The Longest War: The Iran-Iraq Military Conflict
byDilip HiroIn The Longest War, Dilip Hiro describes the causes and courses of the Iran-Iraq military conflict and its effect on the two antagonists, as well as the rest of the world. He reveals the intricate twists and turns of international diplomacy and the realpolitik behind the rhetoric, providing a comprehensive and admirably balanced account of the political and military aspects of the "longest war."
About the Author
Dilip Hiro is a writer and journalist living in London. He is the author of Holy Wars: The Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism (Routledge, 1989) and Iran Under the Ayatollahs (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987) among others.
The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988 (Essential Histories)by Efraim KarshThe Iran-Iraq War, which ended in August 1988, one month short of its eighth anniversary, was one of the longest, bloodiest and costliest Third World armed conflicts in the twentieth century. Professor Karsh addresses the causes of the Iran-Iraq War, unpacking the objectives of the two belligerents and examining how far objectives were matched by strategy. He assesses the war's military lessons regarding such key areas as strategy, tactics and escalation and in particular the use of non-conventional weapons, Finally, he examines the utility of armed force as an instrument of foreign policy.
Contents
Introduction
Chronology
Background to war: The quest for the empire of God
Warring sides: Strengths and weaknesses of Iran and Iraq
Outbreak: Invasion and after
The fighting: The delicate balance of incompetence
Portrait of a soldier: Iran's boy soldiers
The world around war: Nations at war
Portrait of a civilian: Death of a village
How the war ended: The poisoned chalice
Conclusion and consequences: A costly exercise in futility
From the Publisher
This unique series studies every major war in history looking at all the aspects of war, from how it felt to be a soldier to the lasting impact of the conflict on the world around it.
