Tag Archives: Saddam Hussein

The Rise of Saddam Hussein
This revision podcast is aimed at GCSE and IGCSE History students, although AS and IB students may find it a helpful introduction to events in the Gulf in the later 20th Century. This episode focuses on the factors that allowed Saddam Hussein to come to power in Iraq in 1979.
The podcast breaks Saddam’s rise to power into three key areas: his dominance of the Ba’ath Party, a series of social and economic policies that benefited the vast majority of Iraqis, and a ruthless system of terror and repression that dealt with anyone who dared to oppose him.
The revision guide aims to give clear examples for each of these factors, and explain how each of them contributed to Saddam’s rise to power.

Saddam Hussein’s Rule of Iraq
This revision podcast is relevant to both GCSE and IGCSE History students, although AS and IB students may find it a helpful introduction to events in the Gulf in the later 20th Century. This episode aims explain the factors that allowed Saddam Hussein to maintain his rule of Iraq after he became President in 1979.
The podcast breaks Saddam’s rule into three key areas: his control of the Ba’ath party, his use of repression and violence against his enemies, and his use of economic and social policy alongside propaganda to maintain the support of the population.
The revision guide aims to give clear examples for each of these factors, and explain how each of them contributed to Saddam remaining in power for a quarter of a century.

Causes and Consequences of the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-88
This revision podcast is relevant to both GCSE and IGCSE History students, although AS and IB students may find it a helpful introduction to events in the Gulf in the later 20th Century.
The podcast looks at three key factors:
- The different causes of the war, including Iran’s threat to Saddam’s regime, the opportunity for Iraq to gain territory and oil, and timing
- The nature of how the war was fought, including the impact of foreign powers
- The consequences of the war for each nation
The revision guide aims to give clear examples for each of these factors, and explain how students might approach a question on them in the exam.

The First Gulf War: Course and Consequences
This revision podcast is aimed at GCSE and IGCSE History students, although AS and IB students may find it a helpful introduction to events in the Gulf in the later 20th Century. This episode focuses on the events and the aftermath of the First Gulf War.
The podcast begins with an overview of Operation Desert Shield and Iraq’s retaliation, before moving on to the effect of the ground invasion by Coalition forces. The podcast concludes with a description of the UN weapons inspection and the economic sanctions imposed by the ceasefire.