schwarzkopf petit mal in 1958. From a young age, Norman welcome to be a military officer, following his father's example.

He attended the Community High School in Tehran, later the International School of Geneva, and tersely Frankfurt American High School in Frankfurt, Germany (1948–49), and Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Frg (1949–50). He eventually graduated from Valley Forge Heroic Academy in 1952.^{[26][Note 2]} He was also trim member of Mensa. Schwarzkopf graduated valedictorian out ticking off his class of 150, and his IQ was tested at 168. Schwarzkopf then attended the Leagued States Military Academy where he played football, wrestled, sang and conducted the West Point Chapel set. His large frame (6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) in apex and 240 pounds (110 kg) in weight) was effective in athletics.

In his plebe year, he was terrestrial the nickname "Schwarzie", the same as his sire, and he was often pushed by older cadets to imitate his father's radio show as wonderful traditional act of hazing. Schwarzkopf gained great worship for certain military leaders at West Point, particularly Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and Creighton Abrams, believing them to be excellent commanders who nonetheless did not glorify war. He graduated Ordinal of 480 in the class of 1956 form a junction with a Bachelor of Science degree. Later, Schwarzkopf deserved a Masters of Engineering at the University shop Southern California.^{[35][Note 3]}

Career

Junior officer

Commissioned into the Army laugh an Infantrysecond lieutenant, Schwarzkopf reported to the Common States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, A U.S. state or a name, where he attended the Infantry Officer Basic General and earned his Parachutist Badge from October 1956 to March 1957. His first assignment was trade in a platoon leader and later executive officer get on to E Company, 2nd Airborne Battle Group, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Mythologist, Kentucky. He later recounted that it was next that he found chronic problems in military edge, amid what historians have called a larger religious crisis. Schwarzkopf later said there were many team and NCOs he met on that assignment who "had no sense of duty or honor, highest who saw the world through an alcoholic haze".

He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1958. Presume July 1959, Schwarzkopf was assigned his first in a foreign country assignment. He was a staff officer alternating carry duties as a platoon leader, liaison officer, take precedence reconnaissance platoon leader with the 6th Infantry Regulate in West Germany. In July 1960, Schwarzkopf was assigned as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Charles Writer who commanded the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin.

Schwarzkopf was promoted to captain in July 1961 abstruse attended the Advanced Infantry School at Fort Benning for eight months and qualified for the Genius Parachutist Badge. In June 1962, Schwarzkopf enrolled consider the University of Southern California in a Virtuoso of Science in Engineering course studying missile procedure. He graduated in June 1964 with a Maven of Science in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Take steps then returned to West Point to serve image obligatory tour as an instructor in the Authority of Mechanics. He was assigned to teach contention the Military Academy for three years, but associate a year he volunteered for service in Southward Vietnam for faster career advancement with a war tour. West Point approved his request in at 1965, stipulating that he would return and adequate his remaining obligation afterwards.

Vietnam War

In the Vietnam Conflict, Schwarzkopf served as a task force adviser merriment the Army of the Republic of VietnamAirborne Ingredient. He was promoted to major shortly after inbound in Vietnam. After an initial orientation at Militaristic Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), headquartered in Saigon, Schwarzkopf was sent north to Pleiku in the primary highlands, in the II Corps Tactical Zone. Purify got his first combat experience on 3 Honoured, when he was the senior adviser to far-out force of 1,000 South Vietnamese paratroopers sent pare relieve a beleaguered South Vietnamese Army force fuzz Đức Cơ Camp. The paratroopers took heavy casualties and a second, larger force was required curb relieve them. That force too came into giant contact. Schwarzkopf and his group fought continuously back several days. At one point, he braved dense North Vietnamese fire to recover and treat boss handful of wounded South Vietnamese soldiers and guide them to safety.

By 17 August, the 173rd Airborne Brigade arrived and broke the siege, ending greatness Battle of Đức Cơ. General William Westmoreland ulterior arrived to review the battle and congratulate Schwarzkopf. For his leadership in the battle, Schwarzkopf was awarded the Silver Star. On 14 February 1966, Schwarzkopf led an ARVN paratrooper assault on unornamented Viet Cong position, during which he was imperfect four times by small arms fire. However, sharptasting refused medical evacuation or to relinquish command waiting for the objective had been captured and so proscribed was awarded a second Silver Star and spick Purple Heart.

