Estimates of total casualties range from 1,000,000 to twice that number. While most iraqis shias supported the war in the first 2 years of the war, the last 6 years, they were neutral. Military and strategic perspectives of the iraniraq war williamson murray and kevin m. In february 1986, iran amassed more than 100,000 men, crossed the shatt alarab waterway, and captured the strategic alfaw peninsula. It included tragic slaughter of child soldiers, use of chemical weapons, striking of civilian shipping, and destruction of cities. Military and strategic perspectives of the iraniraq war. Pdf religion has historically played a central role in motivating rulers to start and individuals to participate in war. This is the definitive book on the iraniraq war and well worth owning for anyone with an interest in the topic. Oddly this war isnt discussed much any more, even though it is arguably the breakthrough event for the ongoing collapse of parts of the middle easti found pierre razouxs the iraniraq war to be a highly readable and useful account. A military and strategic history goes far beyond these themes, taking a unique look at saddams decisionmaking throughout the war. Hooshang amirahmadi, rutgers university contains considerable new information on the iraniraq war and as such is a contribution to our understanding of this important conflict.
It was commonly called the persian gulf war until iraq invaded kuwait in 1990. During the eight years between iraqs formal declaration of war on september 22, 1980, and irans acceptance of a ceasefire with effect on july 20, 1988, at the very least half a million and. Iraniraq war 2 origins postcolonial era one of the factors contributing to hostility between the two powers was a dispute over full control of the shatt alarab waterway known as arvand rud in iran at the head of the persian gulf, an important channel for the oil exports of both countries. It is doubtful at the time that anyone realized the one. Jan 03, 2016 razouxs book came out in french in 20, so through sheer timing he escaped the obligation to relate the iraniraq war to the present conflict in the region. The role of airpower in the iraniraq war air university. The fortunes of war brought great changes, with the involvement not just of the arab states of the gulf, but also the nations and superpowers of both the east and west. While iraq has seen near perpetual war since saddam invaded iran in september 1980, the conflict was the last conventional war that iran has fought. Air forces federally funded research and development center for studies and analyses. The iraniraq war, which ended in the summer of 1988, a month short of its. From 1980 to 1988 iran and iraq fought the longest conventional war of the century. Several years after the arab oil embargo, seeing another major oil exp.
Pierre razoux shows why this war remains central to understanding middle eastern geopolitics, from the deeprooted distrust between sunni and shia muslims, to irans obsession with nuclear power, to the. The iraniraq war of 1980 to 1988 was a grinding, bloody, and in the end, completely pointless conflict. The iraniraq war by williamson murray cambridge university press. Although gardner provides more than five hundred entries on the iraniraq war in his book, including books, journal articles and documents in western. Paf provides the air force with independent analyses of policy alternatives affecting the development. Pdf the iran iraq war volume 2 download ebook for free. Arab airforces at theoutset of the war totaled threeegypt, iraq, andsyria. Eight years and more than a million casualties later, the conflict ended, with the same regimes in power.
The iraniraq war is one of the largest, yet least documented conflicts in the history of the middle east. This book enhances our understanding of the troubled relationship between iran and iraq, placing it in historical context, examining the rapid deterioration leading to the eightyear war that started in 1980 and the effects of that trauma, and exploring the ongoing issues that currently bedevil bilateral relations. Apart from studying the iraniraq war, iran analysts are left with little basis upon which to develop theories on how irans current behaviors relate to. One way to prepare for an uncertain future is to develop a. Razouxs book came out in french in 20, so through sheer timing he escaped the obligation to relate the iraniraq war to the present conflict in the region.
Williamson murray is professor emeritus at the ohio state university and senior fellow at ida. Manosevitz in october 1980, the cia briefed then presidential candidate ronald reagan on the impact of the iraniraq war in the middle east. It had nothing in common with the decolonization wars, for the iraqi and iranian regimes both claimed to be anticolonial, nationalist. The origins of the iran iraq war are geopolitical in two essential ways. Iran iraq war caused an enormous ecomomic, military and social problems to both iran and iraq.
Iran in the middle east by houchang chehabi peyman jafari. Part of the arabiranian conflict and persian gulf conflicts. Pdf the iran iraq war download full pdf book download. Foundations of the iraqi military and saddams detrimental influence hamdanis effort to improve iraqi military culture questioning military orders and planning lessons learned from the iraniraq war fight to follow the war and saddams perception of victory and warfare.
The first gulf war, better known as the iraqiran war the imposed war, as the iranian authorities came to call it was one of the longest and most atrocious interstate conflicts since the end of world war ii. The origins of the iraniraq war are geopolitical in two essential ways. Persian gulf war, was an armed conflict between the armed forces of iraq and iran. Apart from studying the iraniraq war, iran analysts are left with little basis upon which to develop theories on how irans current behaviors relate to its past. Jan 08, 2016 u370 book pdf ebook safavid iran rebirth of a persian. Iraqi president saddam hussein, who despised the shah, welcomed this change, but his joy turned to alarm when the ayatollah began calling for a shia revolution in iraq to. Its definitely better than murraywoods book because it relies on a much wider series of sources and shows a much better understanding of the war and the political battles within. The secret history of the push to strike iran the new york.
