The Chaldeans are Christians whom the French converted to Catholicism beginning in the 16th century. They suffered greatly in World War I, and their numbers have been further reduced due to emigration. Along with the Assyrians, they remain part of the small Christian minority in northern Iraq, where they interact with the Kurds. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the Christians again suffered greatly in the ensuing civil war. In general, the Assyrian community prefers to view itself as an ethnically distinct people descended from the ancient Assyrian Empire, while the Chaldeans have identified more with their Christian religious beliefs.
Historical Dictionary of the Kurds. Michael M. Gunter.