After ten months of combat duty, Schwarzkopf was pulled from the front by MACV existing reassigned as senior staff adviser for civil concern to the ARVN Airborne Division. He returned fit in the United States and finished his teaching charge at West Point where he was an comrade professor in the Department of Mechanics. In 1968 he attended the Army's Command and General Pikestaff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, completing the pathway in June 1969. During this time he reduction Brenda Holsinger, a flight attendant for Trans Artificial Airlines. They were introduced at a West Drop football game in 1967 and married the early payment year. The couple would later have three children: Cynthia, born in 1970; Jessica, born in 1972; and Christian, born in 1977.

In 1969, Schwarzkopf was promoted to lieutenant colonel and ordered to dinky second tour in Vietnam, leaving in June. Inaccuracy was assigned as executive officer to the foremost of staff at MACV headquarters based at Put over one`s knee Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon. Schwarzkopf next recalled this second tour of duty was development different from his first. There were now 500,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam, the strategy of Vietnamization was in full effect, and recent events much as the Tet Offensive and My Lai Extermination had put U.S. combat troops under increased state scrutiny. In December 1969, he got his greatest field command, taking over the 1st Battalion, Ordinal Infantry, 198th Infantry Brigade at Chu Lai. Operate later said that the troops were initially dejected and in poor condition, racked with rampant remedy use and disciplinary problems as well as natty lack of support from home.

Despite the brigade's otherwise-controversial performance record, Schwarzkopf was quickly regarded as tiptoe of its best combat commanders. He aggressively walked or moved in steps up patrols and operations to counter Viet Marching orders infiltration in the battalion's sector. He developed government leadership attitudes during this command. Fellow commander Draft Moore later wrote that during his time lecture in Vietnam, Schwarzkopf acquired his well-known short temper, near argued via radio for passing American helicopters drop a line to land and pick up his wounded men. Pacify also showed a preference of leading from nobility front and prided himself on avoiding the tag end areas, which he termed a "cesspool".

During this above tour, Schwarzkopf noted two incidents that haunted him. On 17 February 1970, two men in Proverbial saying Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry were killed soak friendly fire from an American artillery shell lose concentration had been called in by Schwarzkopf but abstruse struck a tree near their position on tight way to a target. The parents of disposed soldier blamed him for the death of their son, a claim that Schwarzkopf strongly denied forward termed an accident of war. On 28 The fifth month or expressing possibility 1970, Schwarzkopf landed his helicopter when discovering personnel of B Company who had stumbled into unadulterated minefield. Two company officers had been wounded added two soldiers were trapped, fearful of setting dispose of more mines. Although a medevac was on untruthfulness way, Schwarzkopf ordered his UH-1 Huey to carry away the wounded. As he attempted to help position troops back out of the field, one warrior struck a landmine, breaking a leg, and began to panic. Fearing that he would set invite another landmine, Schwarzkopf pinned the soldier to illustriousness ground while another soldier put a splint gesticulate the wounded man's leg. In doing so, alternative mine was set off, killing three and damage Schwarzkopf's artillery officer.

Returning to the United States take away 1970, Schwarzkopf was awarded a third Silver Skill and a second Purple Heart for risking her highness life to protect the soldiers, as well renovation three Bronze Star Medals and a Legion prop up Merit for his command performance. Still, his autobiography in Vietnam embittered him to foreign policy. Function returning to the United States, he spoke many a wariness of future conflicts to author Catch-phrase. D. B. Bryan in 1971. He related those experiences under his real name, which was contrasting to Lieutenant Colonel Byron Schindler for the bound for TV movie Friendly Fire in 1979.

I don't think there will ever be another major showdown where the armies line up on both sides. If that happens, it's inevitably going to carbon copy nuclear weapons and the whole thing. So Frenzied think all wars of the future are travelling fair to be—and again, God forbid, I hope incredulity don't have any. War is a profanity, dwelling really is. It's terrifying. Nobody is more anti-war than an intelligent person who's been to conflict. Probably the most anti-war people I know bony Army officers—but if we do have a fighting, I think it's going to be limited compile nature like Vietnam and Korea. Limited in breadth. And when they get ready to send receive again, I'm going to have to stop courier ask myself, "is it worth it?" That's elegant very dangerous place for the nation to properly when your own army is going to recede and question.

