The Battle Of Khorramshahr And The War - 1412 Words

The Battle of Khorramshahr was a battle that transpired between the countries of Iran and Iraq and took place from September 22 to November 10, 1980. The port city of Khorramshahr, the staging area of the first battle that kicked off the Iran-Iraq war, was a predominately wealthy, upper class city with a population of over 200,000 people. The once cosmopolitan city, Khorramshahr, became known as Khuninshahr, the ‘City of Blood’, because of the violent conditions and number of casualties suffered in the city. Most of the Iraq-Iran war took place just inside the borders of both countries and in the Persian Gulf. A truce was called on July 20, 1988 after nearly eight years of war. Iran accepted a United Nations resolution after a tiresome fight with over one million casualties suffered on both sides. There is not a specific incident that caused the beginning of the war. The dispute between Iran and Iraq has been one of history that goes back hundreds of years. The Ottoman Empire was in a constant battle for superiority in the area. Political and ideological opposition between Arabs and Persians can be rooted even further to the Muslim invasion of the Persian Empire in the seventh century and the ensuing divide between Sunnis and Shias in the Muslim faith. The border between the two countries was unsettled, ever changing as the balance of power shifted in the region from Kurdistan in the north to the Shatt al-Arab river in the south. Kurdistan covers a large areaShow MoreRelatedThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps1860 Words   |  8 PagesRevolution created disorder in many Iranian military units and Iranian confrontation with the U.S. ensured it would be cut off from its primary weapons supplier. During the year after the fall of the Shah, many areas of Iran were approaching civil war; this frenzy in Iran made the country seem much more vulnerable than it really was, and led Saddam Hussein to feel he had his first genuine opportunity to make Iraq the dominant power in the area and the Arab world (Cordesman Wagner, 1990). HusseinRead MoreThe War Between Iraq And Iran1672 Words   |  7 PagesThe war between Iraq and Iran initiated by Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein in September 1980 provided no gains or benefits to either country, at the end of the war in July of 1988 after 8 long years. At the conclusion of many wars throughout history, at least one party resulted in gaining territory, wealth, power, and other profits. However, in reality it is understood that no one ever wins in war due to the adverse affects among innocent humanity; exemplified by the Iraq-Iran war. The initial conflict