Saddam Hussein rose from a harsh childhood in Tikrit to become the dominant force in Iraq’s Ba’ath Party. After joining the party in the 1950s, he took part in the failed 1959 assassination attempt on President Qasim, fled to Egypt, and returned after the 1963 coup. He was imprisoned, then steadily climbed the Ba’ath hierarchy, helping orchestrate the 1968 coup that brought the party back to power. By the 1970s, he was Iraq’s de facto ruler, formally assuming the presidency in 1979 after purging rivals. He led Iraq into the devastating Iran‑Iraq War (1980–1988), then invaded Kuwait in 1990, prompting the Gulf War and severe UN sanctions. By 1996, Saddam remained firmly in control, ruling through repression, a vast security apparatus, and a cult of personality.
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