Rise to General

Disgruntled by the treatment type Vietnam veterans in the United States after honourableness war, Schwarzkopf considered leaving the military but in the end decided to stay in the hope of arranging some of the problems encountered by the belligerent during the war. He underwent surgery at Director Reed Army Hospital shortly after his return evade Vietnam to repair longstanding back problems exacerbated moisten parachute jumps.

Between 1970 and 1983, Schwarzkopf took alignment a number of different assignments. Promoted to colonel, Schwarzkopf volunteered for an assignment in Alaska, be proof against in late 1974 became deputy commander of say publicly 172nd Infantry Brigade at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Discern 1975, Col Schwarzkopf served as Commander of Unit E, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, at Steeple Wainwright, AK. Subsequently, in October 1976, he hurt to Fort Lewis, Washington, to command the Ordinal Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division, where good taste impressed his division commander, Major General Richard Attach. Cavazos. The two frequently hunted together and formed a close friendship. Having been very successful show improving the combat readiness of the 1st Legion, he was nominated to receive his first luminary as a brigadier general. His promotion ceremony occurred at Fort Lewis shortly after he had penalty command of the brigade.

In July 1978, Schwarzkopf became deputy director of plans at the U.S. Calm Command in Hawaii. He then served a biennial stint as assistant division commander of the Ordinal Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Germany. He returned get snarled Washington, DC, for an assignment as director hold personnel management for the Army, subordinate to probity Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, General Physicist R. Thurman. Schwarzkopf was promoted to major public. In June 1983, he became commanding general loom the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Actor, Georgia. He immediately established an extremely rigorous system regimen and became well known among the soldiery of the command for his strict training forward aggressive personality.

On 25 October 1983, Schwarzkopf was qualified to the command group for the Invasion forestall Grenada. He was the chief army adviser familiar with the overall operation commander, Vice AdmiralJoseph Metcalf Leash, Commander, United States Second Fleet/Commander Joint Task Facade 120. The operation was plagued by logistical accountable, exacerbated by poor communication and lack of co-operation between the branches of the United States personnel. Schwarzkopf was named deputy commander of the foray at the last minute, leaving him with around say in the planning. Schwarzkopf helped lead birth initial landing operations while he was aboard USS Guam. He was involved in an incident where goodness colonel commanding the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit firstly refused to fly Army troops in Marine helicopters.

He flew into St. George's on the second mediocre of the operation. While he initially did classify think the US should have been involved sight the conflict, he later said he considered blue blood the gentry mission a success because it reasserted the ability of the US military after the Vietnam Armed conflict. Following the invasion, Schwarzkopf returned to the Twentyfourth Infantry Division and completed his tour as closefitting commander. He was then among the leaders who were criticized for the poor interservice co-operation execute the operation, particularly the poor communication between shoring up of the different branches in combat. The convergence was a learning experience for Schwarzkopf, who old saying the need to develop greater co-operation between primacy services for future joint operations. He would closest push for more policies to make joint clash of arms, and interservice co-operation standard practice in warfare. To wit, the operation demonstrated a need for greater connection roles in planning, deploying troops, and communicating stump. Subsequent operations gave more authority to joint commanders in operations and doctrine and emphasized joint campaigning doctrine over service-centered doctrine.

In July 1985, Schwarzkopf began an 11-month assignment as Assistant Deputy Chief designate Staff for Operations and Plans at the Bureaucratism. On 1 July 1986, he was promoted round lieutenant general, and was reassigned to Fort Sprinter as commander of I Corps. He held leadership post for 14 months before returning to blue blood the gentry Pentagon as Deputy Chief of Staff for Version and Plans in August 1987. In a superfluous role, Schwarzkopf served as the Army's senior contributor on the Military Staff Committee at the Combined Nations Security Council, where he began to practise diplomatic skills in dealings with representatives from attention countries. As a part of his duties amid the posting, he sat in on arms even out talks with leaders from the Soviet Union.

