Operation Ajax-The beginning

 Operation Ajax was the code name given to the Central Intelligence Operation to overthrown the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh and install the pro-western Shah. The operation is significant in American History as it is the first CIA operation to overthrow a foreign government. 
   
    Secretary of State Dulles obtained authorization for the coup from President Eisenhower. Eisenhower, along with officials from Great Britain were concerned of Prime Minister Mossadegh's plans to nationalize Iran's oil fields. Mossadegh's plans were approved through the Iranian parliament. However, U.S. and Great Britain were concerned about the flow of oil and the impact on British Petroleum, the major British oil company that had control of the majority of the Iranian oil fields.


  With Eisenhower's approval, the CIA orchestrated the coup by various means. CIA operatives work directly with Iranian military officers, directed a campaign of bombings by Iranians posing as members of the Communist Party, and planted articles and editorial cartoons in the newspapers. The CIA also handpicked the successor,  Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlev (The Shah), to assume power. The Shah was considered cowardly by the CIA, and was reluctant to participate. The CIA sent numerous envoys to bolster the Shah's courage. Two days after the coup, the CIA funneled five million dollars into Iran to help consolidated the government.  


  The coup was successful and on August 19, 1953, the Shah assumed power. 


CIA Document: Overthrow of Premier Mossadegh  This link is to a CIA document which outlines the participation, methods, and results of the CIA's coup in Iran.

Iranians take to the streets after the successful coup.

The Shah on his way to Iran to assume power.

The Origins of Hate

In 1953 the United States CIA along with the British Intelligence Agency MI5 orchestrated a coup to overthrow the democratically elected leader of Iran, Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossadeqh. The British were upset over Mossadeqh's plan to socialize Iran's oil industry. The Eisenhower Administration believed its actions were justified for strategic reasons. Installed was Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, commonly referred to as the Shah. The Shah denationalized the oil industry.

This webpage is an assignment for a college course, Recent America, at Fairmont State University. I chose this topic because I remember this event being played out on the evening news broadcasts as a 12 year old. Nightly, news anchors would start the show with an update on the situation, announcing how many days the hostages had been in captivity, then interviewing various national security experts and politicians.

Even though I was only 12, I remember this incident effected the nation's collective mood. The 70's had been turbulent, with the end of Vietnam and Watergate still fresh in our minds. Inflation, stagflation, high unemployment and gas rationing all seemed to indicate the United States was quickly falling into the abyss.  

Now, a group of hostile students had stormed our Embassy in Iran and taken Americans hostage. It was an outrage. It was unprovoked. It was a complete breach of international protocol. I remember thinking "If they kill the hostages...we have to go to war." Just when things seemed as though they could not get worse, the United States botched a rescue effort that left eight U.S. Serviceman dead in an Iranian desert.

Making the crisis even more interesting was this was all occurring in the middle of a Presidential race. President Carter appeared weak, even before this crisis, and even had a primary challenger. Opposing President Carter was Ronald Reagan, former governor of California. 

My perspective at the time, I suspect, was like that of many Americans. President Carter was weak, ineffective, and indecisive. The failed rescue attempt was an indictment on budget cuts that had reduced the capability of our military. Inter-service rivalry may have also played a role. Finally, the hostages were released hours after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President. It appeared the Iranians did not want to deal with President Reagan has he had talked very tough on the campaign trail. Right or wrong, that is how most people perceived the crisis.

The reason I chose this subject because I wanted to explore the Iranian Hostage Crisis 30 years later. I want to look at the event far removed by the politics of the day and try to understand the cause of the crisis, what actions were taken by President Carter's administration, and investigate more deeply into the failed rescue attempt.