Soviet Invasion of the United Emirates

The Emirates War, also known as the Soviet Invasion of the United Emirates, was a major conflict in the United Emirates that occurred officially between 1960 and 1963.

Background
The background to the war begins with independence. King Hamad rapidly gave in to conservatives and served more-or-less as a puppet. Communists and socialists in the country began a a revolt in Salalah. Soon the soviets were supplying them with arms and building them a capital. They had a few early successes but were on the decline through 1959 and were on the brink of losing. So, in April 1960 the Red Army invaded the Emirates.

War
The Soviet Army quickly advanced up the country, reclaiming the territory lost by the rebels. In October 1960 the Soviets defeated the royalists at Sur and King Hamad fled the country. The King’s brother, Faisal took command and organized a resistance. Citizens began armed resistance and guerilla war (like the Afghan Mujahidin’s of the 1980s) and the remnants of the army (about 65,000 men) began engaging the Soviets into combat in increasingly hostile territory (for them). State-sponsored terrorist attacks resulted in the destruction of many Soviet bases, convoys and equipment. There was, by 1962, support internationally for the royalists; both Saudi Arabia and Europa were providing weapons and other support. A heatwave and drought in the south (1963) devastated the little remaining Soviet morale. By July 1963 most soviet troops had left the country, calling it “a war that could not be won”.