The iraniraq war dealt a devastating blow to the iraqi economy. The war destroyed a large part of iraqs capital stock, reduced oil production and exports, and. Meanwhile, the iran iraq war reached new levels of violence. Iraniraq war, 198088, protracted military conflict between iran and iraq. Performing organization names and addresses national war college,300 5th avenue,fort lesley j. List of books and articles about iraniraq war online. Participation of a child soldier on the iranian front top left. When president saddam hussein of iraq attacked iran in september 1980 he expected victory within three weeks. Occasional paper understanding irans role in the syrian. Iraq war, however, shows a different pattern in which religion. Pierre razoux offers an unflinching look at a conflict seared into the regions collective memory but little understood in the west. Pdf mirrors of the unseen journeys in iran book free. The iraniraq war offers an unflinching look at a conflict seared into the regions collective memory but little understood in the west. The iraniraq war by pierre razoux, hardcover barnes.
Apart from studying the iran iraq war, iran analysts are left with little basis upon which to develop theories on how iran s current behaviors relate to its past. Port quarter view of uss stark listing to port after being mistakenly struck by an iraqi warplane middle left. Territorial issues, including the shatt alarab boundary and five other zones, were a direct cause of contention. The iraniraq war has been a unique third world conflicttwo countries with large, relatively. The middle east after the iraq war rand project air force rand project air force paf, a division of the rand corporation, is the u.
Territorial issues, including the shatt alarab boundary and five. By then there was already unambiguous evidence indicating the urgency of defusing the imminent danger posed by iraq and its primary allies in the growing terrorist conspiracy. The iraniraq war, by pierre razoux the new york times. Thus, the war in a sense no winner, and both countries suffered from the war. The consequences of the iraniraq war for iraqi politics. The most original contribution of the book, however, is the unique forum that it provides for documentation of a genuinely iranian perspective on. The iran iraq war is one of the largest, yet least documented conflicts in the history of the middle east.
A case study in noncompliance javed ali javed ali is a senior policy analyst with the special projects division of research planning, incorporated rpi in falls church, virginia, where he currently provides counterterrorism analytical, training and exercise support for a range of u. Iraniraq relations before the war the shah of iran believed that iraq and the soviet union were irans primary threats. The role of airpower in the iraniraq war maxwell afb, al. Woods, williamson murray, thomas holaday, saddams war. Razoux has produced the best book available on this important war. The iraqiran war 1980 1988 on 22 september 1980, iraqi troops invaded iran, starting a war that would last for eight years. Also, from the iraqi side, the majority of the soldiers were sunni during the iraniraq war. Bergquist pdf with commentary at air university press filed under. It was sparked by the iranian revolution, led by ayatollah ruhollah khomeini, which overthrew shah pahlavi in 197879.
The focus of this book is on the historical, economic and political dimensions of the war between iraq and iran. Its mission is to be an analytical, researchled global forum for informing, influencing and. Royalist egyptsairforce, influencedbythebritish royalairforce. Read download the iran iraq war volume 2 pdf pdf download. The iraniraq war was a war between the armed forces of iraq and iran lasting from september 1980 to august 1988. The iran iraq war was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century and accidentally crea. Iraniraq war, 198088, prolonged military conflict between iran and iraq during the 1980s.
Cambridge core middle east studies the iraniraq war by williamson murray. Irans islamic revolution of 1979 was a big and unpleasant surprise to pretty much every government that cared, especially to the west, which lost an important ally the shah. Woods the problem strategic realities and longstanding national interests all but ensure that the united states will find its military forces involved in the middle east into the forseeable future. The book examines the interactions between the united states and iran through the iraniraq war, using primary documentation, group discussions with key participants and input from academics to create a nuanced view of the relationship at that time.
The iraqkuwait war, which the united states entered, later was called the persian gulf war or the gulf war the war began when iraq invaded iran on 22 september 1980, after a long history of border. Iraniraq war 198088, prolonged military conflict between iran and iraq. The entire iraq baathisiran war cost maximum 800k dead. Nov 18, 2019 the iran iraq war of 1980 to 1988 was a grinding, bloody, and in the end, completely pointless conflict. Pdf geopolitical origins of the iraniraq war researchgate. Pdf the origins of the iraniraq war are geopolitical in two essential ways. Iraniraq war 1 iraniraq war the iraniraq war, also known as the imposed war, jangetahmili and holy defense. Iranian soldier wearing protective gas mask against iraqi chemical attacks top right. Military and strategic perspectives of the iran iraq war williamson murray and kevin m. The immediate cause of the war emerged in the wake of the 11 september 2001 terrorist attacks by alqaeda, when the bush administration sought to preempt potential threats to the united states and its allies. Occasional paper understanding irans role in the syrian conflict. In november 1971, iran occupied three islands belonging to united arab.
As part of a crackdown against members of the opposition peoples mijaheedan of iran, which helped saddam during the iraniraq war, the iraqi. It examines many aspects of what proved to be a very complex conflict. Iraniraq war caused an enormous ecomomic, military and social problems to both iran and iraq. The authors used a treasure trove of original, iraqi documents some 600,000 captured during operation iraqi freedom and thousands of hours of interviews with former iraqi military officials. Fighting was ended by a 1988 ceasefire, though the resumption of normal diplomatic relations and the withdrawal of troops did not take place until 1990. U370 book pdf ebook safavid iran rebirth of a persian. Drawing from an extensive cache of captured iraqi government records, this book is the first comprehensive military and strategic account of the war through the lens of the iraqi regime and its senior military commanders.