We are asked to understand the causes and implications of the first Gulf War but first we must understand what led up to the war. The war called the Persian Gulf War went from August 2, 1990 until February 28, 1991.
The events that led to the Persian Gulf War and you could say the rise of Saddam Hussein actually began way back in 1958. There was a military coup that overthrew the current monarch and that is how the Republic of Iraq was started and was supported by the communist. In 1959 Iraq then decided to withdraw from the Baghdad Pact which was a Cold War treaty among 5 countries including Iran and the United States. The treaty was trying to be used to threaten more Soviet movement into the oil producing area of the Middle East. Iraq had a revolutionary party called Ba’Ath Party and Saddam Hussein tried to assassinate General Kassem but was unable to and he had to run first to Syrian then to Egypt. Hussein lived there until about 1963 until the Ba’ath Party took over in February 1963.
Then in 1961 Great Britain gives Kuwait its independence. But, just day’s later Iraq stated it owned Kuwait and placed troops along the border.
In 1963 after the Ba’ath Party takes control and then there were power struggles within the Ba’ath Party, Hussein becomes a personal body guard to his relative who at the time was the leader of the Centrist faction which takes over the government. Hussein is then elected to general council of the Ba’ath Party and this is how he starts it all. Once Ba’ath Party was no longer in office Hussein went underground and takes command and his power becomes even stronger.
Throughout the 1960’s there are more upheavals in different areas of the countries and as time went on Hussein moved up and ends up becoming the most powerful figure within the government.
Just about 1969 the Shah of Iran decided to revoke the 1937 treaty between Iraq and Iran. Of course there were objections but the Ba’ath Party was not strong enough to retaliate. Iran...