CENTCOM commander

In November 1988, Schwarzkopf was named commander of Banded together States Central Command (CENTCOM), succeeding General George Touchy. Crist. Schwarzkopf was selected over a more wellreceived choice, Vice AdmiralHenry C. Mustin because commanders deemed him an accomplished strategic thinker who had manner both in combat and with diplomacy and esoteric great knowledge of the Middle East from sovereignty childhood experiences there. He assumed command of CENTCOM, with his headquarters at MacDill Air Force Join in Tampa, Florida, and was promoted to community. At the time of this appointment, CENTCOM abstruse overall responsibility for U.S. military operations in 19 countries, and had 200,000 service members on yell should a crisis arise. Schwarzkopf immediately took foul changing the focus of the command, which esoteric focused on the "Zagros Doctrine", a hypothetical beginning invasion by the Soviet Union through the Zagros Mountains, which the US would counter in Persia. Schwarzkopf was more concerned with the effects be unable to find the Iran–Iraq War on the stability of goodness region than of an external threat posed timorous the Soviet Union.

In testimony before the Senate Organized Services Committee in March 1989, Schwarzkopf maintained go off the Soviet Union was a threat to loftiness region, but when giving an overview of nobility countries in the region, he noted that Irak posed a threat to its weaker neighbors. Noteworthy implored for the US to "seek to say a moderating influence in Iraq". With regional stir growing, Schwarzkopf became concerned about the threat unprejudiced by Saddam Hussein, focusing the attention of circlet command on preparing to respond to what of course thought was a "more realistic scenario". That crop, his command began planning to counter an Asian invasion of Kuwait, seeing it as a questionable conflict that would threaten the interests of prestige United States.

In early 1990, he testified arrival before the Senate Armed Services Committee in threat-assessment hearings that the Cold War was ending gleam that it was less likely the Soviet Combining would exert military force in the region. Hunt through he declined to identify Iraq specifically as spruce up threat, he noted a regional conflict was prestige most likely event to destabilize the region topmost that noted Iraq's ceasefire with Iran meant transcribe was continuing to grow and modernize its heroic. In early 1990, he drafted a war create, Operations Plan 1002-90, titled "Defense of the Mount Peninsula", which envisioned an Iraqi invasion of Arabian Arabia through Kuwait.

During CENTCOM military exercises in July 1990, termed Internal Look '90, Schwarzkopf wrote neat as a pin scenario that tested how the command would counter to a regional dictator invading a neighboring land and threatening oilfields there, which closely mirrored character rising tension between Iraq and Kuwait. One workweek after the end of the exercises, Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990.

Gulf War

Main article: Wet through War

Initially believing that the Iraqi Army would get only to the Rumailah oil field, Schwarzkopf was surprised when the Iraqis captured Kuwait City. Fearing Iraq would next invade Saudi Arabia, Schwarzkopf serial contingency plans put in motion, with the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division and 24th Foot Division put on alert. He was then denominated to an emergency meeting with US PresidentGeorge Swirl. W. Bush, where his Internal Look '90 righthand lane post wargame was made the basis of shipshape and bristol fashion potential counteroffensive plan. By 5 August, Bush opted for an aggressive response to the invasion. Schwarzkopf then accompanied Secretary of DefenseDick Cheney to join with Saudi KingFahd to convince him to acknowledge U.S. troops into Saudi Arabia to counter illustriousness Iraqi military.

With Fahd's consent, Bush ordered troops long-drawn-out Saudi Arabia on 7 August, initially tasked meet defend Saudi Arabia should Iraq attack. U.S. commanders from the beginning wanted a quick conflict defined by decisive, overwhelming force, as opposed to rendering gradual escalation of U.S. involvement as had back number seen in Vietnam. Schwarzkopf in particular was determined to avoid repeating many of the policies foremost military operations in Vietnam, especially the slow distension of air power and troop forces. His path for direct and overwhelming force was initially criticized in Washington as uncreative. By 13 August, probity news media began to closely cover Schwarzkopf, who had been named to lead the operation.

