Transcript The Iranian Hostage Crisis - Lone Pine Unified School

The Iranian Hostage Crisis
1979-1981
MAP
This is were the
US embassy was
Causes
Before the hostage situation there was an
Islamic Revolution taking place (1978-1979).
Ayatollah Khomeini, the Islamic leader, was
trying his hardest to destroy all western
influences. It began when he overthrew the
American backed ruler Muhammad Reza Shah
Pahlevi. This began a steady deterioration of the
relationship of the US and Iran. Iranians seized
the embassy when the former Shah was allowed
into the US for medical purposes. They feared
that America was trying to put the Shah back in
power.
Grand Ayatollah Sayid Ruhullah
Musawi Khomeini
Sayid Ruhullah Musawi Khomeini was
the religious and political leader behind the
Iranian hostage situation. Khomeini had a lot
of political power. He was a Grand Ayatollah.
A spiritual reference. He was the man that
Iranians looked for to spiritual guidance.
Khomeini did not like the West and disliked
the ruler of Iran. In fact he refused to enter
Iran until the king left. When the king left in
1979 Khomeini wasted no time taking over
the government. Khomeini helped create a
new constitution for the Islamic Republic of
Iran. He elected himself Supreme Leader. His
followers were the ones that seized the
Embassy. Khomeini backed the action and
used it as a bargaining chip against the US on
many occasions. He even went as far as to
say “America can’t do a thing.”
February 14, 1979
On February 14, 1979
the embassy was
mobbed by five hundred
Iranians. The US feared
something like this
would happen. That’s
why there were only
seventy personnel rather
then the regular 1,400.
The mob was repelled
with a few casualties and
deaths.
November 10, 1979
On this day the former
Iranian king was let into the US
for medical reasons. At first
there wasn’t a real response
from the Iranians. Suddenly a
mob of perhaps three hundred
Iranian students stormed the
embassy. The students, from the
Muslim Student Followers of the
Imam’s Line, took sixty-three
Americans hostage. Another three
were taking hostage in the Iranian
Foreign Ministry. There were
sixty-six hostages in all.
Treatment
The hostages were not always treated
badly. The hostage-takers called them “guests of
Ayatollah” an provided playing cards and books
to pass the time. In fact, thirteen blacks and
women were set free the second day because it
would be against Islam to keep them. In July 11,
1980, Richard Queen was released when he
was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. However
they still weren’t treated well. They weren’t
beaten or tortured, but they were treated badly in
other ways. They were constantly paraded in
front of cameras with blind folds and Hoods.
They were frequently put in solitary confinement
and weren’t allowed to talk for months on end.
They were feed infrequently and by the end of
their stay all had been severely emancipated
(starved). The captors did not stop at physical
abuse, they also used psychological torture. One
of the hostages was told his mother had died
and did not learn the truth till he was set free.
Beginning
The Iranian hostage situation was
at first only meant to last a few hours.
But Khomeini waited to see how
America would react. He feared that
America would come in with guns
blazing. They didn’t. Many say that
the hostages would have been
released earlier if President Carter
had been more forceful. Carter tried
to peacefully negotiate the release of
the hostages. This did not work. Next
Carter used economic leverage. He
froze all of Iran’s foreign assets. This
didn’t work either. Then things got
complicated.
Operation Eagle Claw
President Carter didn’t just use
economic pressure to release the
hostages. On April 20, 1980, the
operation was carried out. The
rescue helicopters and planes
landed in Iran’s desert to refuel.
However this created a lot of
problems. These problems
included equipment failure and a
blinding sandstorm. Because of this
the mission was aborted. The
sandstorm was the worst part. On
the back a rescue helicopter
collided with a transport airplane
and eight of the rescuers were
killed. The mission turned into a
complete and utter failure.
The Invasion of Afghanistan
The invasion of Afghanistan
did not help the US’s cause. On
December 25, 1979, Russia came
to Afghanistan’s aid. At the time
Afghanistan was under a
communist government. The
government was under fire by
Muslim rebels. The invasion was
used as an example of how a
“civilized” country will try to assert
its power over smaller countries. It
didn’t help that the US was helping
the Muslim rebels. This set back
release negotiations.
