Kuwait, February 25, 1991. Iraqi troops surrendering to American forces during the first day of the ground war are seen here in the Kuwaiti desert. Entire units of Iraqi troops gave up without firing a shot after enduring a full month of aerial bombing by American war planes that left them without food or water in the freezing winter desert. Iraqi troops were surrendering and being captured en masse throughout the theater of operations. General Schwarzkopf reported that in the first 10 hours of the ground war, 5,500 Iraqis had been taken prisoner, a figure that was growing hourly. Under a "slap-and-hug operation" enemy positions were pounded followed by loudspeaker appeals to surrender. Concern was expressed by commanders over the growing logistical problems of moving prisoners to the rear. According to reports from the front, about 10,000 Iraqis had been taken prisoner in the first day.