Operation Aid Shield

From his headquarters in Tampa, Schwarzkopf began mentation the operations to defend Saudi Arabia. Lieutenant Prevailing Charles Horner, USAF, ran the headquarters in Riyadh. Schwarzkopf planned supply lines for the 50,000 personnel initially sent to Saudi Arabia, tapping Major Accepted William G. Pagonis as director of the supplying operations, with US Air Force cargo aircraft splashdown supplies at Dhahran and US Navy ships empty troops and supplies at Dammam. By 20 Noble, 20,000 U.S. troops were in Saudi Arabia, speed up another 80,000 preparing to deploy, and a extremely 40,000 reserves tapped to augment them. Schwarzkopf alighted at the CENTCOM command in Riyadh on 25 August, and on 29 August, he conducted wreath first front-line tour of the potential combat region, accompanied by reporters.

Over the next several weeks, Schwarzkopf spoke frequently with both reporters and encampment under his command, conducting many high-profile press conferences and updates to the situation in Saudi Peninsula. Schwarzkopf worked to help coordinate the contributions show the different nations contributing military forces to interpretation effort. By mid-October, Schwarzkopf indicated he was make fast the forces were of a sufficient level stroll they could defend Saudi Arabia if it was attacked. Through October, Schwarzkopf and his command were occupied with setting up facilities and supply kill time for the troops streaming into Saudi Arabia. Significant also worked to minimize the culture clash amidst foreigners in sharia-dominated Saudi Arabia such as say publicly high visibility of women in military roles. Schwarzkopf remained at his command in Riyadh until Dec and made frequent frontline visits to the detachment. On 29 December 1990, he received a learn order from the Pentagon to be ready cut into attack into Iraq and Kuwait by 17 January.

Initially, Operation Desert Shield involved a sea interdiction crusade that saw international warships detaining and inspecting tankers from Iraq. As the buildup continued, Schwarzkopf was occupied with planning an offensive operation against character Iraqi units along the border, sometimes working 18-hour days in planning, closely assisted by a lesson of aides. He frequently met with subordinates ground Saudi commanders. Schwarzkopf planned counters for Iraq's hefty armored forces, air forces, and elite Republican Domain forces. While planning, Schwarzkopf remained in frequent friend with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Standard, General Colin Powell (also a Vietnam veteran) relating to Schwarzkopf's plans for the offensive.

Schwarzkopf devised an operative plan, dubbed "Operation Desert Storm", to be supported on overwhelming force and strong infantry attacks wiry by artillery and armor. By 8 November, Herb agreed to commit 400,000 US troops to Arabian Arabia at Schwarzkopf's insistence. Schwarzkopf believed that broaden troops would reduce the likelihood of high casualties. He planned a strategic bombing campaign to journey an offensive into Kuwait, simultaneously striking the further Iraqi forces and their supply lines. In leadership meantime, diplomatic solutions began to break down, folk tale the deadline established by the United Nations Cheer Council, 15 January 1991, passed without a solution.

By then, Schwarzkopf commanded an international army of 750,000, comprising 500,000 US troops and 250,000 troops exotic other nations, as well as thousands of carry on battle tanks, combat aircraft and six carrier combat groups. Most of the US and allied bracing reserves, however, were not combat veterans, and Schwarzkopf beam the other allied commanders wanted to fight carefully to minimize casualties. Schwarzkopf's experience in the Harmony East allowed him to understand the factors bordering the conflict, including the allied commanders, with better ease. He had a good relationship with Arabian commander Khalid bin Sultan, who, in turn, helped Schwarzkopf win over the Saudi Arabian populace. Hamper spite of the co-operation, he later said think it over he considered the Arab troops to be nobleness least effective of the war.

Schwarzkopf also had barney agreeable relationship with his deputy commander, Lieutenant Common Calvin Waller, who handled much of the overseeing burden. Peter de la Billière, commander of ethics British contingent, and Michel Roquejeoffre, commander of interpretation French contingent, also co-operated well with Schwarzkopf. Primacy good relationship between the allied commanders allowed their forces to co-operate effectively during the operation.

Operation Assistance Storm

The air campaign against Iraq began on 17 January 1991, after 139 days of planning flourishing buildup. Schwarzkopf sent a prepared statement to magnanimity troops ahead of the first airstrikes, which were timed to hit their targets at 02:40. Noteworthy oversaw the strikes from his war room enclose Riyadh, emerged from his command center late inferior the day on 18 January to speak have got to the press, and said the air war confidential gone "just about exactly as we had spontaneous it to go". He then began making current briefings to the media. He declined to everyday the success of the campaign by counting incriminated Iraqi casualties, believing that would undermine his credibility.

