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Iran Hostage Crisis. President ahmadinejad ???. Background. By the 1950s Iran saw itself in a power struggle US supported Reza Shah (Shah = name for leader of Iran) Mohammed Mossadeq wins in a democratic election. Background (Cont.). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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BACKGROUND By the 1950s Iran saw itself in a power struggle
US supported Reza Shah (Shah = name for leader of Iran)
Mohammed Mossadeq wins in a democratic election
BACKGROUND (CONT.) US helps the Shah launch a coup against Mossadeq to restore the Shah to power
Key Point…US replaces the democratically elected Mossadeq and puts a dictatorship under the rule of the Shah in power
US continues support of Shah afterward and helps train secret police (SAVAK)
IRANIAN REVOLUTION Brutal tactics (secret police) to keep power angered Iranian people and…
Economic downturn led to… In 1979, revolution in Iran led to overthrow of the Shah (exiled)
AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI Returned to Iran after being in exile for 14 years in France after Shah took power
Islamic Fundamentalist leader
Preached a strong Anti-American message (“Great Satan”)
TRIGGERING POINT American Government allowed the Shah to enter the country for cancer treatment
November 4, 1979 an angry mob led by students attacked American Embassy in Tehran and captured 52 American employees
CARTER’S RESPONSEFroze Iranian assets in the U.S. banks and placed an embargo on Iranian oil
Negotiated release of hostages
Ordered a rescue attempt in April 1980
OPERATION EAGLE CLAW Mission to rescue American hostages
Eight Americans died when a U.S. plane and helicopter collided because of a sand storm
Failure embarrassed President Jimmy Carter and severely hurt chances of being re-elected
RESULTS After 444 days, hostages were released
This occurred the same day as Ronald Reagan became President on January 20, 1981Why???Hostages wouldn’t be released until Carter was gone
CARTER’S OTHER FOREIGN POLICIES Ease dependence on foreign oil
Conservation Development of alternative energy (solar, wind)
Overshadowed by Three-Mile Island mishap (Pennsylvania)
PANAMA CANAL TREATIES Panama would take control over the canal by the end of 1999
Many Americans disagreed with decision – viewed as a decline in American power
CAMP DAVID ACCORDS – SADAT, CARTER, BEGIN
SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN, 1979
US secretively funds Mujahideen (group in Afghanistan fighting against USSR)
Why secretively?Didn’t want to spark a war with USSR
Soviet attacks bog down; forced to pull out
Power vacuum created in Afghanistan; Taliban takes control
Weapons provided to Afghanistan later used against US in War on Terror
SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN
