Iran–Iraq War
The Iran-Iraq War (or First Persian Gulf War) was a border war between Iran and Iraq which lasted from September 22, 1980 until August 20, 1988. This war was commonly known as the Persian Gulf War until the Iraq-Kuwait Conflict (1990-91), which became known as the Second Gulf War and later simply the Gulf War.
The conflict was occasioned by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's desire for full control of the Shatt al-Arab waterway at the head of the Persian Gulf, an important channel for the oil exports of both countries. Iraq and other Arab countries also feared the possible spread of Iran's brand of Islamic militancy following the February 1979 revolution against the Shah.
Iraq enjoyed substantial diplomatic support and military supplies from the Soviet Union, and the financial backing of other Arab states (notably oil-rich Kuwait and Saudi Arabia). In addition, the United States "tilted" toward Iraq, supplying it with weapons and economic aid. For a period starting in 1985, the United States sold weapons to Iran in addition to Iraq. This sparked the 1986-1987 Iran-Contra Affair in Washington.
The war was characterized by extreme brutality, including the use of chemical weapons, including tabun, by Iraq. Very little pressure was brought upon Iraq by the world community to curb such attacks or to condemn its earlier initiation of hostilities. The tactics used in the war resembled those of World War I with costly human wave attacks commonly used by both sides.
In June 1982 a successful Iranian counter-offensive recovered the areas lost to Iraq in the war's early stages: Iraq offered a cessation of hostilities as outright Iranian victory appeared a possibility, but Iran's insistence from July on pursuing the destruction of the Iraqi regime prolonged the conflict for another six years.
Continued hostilities despite the intervention of western naval forces to protect the sealanes of the Gulf led to the death of 37 seamen in an Iraq missile attack (May 17, 1987) on the U.S. frigate Stark and the shooting down by the U.S. cruiser Vincennes (July 3, 1988) of an Iranian airliner (apparently mistaken for an approaching military aircraft) with the loss of all 290 passengers and crew.
Aftermath
The war was disastrous for both countries, stalling economic development and disrupting oil exports, and costing an estimated million lives. Iraq was left with serious debts to her former Arab backers, including $14 billion loaned by Kuwait (1), a debt which contributed to Hussein's 1990 decision to invade Kuwait.
The end of the war left the borders unchanged. Two years later, as war with the western powers loomed, Hussein recognised Iranian rights over the eastern half of the Shatt al-Arab, a reversion to the status quo which he had repudiated a decade earlier.
Expansion of the Iraqi Army
During this war, the personnel of the Iraqi Army increased from 242,250 to 1,200,000 troops (1).
References
See also: Middle East conflict -- History -- Military history -- War