Immortal

A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces

Steven R. Ward

• Publisher: Georgetown University Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781626160651
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: National Security
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Immortal is the only single-volume English-language survey of Iran's military history. CIA analyst Steven R. Ward shows that Iran's soldiers, from the famed "Immortals" of ancient Persia to today's Revolutionary Guard, have demonstrated through the centuries that they should not be underestimated. This history also provides background on the nationalist, tribal, and religious heritages of the country to help readers better understand Iran and its security outlook.

Immortal begins with the founding of ancient Persia's empire under Cyrus the Great and continues through the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) and up to the present. Drawing on a wide range of sources including declassified documents, the author gives primary focus to the modern era to relate the build-up of the military under the last Shah, its collapse during the Islamic revolution, its fortunes in the Iran-Iraq War, and its rise from the ashes to help Iran become once again a major regional military power. He shows that, despite command and supply problems, Iranian soldiers demonstrate high levels of bravery and perseverance and have enjoyed surprising tactical successes even when victory has been elusive. These qualities and the Iranians' ability to impose high costs on their enemies by exploiting Iran's imposing geography bear careful consideration today by potential opponents.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures
• Preface and Acknowledgments
• Introduction: The Iranian Phoenix
• 1 Heritage of Greatness, Legacy of Loss
• 2 Powerful Predecessors: The Safavids and Nader Shah
• 3 Laughingstock: The Qajar Military
• 4 Nationalism Unleashed: From Revolution to the Great War
• 5 Two Paths: The Birth of the Modern Iranian Armed Forces
• 6 Sidelined: The World at War in Iran
• 7 Cold War Pillar: The Rise of the Imperial Armed Forces
• 8 Old Guard, New Guard: Iran’s Armed Forces in the Islamic Revolution
• 9 Horrible Sacrifice: The Iran-Iraq War
• 10 Despise Not Your Enemy: Iran’s Armed Forces in the Twenty-first Century
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index