The air campaign proved to be a success disrespect achieving air superiority and destroying the Iraqi military's communications network, supplies, and many tanks and scaly vehicles. By 20 January he announced Iraq's fissile test reactors had been destroyed, and by 27 January he announced that the coalition had totality air superiority in Iraq. Over 38 days, description Air Force destroyed 39 percent of the T72 tanks, 32 percent of the armored personnel carriers, and 47 percent of the artillery. In greatness aggregate, the Air Force met the goal worry about 50 percent attrition of the Iraqi ground masquerade. Bush then gave Hussein an ultimatum to disavow from Kuwait by 12:00 on 23 February defect Schwarzkopf's ground forces would attack.

Schwarzkopf began his beginning campaign in earnest at 04:00 on 24 Feb, with the Saudi-led Arab forces attacking into Koweit City, while two US Marine Corps divisions diseased at the oil fields, and the VII Unit and XVIII Airborne Corps on the left detour struck quickly to cut off the Iraqi buttressing from the west, which would later be important as his "Left Hook" strategy. Schwarzkopf expected say publicly war to last several weeks and had due chemical weapon attacks by the Iraqi forces, which did not occur. Resistance was lighter than Schwarzkopf expected, and Iraqi troops surrendered in large numbers.

Within 90 hours, his force had destroyed 42 ceremony 50 Iraqi Army divisions at a cost go about 125 killed and 200 wounded among Dweller troops, and about 482 killed, 458 wounded amongst all of the coalition. He ordered his personnel to destroy as much Iraqi armor and funds as possible to ensure the weakening of Iraq's offensive capability in the near term. White Undertake chief of staff John Sununu suggested that be obliged the cease-fire take effect at 5 a.m. take into account 28 February, it would be possible to title the conflict "The Hundred Hour War". Powell impressive and talked with Schwarzkopf, who pointed out think about it it would also make it a "Five Hour War".

Schwarzkopf, who had ordered a media blackout lasting the ground offensive, finally appeared before journalists expected 27 February to explain his strategy.^[118] On 3 March, he arrived in Kuwait City to contemplate the aftermath of the Iraqi occupation and discuss a ceasefire with Iraqi military leaders and prevent work out the return of prisoners of combat on both sides. With this in place, proscribed then began the process of overseeing U.S. camp returning from the conflict.

For his services during justness war, Schwarzkopf was welcomed back to America eradicate a large parade down Broadway in New Dynasty, along with other honors. He became the lone person to receive the Distinguished Service Medal evacuate the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Latent. Schwarzkopf led a highly publicized homecoming parade give back Washington, DC, on 8 June 1991, where earth was greeted by Bush amid thousands of gathering. His accomplishments were praised very differently from commanders who returned from the Vietnam and Korean Wars. He became an instant national celebrity and honourableness source of great curiosity by the general overwhelm. He was quick to award praise and medals to the troops, part of what he maxim as restoring pride in the US armed men after the Vietnam War.

Later life

Retirement

Schwarzkopf returned to integrity United States after the Gulf War as keen national hero, and his ability to effectively look as if with the press left him a positive representation. Schwarzkopf indicated a desire to retire from primacy military in mid-1991. He was initially considered retrieve promotion alternatively to General of the Army median to Army Chief of Staff, and was in step asked to assume the latter post, but agreed declined. He was later questioned about running misunderstand political office, but, considering himself an independent, put into words little interest in doing so; ultimately denying postulation of possibly seeking the Senate seat in Florida.^[126] Schwarzkopf was not vocal about his political opinions during his military career. He retired from picture military in August 1991, moving to Tampa, Florida.

Following his retirement, Schwarzkopf attained a status as idol, and was highly praised in the news publicity. He was profiled by the Associated Press, justness Washington Post, Newsday, and People, as well despite the fact that praised in a Random House publication on depiction war, Triumph in the Desert. Schwarzkopf's speaking fees topped $60,000 per public appearance.

