A comprehensive commentary of the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988, which covers the highlights of this bitter conflict from the Iraqi blitzkrieg on seven Iranian cities to "The Fountain of Blood," where nerve agents and mustard gas were used to murder thousands.
Iran / Iraq 1980-1988: The war began September 22, 1980 when Iraqi troops launched a full-scale invasion of Iran. Iraq expected that Iran was weak after the Iranian Revolution, so Iraq would face little resistance. The war lasted eight years and there were heavy losses on both sides, with 600,000 Iranians and 400,000 Iraqis killed. Iraq's ruthless dictator shocked the world by using cyanide gas against the civilian Kurds - all captured by ITN British News cameramen. But despite Iraq's initial successes, the Iranians rallied and, using their much larger population, were able by mid-1982 to push the invaders out. In June 1982, the Iranians went on the offensive, but Iraq, with a significant advantage in heavy weaponry, was able to prevent a decisive invasion breakthrough. However, Saddam Husein's ambitious plans for developing Iraq into a world power came to a halt. Many believe this war was the precursor of the next war, the invasion of Kuwait and "Desert Storm."
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