The U.S. Hostage Crisis in Iran
444 Days in Captivity
Background of the Shah
First came to power
during WWII
 Deposed in the late
forties
 Reinstalled by a CIA-led
coup in 1953 approved
by the Eisenhower
administration

The “White Revolution”
 Divested the clergy of their vast landholdings
 Declared new rights for women
Right to vote
Right to attend university
 Dramatically increased urbanization and
industrialization
 Exiles the Ayatollah Khomeini after he criticizes
the Shah
Westernize or Bust!
 Most Iranians did not want to abandon their rich
heritage for Western Ways
 Found inspiration in the sermons of Muslim
leaders who denounced the material West
 The Shah maintained control with harsh
repression and brutality
SAVAK
Allah Hu Akbar, Marg Bar Shah!
Demonstrations
increased demanding the
shah be deposed
 Demonstrators
demanded the return of
the exiled Ayatollah
Khomeini
 The country was out of
control

Exit the Shah!
 Offers the premiership to Dr. Shahpur Bahktiar
 Leaves the country January 16, 1979
 The Ayatollah was invited back
 Tens of thousands of demonstrators demanded
the return of an Islamic state.
 Dr. Bahktiar leaves
Islamic State Returns
 Enemies of the Islamic Revolution are tried and
executed
 All political parties and organizations are banned
 Independent and non-Islamic newspapers are
closed.
 Banks and Industries are Nationalized.
Iranian Revolution Escalates

US interests in the Persian
Gulf are threatened.
No access to Iranian Oil
Cancellation of $7 billion of
uncompleted arms contracts

Anti American sentiment
runs high.
“Marg Bar Amrika!”
Sunday, November 4,
1979 the US Embassy in
Teheran is stormed
 Sixty-six hostages taken
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/a
mex/carter/peopleevents/e
_hostage.html

Oh Canada!
Six Americans seek
refuge at the Canadian
Embassy
 Tense moments
 Ottawa and Canadian
Embassy prepare to
evacuate

Iran’s Hostage Demands
 Return the Shah for trial
 Return the Shah’s wealth to the people of Iran
 Admission of guilt by the US
 An apology and promise to stay out of Iran’s
affairs.
President Carter’s Response
Refused to send the
Shah back
 Froze all Iranian
Government financial
assets
 Forbade American
companies from buying
Iranian oil
 13 hostages freed

U.S. Reaction to Hostage Crisis
 Demonstrations at the Iranian Embassy in the
US
 Record sales of Iranian flags, which were then
burned
 Iranian Americans were harassed
Renewed Sense of Patriotism

CBS anchor Walter Cronkite
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/vid
eoplayer/newVid/framesource_old.
html?clip=/media/2001/01/19/video
265570.rm
Hostages became a national
obsession
 Penelope Laingen and the yellow
ribbon

America’s Frustration Grows
 On April 7, President Carter announces the
severing of diplomatic relations with Iran
 Complete economic embargo
 Inventory of financial claims against Iran to be
paid from Iranian assets in the U.S.
 All Iranian diplomats are told to leave the country
in 24 hours.
Operation Eagle Claw
April 24, 1980
 8 helicoptors from the
Nimitz were to
rendezvous with 6
transports at Desert One
 Then fly to Desert Two to
drive to Teheran where
the CIA had arranged for
several Iranians to help
storm the embassy

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Nimitz
Mission Aborted!
The first mission for the newly
formed Delta Force
 Pilots did not have
experience, flying at night,
flying low, and in sand storms.
 The sandstorm disabled three
helicoptors, one collided with
a transport and both burst into
flames killing eight Americans

President Carter Accepts Full
Blame
 Little hope for a second attempt because the
hostages were dispersed to various locations
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/peopleeve
nts/e_hostage.html
 Carter’s popularity sinks
 The Shah dies in July
“On Wings of Eagles”
Ross Perot’s hires Col.
Bull Simon to rescue two
EDS employees in an
Iran prison.
 Successful mission
 Ken Follett novel

1980 Presidential Campaign
The Reagan-Bush team
realized that the hostage
issue would determine the
election
 Americans needed to hear
stirring phrases of national
purpose, and believe in the
future.
 Wins by a landslide, Nov. 4
 Started selling arms to the
Contra rebels in Nicaragua,
using the money to pay Iran
ransom

The Hostages are Freed
Carter released $8 billion
in frozen Iranian assets
the morning of the
inauguration
 The hostages board
planes
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/
amex/carter/peopleevent
s/e_hostage.html

Where Are They Now?
The Shah’s son is
attended school at USC
 Trained as a pilot in the
US Airforce
 Acknowledges some of
the evil that his father
was accused of
 Is gathering support to
return to Iran