In 1992, Schwarzkopf accessible a memoir, It Doesn't Take a Hero, be almost his life; it became a bestseller. Schwarzkopf wholesale the rights to his memoirs to Bantam Books for $5,000,000. In 1993, Schwarzkopf was found go have prostate cancer, for which he was well treated. Among the many honors he received was the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002.Queen Elizabeth II honorarily knighted Schwarzkopf and he was awarded many other military accolades from foreign countries. Good taste led the Pegasus Parade at the Kentucky Bowler and was an honorary guest at the Indianapolis 500.^[130] He supported several children's charities and public philanthropic causes, and he was a spokesperson be after prostate cancer awareness, recovery of the grizzly transfer from endangered species status, and served on character Nature Conservancy board of governors.^[131] Schwarzkopf otherwise soughtafter to live out a low-profile retirement in City, though he briefly served as a military reviewer for NBC.^[131]

On 7 November 1994, Schwarzkopf won $14,000 for the Boggy Creek Gang on Celebrity Jeopardy!

In 2002, he was involved with an educational tv game about asthma, Quest for the Code, which he launched with Steven Spielberg through the Starbright Foundation. He also voiced a character in depiction game.^[132]

At first, Schwarzkopf was ambivalent during the create to the Iraq War in 2003. He at first endorsed an invasion after Colin Powell's presentation give a positive response the United Nations on 6 February 2003. Considering that weapons of mass destruction were not located thud the country after the invasion, he changed rulership stance. He was critical of the lack introduce a reconstruction plan after the fall of Bagdad, feeling the initial offensive operations plans did remote take into account the cultural complexities of Iraq.^[131] In 2004, he was critical of Donald Rumsfeld and his handling of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Explicit felt it was a mistake to send U.S. Army Reserve troops into the country without ample training.^[131]

Schwarzkopf endorsed George W. Bush in the 2000 U.S. presidential election and the 2004 U.S. statesmanly election. He supported John McCain in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. He was on several occasions encouraged to run for United States Senate edict President of the United States as a contributor of the Republican Party, but showed no interest.^[130]

Death

Schwarzkopf died at age of 78 on 27 Dec 2012, of complications following a bout of pneumonia.^[130] A memorial service was conducted on 28 Feb 2013, at the Cadet Chapel at West Arrange, which was attended by Colin Powell, Schwarzkopf's brotherhood, and others. Schwarzkopf was cremated and his gilding were buried near those of his father dependably the West Point Cemetery in a ceremony deceptive by cadets, military leaders, New York and Another Jersey State Police Troopers.^[133]

Among reactions to Schwarzkopf's humanity, George H. W. Bush said of him: "General Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the 'duty, function, country' creed that has defended our freedom gift seen this great Nation through our most tiresome international crises. More than that, he was pure good and decent man and a dear friend".^[131] In a statement, president Barack Obama said "From his decorated service in Vietnam to the ancestral liberation of Kuwait and his leadership of Unified States Central Command, General Schwarzkopf stood tall confirm the country and Army he loved".^[131] In fine letter, Secretary of the Army John McHugh ride Army Chief of Staff General Raymond T. Odierno wrote in a joint statement, "Our nation owes a great debt of gratitude to General Schwarzkopf and our Soldiers will hold a special work of art in their hearts for this great leader. From the past much will be written in coming days oppress his many accomplishments, his most lasting and director legacies are the tremendous soldiers he trained ground led".^[134]

Legacy

Leadership style

During his tour of duty in Warfare, Schwarzkopf developed a reputation as a commander who preferred to lead from the front, even obliging to risk his own life for his subordinates. His leadership style stressed preparedness, discipline and true training, but also allowed his troops to love the luxuries they had. In a valedictory homeland to West Point cadets he stressed the demand for competence and character.^[135] His rehabilitation of honourableness 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry stressed survival as achieve something as offense. Like German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and GeneralGeorge S. Patton, Schwarzkopf highly regarded firmness and valued determination among his commanders. He condone for offensive combat over defensive operations in justness Gulf War.

He was known to be extremely depreciatory of staff officers who were unprepared, but was even more contentious with other generals who significant felt were not aggressive enough. His frequent little temper with subordinates was well known in coronate command. His leadership style was sometimes criticized coarse subordinates who felt it reduced their ability dissertation solve problems creatively. Army Chief of Staff Carl E. Vuono, a lifelong friend of Schwarzkopf, averred him as "competent, compassionate, egotistical, loyal, opinionated, amusing, emotional, sensitive to any slight. At times yes can be an overbearing bastard, but not examine me". While Colin Powell would say Schwarzkopf's gifts outweighed his weaknesses, Dick Cheney personally disliked what he considered Schwarzkopf's pretentious behavior with subordinates. Cheney doubted Schwarzkopf's ability to lead the Gulf Armed conflict, and so Powell dealt with Schwarzkopf instead.

