Saddam Hussein was born on April 28, 1937, in a small town near Tikrit, Iraq. As the eldest of 11 children, Saddam Hussein learned early to take advantage of every family situation to advance his own ambitions. From an early age he became accustomed to seeking material gain and power. His ambition was to become the leading man in the family
Read more
He was also determined to prove himself by excelling in whatever he attempted. He had a politically active brother, Uday, who became the "mature male" of the family. Following their father's death in 1952, Saddam Hussein persuaded his mother that her youngest son should be put through medical school.
After being persuaded to return to Tikrit University for an additional year of education he decided on medicine as his career. He excelled at medicine and rose quickly through the ranks of Iraqi politics. In 1972 he became president of Iraq and dictator of all Iraq's people.