Saddam Hussein

28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006

Saddam Hussein was an Iraqi politician who led the Ba'ath Party and served as President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. His rule included the Iran-Iraq War, the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Gulf War. He was removed from power by the United States-led invasion of 2003, captured that December, and executed in 2006 after conviction by the Iraqi Special Tribunal.

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Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Saddam Hussein.

Life events

Birth near Tikrit
28 April 1937

Born in the village of al-Awja, north of Baghdad.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Joins the Ba'ath Party
1957

Became a member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in Baghdad.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Participation in the attempt on Abd al-Karim Qasim
1959

Took part in a failed assassination attempt on the Iraqi prime minister and afterwards left the country for Egypt.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Law studies in Cairo
c. 1962

Studied law at Cairo University during his years in Egypt.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Becomes Vice President of Iraq
July 1968

Took the post after the Ba'athist coup that brought Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to the presidency.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Becomes President of Iraq
16 July 1979 – April 2003

Assumed the presidency after al-Bakr resigned, and carried out a purge of the party leadership.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Iran-Iraq War
September 1980 – August 1988

Iraq invaded Iran, beginning a war that lasted until a ceasefire in August 1988.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Invasion of Kuwait
2 August 1990 – February 1991

Iraqi forces occupied Kuwait, leading to the Gulf War and their expulsion by a US-led coalition in 1991.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Capture by United States forces
13 December 2003

Found in a hideout near Tikrit some months after the fall of Baghdad.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Execution in Baghdad
30 December 2006

Hanged after being convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal over the killings at Dujail.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