Intellect PlusWars since 1945
738 cards. Each one is a 40-second story with a five-minute read behind it. Page 13 of 13.
Why did two of the world's poorest nations fight a Christmas war over sand?In December 1985, Burkina Faso and Mali engaged in a brief, intense conflict over a disputed border strip. Known as the Christmas War, this clash between two impoverished nations …
The Battle of Aleppo: How a Historic Commercial Hub Became Syria's StalingradBetween 2012 and 2016, Aleppo transformed from Syria's largest city into a brutal urban battlefield. Known as the mother of battles, this four-year siege decimated a UNESCO World …
How a power vacuum in Kabul triggered four years of brutal factional warfareFollowing the 1992 collapse of Afghanistan’s Soviet-backed government, the victorious mujahideen factions turned their weapons on each other. What began as a struggle for control …
The Black Decade: How a Cancelled Election Ignited a Brutal Algerian Civil WarIn 1992, Algeria’s military cancelled a landslide electoral victory by an Islamist party, triggering a decade of savage conflict. Known as the Black Decade, this war saw the state…
The secret history of the American drone war in Pakistan's tribal borderlandsBetween 2004 and 2018, the United States conducted thousands of covert drone strikes in northwest Pakistan. While publicly condemned by Pakistani officials as a violation of sover…- Did a border skirmish in 2018 actually happen, or was it a state-sponsored fairy tale?In May 2018, Azerbaijan announced significant territorial gains along its border with Armenia. Yet, analysts and officials suggest these claims were largely performative. While bo…
A major 2026 conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan has triggered widespread cross-border military engagement.Following a surge in militant attacks within Pakistan, the nation launched a large-scale military campaign against targets inside Afghanistan. This escalation, involving airstrike…
The Afghan Civil War of 1989–1992: A Fragile Regime and Divided ResistanceFollowing the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989, the communist government in Kabul survived far longer than Western intelligence predicted. While mujahideen factions foug…
The 2007 siege of Nahr al-Bared was Lebanon's most intense internal conflict since 1990.Beginning in May 2007, a brutal confrontation between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the militant group Fatah al-Islam transformed a Palestinian refugee camp into a war zone. The s…
How a contested election in Ivory Coast spiraled into a brutal civil warWhen Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede the 2010 presidential election, he triggered a violent standoff that tore Ivory Coast apart. As international pressure mounted and military …- The 2015 Zaria Massacre: A Violent Clash Between the Nigerian Army and Shia MuslimsIn December 2015, a brutal confrontation in Zaria, Nigeria, left hundreds of civilians dead and sparked international outcry. The Nigerian Army claimed they were responding to an …
How a failed independence referendum triggered a lightning offensive and reshaped Iraq's mapIn 2017, the Kurdistan Region held a vote for independence, defying Baghdad and the international community. The response was swift and decisive: Iraqi forces launched a surprise …- Why did Israel launch a major invasion of Lebanon in the summer of 1982?Codenamed Operation Peace for Galilee, the 1982 invasion was intended to dismantle the Palestine Liberation Organization and reshape Lebanese politics. While official justificatio…
- Did a secret deal between rebels and Moscow trigger the 1999 Dagestan war?In August 1999, Islamist militants invaded Dagestan, expecting a popular uprising that never materialized. Instead, they faced fierce resistance from local villagers and police. W…
- Did a border skirmish in 1964 spark the first war between Ethiopia and Somalia?The 1964 Ethiopian–Somali Border War, or First Ogaden War, was a brief but intense conflict born from years of regional unrest. Triggered by Somali demands for self-determination …
- The Tbilisi War: How a Newly Independent Nation Collapsed Into a Violent Military CoupFollowing the Soviet Union's collapse, Georgia's first democratically elected president was ousted in a brutal two-week siege. The 1991–1992 coup, led by warlords and former allie…
The 1998 Gali Clashes: A Brief, Destabilizing Conflict That Reshaped Abkhaz-Georgian RelationsOften called the Six-Day War of Abkhazia, the 1998 Gali clashes were far more than a week of fighting. Driven by Georgian insurgent attacks and Abkhazian reprisals, the conflict f…
When 14,000 American troops landed in Beirut to stabilize a fraying Middle Eastern nationIn 1958, Lebanon descended into a volatile political crisis fueled by sectarian tensions and Cold War anxieties. As internal protests threatened the government of President Camill…