Lasting for eight years, the Iran-Iraq War is widely considered to be the longest
lasting war of the 20th Century. Also the bloodiest, it was initiated by Iraq, with little
consideration for the intended outcome. The First Persian Gulf War had been
smoldering for centuries over a bed of coals fueled by differing religious beliefs,
and economical and political views, with encouragement from Third Party countries.
Finally sparked by an intended land grab, neither side appeared to have considered the
financial nor human cost racked up during hostilities. Nor did either side appear to
foresee the continuing cost that would go on for years after Official hostilities had
ceased.
Prior to the beginning of the conflict, Iran and Iraq had both been colonies of
European nations. After the Second World War, both nations became sovereign and
began rebuilding themselves. Unfortunately, both nations ended up being ruled by
leaders who were deemed tyrannical and so went through many years of in-fighting and
attempted coups. Some of these leaders were protested against because of reported
corruption and mistreatment of their respective populaces but, underlying this was also
the sectarian separation between the Sunni and Shi-Ite sects of Islam.
After the final coop that stabilized Iraq, the Baath Socialist Party became the
ruling party. This group was almost exclusively Sunni even though the majority of the
populace were Shi-ite. Internal strife between the majority and the minority led to many
uprising attempts and the subsequent government reprisals. In October of 1978,
Saddam Hussein, at the insistence of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, expeled
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomein; who had been an exile in...
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... hundreds of thousands of “Living Martyrs”, as the Iranian government
proclaimed them; should continue to be a reminder to all leaders of the great cost
inherent in the indiscriminate use of Chemical Weapons.
Works Cited
1. CNN Staff, “Iraq-Iran Fast Facts”, May 6th, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/30/world/meast/iraq-history-fast-facts/
2. Sam Langtree, “Sunni-Shia Tensions in Iran-Iraq War”, April 12, 2012, www.e-ir.info/2012/04/21/sunni-shia-tensions-in-iran-iraq-war.
3. The reader's companion to military history. Robert Cowley, Geoffrey Parker, editors. p. cm. Sponsored by the Society for Military History. Includes indexes. 1. Military history. I. Cowley, Robert. II. Parker, Geoffrey, 1943— III. Society for Military History Copyright © 1996Houghton Mifflin Company
4. History.com staff, “Iran-Iraq War”, 2009, www.history.com/topics/iran-iraq-war
Stewart R. W. (2005). American Military History (Vol. 1). The United States Army and the
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Frustrated by the commissioning programs of the time, Sledge begins his journey by resigning from the officer candidate program in an effort to more quickly reach combat. He subsequently volunteers to be a sixty millimeter mortar-man and joins Company K, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (K/3/5) of the First Marine Division. It is within this command framework that Sledge experiences two of the bloodiest campaigns of the Second World War...
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“Twentieth Century: Military The First World War 1914-18.” Dartford Town Archive. 13 April 2003 <http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/20th_century/military_ww1.shtml>.
McGuigan, Cathleen. "Theater Of War." Newsweek 151.14 (2008): 52-53. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 28 Mar. 2010.
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Field, Frank. British and French Operations of the First World War. Cambridge (England); New York: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Warfare was in a state of transition. Older commanders and generals in the French and British militaries were very cavalry and infantry focused. These commanders believed that cavalry, infantry, and artillery would assure victory in any circumstance, against any foe. They clung to the static tactics of the bygone World War I era. World War I had been fought primarily on French soil, and the military as well as the government never wanted that to happen again, therefore they wanted to reinforce their main border against any future German. Little did they know that only twenty two years later they would be bested by German forces in a way that would shock the world. This research will be analyzing many important assumptions, oversights,...
O’Neill, William L. World War II A Student Companion. 1 ed. William H. Chafe. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Samuel B. Griffith’s translation of “Sun Tzu: The Art of War” is an inside look at military practices of today. I did not find one technique that is not or would not be utilized in modern military maneuver, leadership, or training. The most astounding fact is that the Art of War was written well over two thousand years ago, even at the most conservative date. Although most of the techniques in this text are already in practice today, the value of “The Art of War” is a never-ending treasure chest of knowledge, and it deserves a place as a required reading for anyone seeking knowledge about war fighting or the history of war.