21. Iraqi Military Against Iranian Soldiers and Civilians, 1983-1988: 21,000 Casualties, 92,000 Wounded
The Iran-Iraq War was a bloody conflict that led to the deaths of over one million people. Following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Saddam Hussein invaded in an effort of preventing the revolution from spreading to Iraq’s Shi’a-majority population. His use of chemical weapons against Iranians was prolific and supported by the US government.
Despite the known use of chemical weapons by Saddam, there was little international outcry to oppose the regime. In retaliation to the attacks by Iraq, scientists in Iran began developing chemical weapons to deploy against Iraqis.
