Armies of the Iran–Iraq War 1980–88

Chris McNab's "Armies of the Iran-Iraq War 1980-88" provides a detailed examination of the military forces that clashed during one of the longest conventional wars of the twentieth century. Published as part of Osprey's Elite series, this volume focuses specifically on the organization, equipment, and tactical evolution of both Iranian and Iraqi armed forces throughout the eight-year conflict. McNab brings his characteristic clarity to a complex subject, making the military structures and combat capabilities of both sides accessible to readers seeking to understand this often-overlooked war.

The book systematically explores the composition of both armies at the outbreak of hostilities in September 1980, when Iraq launched its invasion of Iran. McNab examines how the Iranian military had been significantly weakened by the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which saw massive purges of the officer corps and the dissolution of many established command structures. The author details how the new Islamic Republic struggled to rebuild its military effectiveness while simultaneously establishing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a parallel force to the regular army. This dual military structure, with its inherent tensions and competing loyalties, receives thorough treatment throughout the text.

The Iraqi forces, by contrast, began the war with what appeared to be significant advantages in organization and equipment. McNab outlines how Saddam Hussein's regime had invested heavily in military modernization throughout the 1970s, acquiring advanced Soviet weaponry and building a substantial armored force. The book examines the structure of the Iraqi Republican Guard, the regular army divisions, and the Popular Army militia, explaining how each component fit into Baghdad's overall military strategy. The author provides insight into Iraqi tactical doctrine, which initially emphasized conventional armored warfare but evolved considerably as the conflict progressed.

One of the book's strengths lies in its treatment of the equipment and weaponry employed by both sides. McNab catalogs the various tanks, armored vehicles, artillery pieces, and aircraft that equipped Iranian and Iraqi forces, noting the diverse sources of military hardware. Iran's pre-revolution purchases of American and British equipment contrasted sharply with Iraq's predominantly Soviet arsenal, though both nations would seek weapons from numerous international suppliers as the war dragged on. The text explains how equipment availability and maintenance capabilities affected battlefield performance, particularly as international arms embargoes and financial constraints limited both nations' ability to sustain their forces.

The evolution of tactics and strategy receives considerable attention throughout the volume. McNab traces how both armies adapted to the realities of attritional warfare after the initial Iraqi offensive stalled. The book examines Iran's development of human wave tactics, often associated with Revolutionary Guard and Basij volunteer forces, while also noting the continued importance of conventional operations by regular Iranian army units. Iraqi defensive strategies, including the extensive use of fortifications and chemical weapons, are presented within their military context. The author explains how the war increasingly resembled First World War trench warfare in many sectors, with both sides conducting costly offensives that gained little territory.

Special forces and unconventional warfare receive appropriate coverage, with McNab discussing Iranian use of revolutionary ideology to motivate troops and Iraq's employment of special operations units for specific tactical missions. The book also addresses the role of various paramilitary and militia forces that supplemented regular military units on both sides. These auxiliary forces played significant roles in garrison duties, internal security, and even frontline combat as the war's manpower demands escalated.

The text benefits from numerous photographs, diagrams, and organizational charts that illustrate unit structures and equipment. These visual elements complement the written analysis and help readers grasp the scale and complexity of the military forces involved. Color plates depicting uniforms and insignia provide additional detail about how soldiers from different units and branches could be identified.

McNab maintains an objective tone throughout, avoiding political judgments while presenting the military facts of how both nations organized and employed their armed forces. The book serves as a valuable reference for understanding the military dimensions of the Iran-Iraq War, offering specific details about force structures that are often difficult to find in more general histories of the conflict. For readers interested in modern Middle Eastern military history, twentieth-century warfare, or the specific details of how these two nations built and sustained large armies during prolonged conflict, this volume provides substantial information in a well-organized format. The book succeeds in its aim of documenting the armies that fought this devastating war, contributing to a fuller understanding of a conflict whose consequences continue to shape the region.