Why was it important that countries in the Persian Gulf followed diplomatic and foreign policies which promoted peace and stability?
They collectively housed around one half of the world’s known oil reserves
Who was Saddam politically influenced by in his early life?
His uncle Khairallah Tulfah, developing an appreciation of Arab nationalism
What party did Saddam join and in what year?
The Baath Party, 1957
What did Saddam become involved in, in the Baath party?
Violent anti-government activities
What did Saddam establish in his early years?
He established his credentials as a ruthless operator
When was the Hashemite monarchy overthrown?
July 1958
Who overthrew the Hashemite monarchy?
General Qassem
What happened to Iraq after its government was overthrown in 1958
It became a republic
Who, and when, did Saddam need to assassinate, following orders from the Baath party?
General Qassem, in October 1959
Was the assassination of General Qassem successful?
The attempt failed but Saddam emerged as one of Iraq’s most wanted men
What did Saddam have to do after the attempted assassination of General Qassem?
He had to go into exile and spent the time extending his education in Europe
When was Qassem overthrown?
In February 1963, he had also died
Who was Qassem replaced by after he was overthrown?
He was replaced by a government consisting of army officers and the Baath Party. Saddam held a minor position in this government
Who was the new Prime Minister of Iraq?
Ahmad Hasan Al-Bakr
What had helped Saddam gain his position within the Regional Command?
Bakr’s position as a leader of the moderates strengthened
Where was the position Saddam had gained within the Baath party, and what was this?
The Regional Command
This was the decision-making body of the Baath Party within Iraq
Who did Saddam plot a coup against?
President Arif
Why did Saddam try and plot a coup against President Arif?
He believed that the key to acquiring and staying in power was an armed forced. He therefore aimed to acquire responsibility for security affairs and was put in cahrge of the Party’s military organisaion
What did the coup against President Arif result in for Saddam?
His plans were uncovered and he spend two years in jail
When did Saddam escape jail?
July 1966
What did Saddam concentrate on upon his escape from jail?
He concentrated on strengthening the party, including the establishment of a new military force, and his position within the party
Who did Saddam collaborate with after he escaped jail?
He collaborated with a group of senior army officers who held key government positions and who were sympathetic to the Baath cause
What did Saddam carry out with his collaborators after he escaped jail?
A bloodless coup in July 1968 against President Arif
What was the result of the second coup against President Arif?
President Arif was flown to London and Bakr became president
What was Saddam’s reward for carrying out a successful coup?
He was to be made Deputy Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council. Saddam was now the second most important person in the government
When did Saddam Hussein become president?
1979, at the age of 42
What did Saddam rule Iraq as?
As a dictator. He was Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces
Who was Saddam’s political hero?
Joseph Stalin
What did Mashhadi, the Secretary General of the Revolutionary Command Council, do that resulted in him being relieved of his duties?
He questioned the validity of Saddam’s appointment
What had happened to Mashhadi?
He was brought before the senior Baath Party members. He gave a detailed fabricated confession of crimes against the state naming 66 alleged co-consiprators
What had happened to the 66 alleged co-conspirators named by Mashhadi?
At a special court, 55 were found guilty and either sentenced to death or given prison sentences
What happened to many of the Baath party members and military officers?
Hundreds of party members and military officers were removed from their positions, with many being executed
What became a regular feature of Saddam’s rule by terror?
False accusations, arrests, torture and trials. In most instances the accused received lengthy prison sentences or were executed
Why was it difficult to unite the state of Iraq?
Because of the differences within the population, with 20% being Kurds and 60% Shiites. The Shiites were hostile to the Sunni-dominated regime
What did the Kurds want?
Independence
When was Saddam’s campaign against the Kurds at its height?
Between 1987 - 1988, and again in 1991
What did Saddam do to the Kurds?
He destroyed half of Kurdistan’s villages and towns, killed thousands of Kurds using mustard gas and cyanide, and displaced more than a million people
What did many of the Kurds do?
Many fled to Iran or Turkey, whilst others housed in concentration camps in the Iraqi desert
When did Saddam take action against the Shiites?
1991
What happened to the Shiites?
The Republican Guard carried out arrests and summary executions
Civilians were used as human shields, fastened to the front of tanks. Women and children were shot on sight
What did Saddam want to do in the south-east Iraq?
He wanted to destroy the marshes to enable a new waterway to be constructed. The Marsh Arabs were victims of chemical weapon attacks or were starved to death
What was the nature of Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq?
- Purges and terror
- Waging war on his people
- Personality cult
- Modernisation
- Military expansion
- Totalitarianism
How did Saddam want to be seen as to the Iraqi people to make them love him?
He was set out to cultivate an image of a father-style leader
How did Saddam cultivate popularity?
- establishing a permanent exhibition about himself in Baghdad
- featuring his life story through the press
- glorifying himself through articles in newspapers and on television
- hanging portraits on street corners and in party and government offices
- having songs written in praise of him
- renaming roads after himself
- commissioning statues, murals and paintings
What was the result of modernisation?
Wages rose, taxes were cut and basic foodstuffs were subsidised
What did modernisation include?
- supplying electricity to even remote villages
- developing heavy industry including, steel, petrochemical and coal
- building a countrywide network of oil pipelines
- establishing a new radio and television network to enable the spreading of government propaganda
- starting major building programmes for schools, houses and hospitals
- introducing a major campaign to end adult illiteracy
- making hospital treatment free
Who supplied most supplies to Iraq?
Soviet Russia, with Iraq becoming a major military power
What did Saddam purchase from European states?
He purchased tanks, planes, helicopters, surface-to-air missiles and electronic equiment, blueprints for chemical weapons
When did Saddam construct his first chemical warfare plant?
The middle of 1979.
He was soon producing chemical weapons, including agents as anthrax
What were children taught in school?
They were brainwashed as were young adults in the Baath youth organisations as they were introduced the idea of a glorious leader
What did censorship ensure?
That critical views of Saddam were never heard or read
It was a capital offence to criticise government
What was essential if a career in public office was to be followed?
Membership of the Baath Party