Topic: Most impressive military achievement in the 20th Century?

Doppleganger · August 5th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Missileer

I said Desert Shield/Storm

http://www.englisch.schule.de/state_...ect/page03.htm

DATA AND STATISTICS

U.S. troops killed: 79 in action, 54 in non-combat
U.S. troops wounded: 213
U.S. airmen listed as POWs: 9
U.S. troops missing in action: 37
Allied troops killed: 44 in combat
Allied air missions flown: 106,000+
U.S. planes lost in combat: 27
Allied planes lost: 9
Iraqi aircraft destroyed: 141
Iraqi planes that fled to Iran: 137
Iraqi tanks destroyed: 3,080
Estimated Iraqi casualties: More than 85,000 killed and wounded
Iraqi ships sunk, damaged: 73
Iraqi POWs held by allies: 80,000
U.S. troops in Persian Gulf: 537,000+
Estimated cost of Gulf War to allies: $45 billion

One side had an utterly overwhelming technological superiority and air supremacy over the other. The outcome of Desert Storm was a foregone conclusion. So whilst the figures look great it cannot be considered the most impressive military achievement when the outcome is more or less secured before the battle has even begun.