CNN: THE WAR IN THE GULF (TV)
Summary
A portion of the continuous Cable News Network coverage of the Persian Gulf War, beginning with the onset of the allied air attack on Baghdad. David French anchors in CNN's Washington, D.C., studio, while reporters Bernard Shaw, Peter Arnett, and John Holliman report live via audio feed from their Baghdad hotel room. The audio reports are illustrated with satellite pictures and maps. Others reporting are Wolf Blitzer from the Pentagon, Charles Bierbauer from the White House, Charles Jaco and John Sweeney from Saudi Arabia, Richard Blystone from Jerusalem, and Jeanne Moos from the United Nations. Coverage begins with Shaw and Arnett reporting the sound of anti-aircraft fire and the sight of bright flashes in the sky from the window of their hotel room. As sirens sound in Baghdad, communications are briefly lost. In the studio, former Sec. of Defense Caspar Weinberger discusses with French the possibility that this is the beginning of the air attack. Blitzer reports rumors from the Pentagon that the war may be starting. Contact is re-established with Baghdad, and Holliman and Arnett take turns looking out the window on two sides of the hotel and describing what they see and hear. Holliman says that the city is blacked out and reports that loud explosions can be heard coming from the direction of the airport. In the studio, French reports that a squadron of F-15 fighter bombers has taken off from a base in Saudi Arabia. As bombs begin to hit closer to the center of the city, Holliman and Arnett report seeing huge fires. French switches to the White House and presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater reads a statement from President George Bush announcing the start of Operation Desert Storm as of 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In Baghdad, Arnett and Holliman report that there is intensified bombing. Standing on an outdoor platform on an air base in Saudi Arabia, Jaco reports that a squad of fighter bombers has taken off. As air raid sirens are heard, he is told to leave the platform, and communications with him are lost. From Riyadh, Sweeney reports that four KC 135 Super Tankers have left the air base. Further reports are received from Jerusalem, the United Nations, and the White House. This portion of the coverage concludes with Shaw reporting black skies and eerie quiet in Baghdad.
This selection from the Alan Gerry Cable Collection has been made available by the Gerry Foundation, Inc.
Details
- NETWORK: CNN
- DATE: January 16, 1991 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:02:13
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:20934
- GENRE: News
- SUBJECT HEADING: Iraq-Kuwait Crisis, 1990-1991; Persian Gulf War, 1991; African-American Collection - News/Talk
- SERIES RUN: CNN - TV, 1991
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David French … Anchor
- Bernard Shaw … Reporter
- Peter Arnett … Reporter
- John Holliman … Reporter
- Wolf Blitzer … Reporter
- Charles Bierbauer … Reporter
- Charles Jaco … Reporter
- John Sweeney … Reporter
- Richard Blystone … Reporter
- Jeanne Moos … Reporter
- George Bush
- Marlin Fitzwater
- Caspar Weinberger