IranIraq War 1980 1988 6 th most lethal

Iran-Iraq War 1980 -1988

6 th most lethal war of the 20 th Century

1979 https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=k. LUkt. Jbp 2 Ug

Pre War Tensions • Territorial disputes Shat al Arab Waterway • Iranian Revolution • Encouraging the Shi’ite Arabs to rebel • Iranian presence in the Kurdish North • Instigation of riots in Khuzestan • Attempted assassination of Tariq Aziz gives Iraq the necessary excuse to invade

Resources Iraq Iran • 200, 000 soldiers, 2, 000 tanks and 450 aircraft • 33 Billion$ • Loans from Kuwait and SA • Extensive US aid, Sale of weapons • Officer purges: 85 senior generals 12, 000 officers • 60% desertion • Lack of spare parts for US made equipment • 1000 tanks 200 aircraft

Shat al Arab Waterway

Iraq Ethnic and Sectarian Divisions

Foreign Aid • Iraq directly supported with arms and finances by Kuwait, SA, US • US, China, Brazil, USSR, major sales of weapons to both • Israel supports Iran

Iran – Contra Affair • Began as an operation to free 7 American hostages in Lebanon held by Hezbollah • US agrees to sell arms to Iran • Israel would ship weapons to Iran, United States would resupply Israel and receive the Israeli payment. The Iranian recipients promised to help with release of hostages. • Profits diverted to fund anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua • 5 of 7 hostages eventually released

Trench Warfare • Iraq initially makes gains into Khuzestan but is unable to advance. • Khuzestan Arabs remain loyal to Iran • 1982 Iran regroups and retakes lost territory • Iraq takes a defensive position and offers truce • Iran refuses truce and initiates human wave assaults

1984 New Tactics • Iraq attacks Iranian and 3 rd country oil tankers leaving Iranian ports • Iraq bombs Iranian cities to destroy morale • February 1984, 12, 000 Iranian civilian casualties • Iraq begins use of chemical weapons • Iran closes straights of Hormuz to Iraqi and Kuwaiti shipping • Iran makes an alliance with the Kurds

International Community • In order to ensure free movement of oil foreign powers attempt to protect shipping in the Persian Gulf • It became increasingly evident that the world was not going to allow Iran to win the war.

Outcomes • War ends 20 July 1988 • 500, 000 Deaths • Exclusive Iraqi sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway • Hussein surrendered that gain in need of Iran’s neutrality in anticipation of the 1991 Gulf War.

Weapons of Mass Destruction • US exported $500 million of dual use exports to Iraq • Among them were advanced computers, some of which were used in Iraq's nuclear program. • The non-profit American Type Culture Collection and the Centers for Disease Control sold or sent biological samples of anthrax, West Nile virus and botulism to Iraq up until 1989

Operation Anfal • Campaign against the Kurdish population of northern Iraq 1986 – 1989 • Halabja Massacre March 16, 1988, Iraqi attempt to repel the Iranian and Kurdish forces. 7, 000 to 10, 000 casualties mostly civilians. • Thousands more died of, diseases, and birth defects after • Largest chemical weapons attack directed against a civilian-population in history • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=KNxks 7 L q. Y 0 w