How to Revise Tensions in the Gulf — AQA GCSE History
This study area examines the complex geopolitical landscape of the Persian Gulf from the mid-20th century to the conclusion of the 1991 Gulf War. It prioritizes the analysis of the causes and consequences of major regional conflicts, specifically the Iran-Iraq War and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Candidates must evaluate the influence of oil wealth, the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the shifting involvement of global superpowers—the USA and USSR—in maintaining or destabilizing regional security. The study demands an understanding of how ideological, religious, and economic factors converged to create a period of sustained volatility with global implications.
Key Marking Points
- Consequences of the Iran-Iraq war
- Western and Russian interests in Iran and Iraq
- Threat to oil supplies
- Contribution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Gulf tension and global terrorism
- Reasons for the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990
- Reactions and roles of Bush and Thatcher