Editing Iran–Iraq War (section)

====Introduction of human wave attacks====
The Iranians suffered from a shortage of heavy weapons,<ref name=pollack04 />{{rp|225|date=November 2012}} but had numerous volunteers, so they began using [[human wave attack]]s against the Iraqis. Typically, an Iranian assault would commence with poorly trained Basij who would launch the primary human wave assaults to swamp the weakest portions of the Iraqi lines en masse (on some occasions even bodily clearing minefields).<ref name=pollack04 /><ref name=moin>[https://books.google.com/books?id=b2OL9IEXaAgC&q=martyrdom+iraq Khomeini: life of the Ayatollah] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924090001/https://books.google.com/books?id=b2OL9IEXaAgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=moin+khomeini&hl=en&src=bmrr&ei=xilNTreuMOLj0QHz5ID_Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=snippet&q=martyrdom%20iraq&f=false |date=24 September 2015 }} By Baqer Moin</ref> This would be followed up by the more experienced Revolutionary Guard infantry, who would breach the weakened Iraqi lines,<ref name=pollack04 /><ref name=wilson07 /> and followed up by the regular army using mechanised forces, who would manoeuvre through the breach and attempt to encircle and defeat the enemy.<ref name=pollack04 /><ref name=wilson07 />

[[File:Iranian soldier holding IV bag during Iran-Iraq war.jpeg|thumb|209x209px|A wounded Iranian soldier holding an [[Intravenous therapy|IV bag]]]]

According to [[historian]] Stephen C. Pelletiere, the idea of Iranian "human wave attacks" was a misconception.<ref name=Pelletiere /> Instead, the Iranian tactics consisted of using groups of 22-man infantry [[squads]], which moved forward to attack specific objectives. As the squads surged forward to execute their missions, that gave the impression of a "human wave attack". Nevertheless, the idea of "human wave attacks" remained virtually [[synonymous]] with any large-scale infantry frontal assault Iran carried out.<ref name=Pelletiere>{{cite book|last=Pelletiere|first=Stephen|title=The Iran–Iraq War: Chaos in a Vacuum|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V_-MKu4k6QAC&q=Iran+did+not+use+human+wave+attacks&pg=PA40|isbn=978-0275938437|year=1992|publisher=Abc-Clio}}</ref> Large numbers of troops would be used, aimed at overwhelming the Iraqi lines (usually the weakest portion, typically manned by the [[Iraqi Popular Army]]), regardless of losses.<ref name=pollack04 />

According to the former Iraqi general [[Ra'ad al-Hamdani]], the Iranian human wave charges consisted of armed "civilians" who carried most of their necessary equipment themselves into battle and often lacked [[command and control]] and [[logistics]].<ref name="Woods 2010">{{cite web|last=Woods|first=Kevin|title=Saddam's Generals: A Perspective of the Iran–Iraq War|url=http://www.ndu.edu/inss/docuploaded/saddams-generals.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403150153/http://www.ndu.edu/inss/docuploaded/saddams-generals.pdf|archive-date=3 April 2013}}</ref> Operations were often carried out during the night and deception operations, infiltrations, and manoeuvres became more common.<ref name=Abdoleinen-Ghazaleh /> Infiltrating forces would be reinforced to maintain momentum, all forces would be concentrated onto a newly discovered weak point, and human wave attacks were used to facilitate breakthroughs.<ref name="Woods 2010" />

Human wave attacks, while extremely bloody (tens of thousands of troops died in the process),<ref name="moin" /> when used in combination with infiltration and surprise, caused major Iraqi defeats. As the Iraqis would dig in their tanks and infantry into static, entrenched positions, the Iranians would manage to break through the lines and encircle entire divisions.<ref name=pollack04 /> Merely the fact that the Iranian forces used [[maneuver warfare|manoeuvre warfare]] by their light infantry against static Iraqi defenscs was often the decisive factor in battle.<ref name=wilson07 /> However, lack of coordination between the Iranian Army and IRGC and shortages of heavy weaponry played a detrimental role, often with most of the infantry not being supported by artillery and armour.<ref name=pollack04 /><ref name=wilson07 />