America in the Early 1990s

The decade opened with the first President George Bush in office. One of the most significant events of his term was the Persian Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm. This conflict was launched in January 1991 as a response to Iraq's invasion of its oil-rich neighbor, Kuwait. A multinational coalition, led by United States, contributed military might and attacked Iraq. These forces quickly defeated the invaders, and Bush enjoyed great popularity as a result. At home, however, his administration was drawing criticism for a faltering economy. Unemployment rose, and the number of Americans living below the poverty line grew by more than 2 million in 1990. The recession that hit that year continued through 1992 and contributed to Democrat Bill Clinton's election to the presidency. During Clinton's term, the recession ended—unemployment went down, inflation stabilized, and the stock market boomed. By the middle of...