Repercussions
President Carter’s diplomatic negotiations,
the failed mission, and Russia’s invasion of
Afghanistan made it harder to get the hostages
freed. Iran thought it had been wronged and it
would not budge until it’s alleged wrong was
set right. In example of Iran’s stubbornness
was shown on July 27, 1980. The whole
situation started when Iran’s former Shah was
allowed into the US for medical treatment. On
July 27 he died. When Iran learned of this they
still didn’t let the hostages go. Iran’s outrage
lead some of its citizens to do disgusting things.
After Iran learned of the failed rescue attempts
some Iranians took the brunt corpse from the
crash site and paraded them around at an antiAmerican rally. None of these helped the
hostage’s situation.
President James Earl “Jimmy”
Carter Jr.
While this was going on the President
of the US was Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter
was a good president. He created two
departments, the Department of Energy
and the Department of Health, to help
Americans. He did what he thought
best for the people. Then the hostage
situation happened. His inability to free
the hostages turned America against
him. When he ran for reelection he lost
badly to Republican Ronald Reagan.
Conclusion
Iran was all for keeping the hostages
as long as possible. Then in September
22, 1980 Iraq invaded Iran. Iran was
suddenly on the defensive. Iran had just
gotten over a revolution. It wasn’t ready for
a invasion. That’s exactly why Saddam
Hussein decided to invade at that time.
Iran was in some serious trouble. So it
decided to get rid of the lesser of two evils.
It released the American hostages after
444 days of captivity. To show contempt
towards America one last time, they
released the hostages moments after
President Ronald Reagan was sworn in.
The Iranian’s involved like to say they
were powerful enough to change the
Presidency of the “great United States of
America”.
Happy Hostages coming home
Excerpt of Hostage Diary on the Plane
Ride Home
“The voice came over the Algerian
plane's speaker: "You are now leaving
Iranian air space!" What a cheer went up
from the American hostages on the plane!
This was the moment for which we had
waited 444 days. Now we knew we were
really free! Even though we had been told
by the Iranian terrorists that we were being
set free, I'm sure all of the hostages didn't
really feel that we were on our way to
freedom until we actually were out of Iran.
So much still could go wrong in the
process of obtaining our freedom...but the
confirmation that we were actually out of
Iran and the Ayatollah Khomeini's
jurisdiction made us finally realize that our
ordeal was over! What a magnificent
feeling! We were on our way at last! We
were going home!”
Robert C. Ode
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was a very popular
president. President Reagan was a very
different president. He was a one of a
kind president. He was the only
president that was ever divorced and the
only actor president. Reagan used the
Iranian Hostage situation to get elected.
He promised the disheartened
Americans he would bring back
America’s power and influence in the
world. This and his amazing popularity
got him elected. The fact the hostages
were released minutes after he was
inaugurated was a major boost in his
already large population.
Afterwards
Even though twenty-six years have passed the
tension between America and Iran is still thick.
America is still angry with Iran and Iran still does
not like the West. Now that Iran is growing closer
to a nuclear bomb America is getting more
nervous. America is trying its hardest to stop Iran
from gaining nuclear capabilities apart from military
action. America is now afraid what Iran would do to
them with a nuke.
Timeline
•
•
•
•
•
•
February 14, 1917- a mob attacks
the US embassy, but is repelled.
November 10, 1917- a mob
attacks the embassy and takes
sixty-six people captive
November 11, 1917- thirteen
hostages were released because
they were black or women.
April 25, 1980- the US sends a
rescue mission, but it fails
miserably.
July 11, 1980- Richard Queen
released when diagnosed with
multiple scoliosis
July 27, 1980- the Shah dies, but
the hostage situation keeps on.
•
•
September 22, 1980- Iraq invades
Iran.
January 20, 1981- All hostages
released.
Bibliography
•
•
•
"Iran hostage crisis." The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.
© 1994, 2000-2006, on Infoplease.
© 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease.
19 Sept. 2007 <http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0825448.html>.
“People & Events: The Iranian Hostage Crisis, November 1979 - January 1981”. PBS
Org. 23 Sept. 2007
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/peopleevents/e_hostage.html>
“1979: Militants storm US embassy in Tehran” BBC. 25 Sept. 2007.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/4/newsid_3910000/3910
627.stm#top>
•
“Iran-U.S. Hostage Crisis (1979-1981)”. 27 April 2007. 29 Sept. 2007.
<http://www.historyguy.com/iran-us_hostage_crisis.html>
•
“Iran Hostage's Diary / Robert C. Ode” Jimmy Carter Library & Museum. 09 Feb.
2007. 03 Dec. 2007. <http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/documents/r_ode/>