Political activity of the Iraqi General Student Union According to secret documents and data 1958-1963

Abstract

    This study examines the political engagements of the General Union of Iraqi Students during the period 1958-1963, drawing upon classified documents and archival materials. It systematically analyzes and critiques the union's political activities, presenting    them in appendices alongside unpublished secret documents. The primary objective is to provide valuable insights for scholars and informed readers. The research explores internal political dynamics, emphasizing the union's foundational objectives and operational framework, including its constitutions, internal systems, and activities. It also addresses broader regional and international contexts, organizing them chronologically .                                        

           The study begins by outlining the union's objectives and fundamental principles as articulated in its various constitutions, detailing internal workings and election processes affected by partisan conflicts. Specifically, the Communist Party of Iraq backed the General Union of Iraqi Students, whereas the Ba'ath Party supported the National Union of Iraqi Students, leading to ideological strife and subsequent political repercussions. This internal discord contributed to the destabilization of the ruling regime, notably weakening the Communist Party and its affiliated organizations .                                                                                

    The research is structured into two main sections: the first examines the public political activities of the General Union of Iraqi Students from July 14, 1958, to January 1960, when the union operated openly under the new revolutionary government. The second section investigates the covert political activities of the union from January 1960 to February 8, 1963, during which the Communist Party faced heightened restrictions amid escalating internal tensions and Iraq's evolving political landscape .                 

    Throughout its history, the union underwent several name changes; originally established in 1948 as the "General Union of Iraqi Students," it was later renamed in the 1959 constitution as the "General Union of Iraqi Students in the Iraqi Republic," reflecting ideological alignments. For clarity, this study refers to the union simply as the "General Union," contrasting it with the "National Union," which represented Ba'athist student interests .                     

 The conclusions of this research summarize key findings, supported by appendices containing crucial secret documents and data integral to the study's analysis .