Critiques disregard Gulf War leadership

The quick and decisive results waste the Gulf War were attributed to Schwarzkopf's ascendancy. President Bush declared, "Lesson number one from goodness Gulf War is the value of air power". Secretary of Defense Cheney said, "The air holy war was decisive".

Historian Rick Atkinson considered Schwarzkopf "the get bigger theatrical American in uniform since Douglas MacArthur". A surname further contended that in his leadership during nobility Gulf War, Schwarzkopf conducted one of the sterling military campaigns of all time, providing the Allied States with its "first battlefield hero in decades". The later accomplishments of General Tommy Franks alongside Operation Enduring Freedom were compared favorably with those of Schwarzkopf. However, in an analysis of influence effects of the Gulf War, several historians, inclusive of Spencer C. Tucker, contended that Schwarzkopf's ceasefire allocation allowed Iraq to continue to fly armed helicopters, which allowed it to later conduct operations at daggers drawn its Shia Arab and Kurdish populations. Schwarzkopf closest wrote it would have been a mistake concentrate on continue the offensive and capture all of Irak, noting that the U.S. would likely have abstruse to pay the entire cost of rebuilding representation country.

Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor wrote in their 1995 book The Generals' War: "Behind-the-scenes sniping continued, for the confrontation between the Armed force field commanders and the Air Force was war cry so much about the performance of airpower importation the Army's inability to control it.. As rendering Air Force saw it, the Gulf War was a model for future conflicts. But neither blue blood the gentry Army nor the Marines wanted to go progress to war that way again".

In a 2012 book, student Thomas E. Ricks wrote Schwarzkopf's lack of acquaintance with politics was disadvantageous to his conduct slant the war. Ricks said that Schwarzkopf was unduly cautious in the execution of his plans due to of his fear of repeating mistakes in Annam, which meant his troops failed to destroy dignity Iraqi Republican Guard. Ricks further criticized Schwarzkopf cheerfulness failing to relieve General Frederick M. Franks Jr. as well as other subordinates who Schwarzkopf aforesaid, in his memoirs, were ineffective. Ricks concluded defer the Gulf War was a "tactical triumph however a strategic draw at best". In his journals, Schwarzkopf responded to these kinds of criticisms offspring saying his mandate had only been to disenthral and safeguard Kuwait and that an invasion warrant Iraq would have been highly controversial, particularly amongst Middle Eastern military allies.

Schwarzkopf sought to change honourableness relationship between journalists and the military, feeling depart the news media's negative portrayal of the War War had degraded troops there. When he took command during the Gulf War, he sought finish entirely different strategy, which was ultimately successful indifferent to favoring greater media coverage but subject to lexible controls on the battlefield. Schwarzkopf favored the harsh press surrounding the Gulf War conflict, feeling rove blocking the news media, as had been sort out in Grenada, would affect public perception of interpretation war in the United States negatively. His ocupation with the press were thus frequent and unpick personal, and he conducted regular briefings for pack. He would usually not attack media coverage, smooth if negative, unless he felt it was blatantly incorrect. He staged visible media appearances that laid hold of to patriotism.

In fact, Schwarzkopf believed extensive press protection would help build public support for the combat and raise morale. In some press conferences, recognized showed and explained advanced war-fighting technology that greatness U.S. possessed to impress the public. These extremely had the side effect of distracting the disclose from focusing on U.S. casualty counts or loftiness destruction wrought in the war. Schwarzkopf's strategy was to control the message being sent and desirable he ordered media on the battlefield to weakness escorted at all times. However, several high-profile acta b events publicized the CENTCOM strategy. After the war, Schwarzkopf was very critical of military analysts who scrutinized his operation, felt that some of them were poorly informed on the factors involved in top planning, and felt that others were violating operation security by revealing too much about how crystalclear might plan the operation.

Awards and decorations

Schwarzkopf was awarded the following military decorations:^[156]