Armies of the Iran-Iraq War 1980-88

The Iran-Iraq War was the largest conventional conflict of the 1980s, fought along the 1,458km border in a series of battles that often degenerated into attritional struggles reminiscent of World War I. This study investigates the organization, appearance, and equipment of the ground forces of both sides, including Iraq's Republican Guards and Iran's Pasdaran or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The war resulted in stalemate with half a million dead and at least as many wounded, and the financial costs incurred in waging such a long and debilitating war were one of the spurs that led Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait two years later.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 64 pages
Publication date: 20 January 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Driven by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the insecurities it provoked in Saddam Hussein's Iraqi dictatorship, the Iran-Iraq War would become the largest conventional conflict of the period. Curiously little-known considering its scale and longevity, the struggle between Iran and Iraq was primarily fought along the 1,458km border in a series of battles that, despite both sides being armed with modern small arms, armor, and aircraft, often degenerated into attritional struggles reminiscent of World War I. Such a comparison was underlined by frequent periods of deadlock, the extensive use of trenches by both sides, and the deployment of chemical weapons by Iraq. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this study investigates the organization, appearance, and equipment of the ground forces of both sides in the Iran-Iraq War, including Iraq's Republican Guards and Iran's Pasdaran or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The war resulted in stalemate with some half a million dead and at least as many wounded. The financial costs incurred in waging such a long and debilitating war were one of the spurs that led Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait barely two years later, setting in motion one of the defining currents of recent Middle-Eastern history.

The Iran-Iraq War, a significant chapter in recent history, was driven by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the insecurities it provoked in Saddam Hussein's Iraqi dictatorship. This war, which lasted for eight years, marked the largest conventional conflict of its era. Despite its magnitude and duration, the conflict between Iran and Iraq remains relatively unknown, perhaps due to its overshadowing by other global events.

The war was primarily fought along the 1,458km border, resulting in a series of battles that often devolved into attritional struggles reminiscent of World War I. Both Iran and Iraq were equipped with modern small arms, armor, and aircraft, yet their conflicts often resulted in prolonged stalemates and trench warfare. Frequent periods of deadlock, the extensive use of trenches by both sides, and the deployment of chemical weapons by Iraq further highlighted the similarities between this war and the First World War.

Despite the technological advancements, the Iran-Iraq War was characterized by its brutal nature and the immense human cost. With approximately half a million deaths and at least as many wounded, the war left a lasting impact on both countries and the region. The financial costs incurred in waging such a long and debilitating war were also a significant factor that led Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait barely two years later. This invasion, known as the Gulf War, marked a turning point in Middle-Eastern history and set the stage for subsequent conflicts and geopolitical tensions.

Weight: 216g
Dimension: 247 x 187 x 8 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472845573