2003 invasion of Iraq

Overview

The 2003 invasion of Iraq was the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion began on 20 March 2003 and lasted just over one month, including 26 days of major combat operations. The invasion was conducted by a United States-led coalition of mainly American, British, Australian, and Polish troops.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The 2003 invasion of Iraq opened the Iraq War and was completed in just over one month, with major combat operations lasting 26 days. A United States-led coalition composed primarily of American, British, Australian, and Polish forces prosecuted the campaign against Iraqi forces numbering over one million. Iraqi casualties from the invasion ranged between 11,000 and 45,000. The swift collapse of organized Iraqi military resistance ended the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein and set the conditions for the occupation period that followed, initiating a conflict that would define U.S. and coalition military engagement in the region for years.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (19)