Osprey RAID 052 Operation Eagle Claw 1980 The disastrous bid to end the Iran hostage crisis By Justin Williamson True Pdf.pdf

(17775 KB) Pobierz
OPERATION
EAGLE CLAW
1980
The disastrous bid to end the
Iran hostage crisis
J U S T I N W. W I L L I A M S O N
OPERATION EAGLE
CLAW
1980
The disastrous bid to end the Iran
hostage crisis
JUSTIN W. WILLIAMSON
CONTENTS
ORIGINS
CHRONOLOGY
INITIAL STRATEGY
THE PLAN
THE RAID
THE AFTERMATH
ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
4
9
12
29
35
68
76
78
80
ORIGINS
Revolution in Iran
In November 1979, Iran was in the throes of the Islamic Revolution, with
the embassy of the United States in Tehran as the focal point of the people’s
anger. After decades of friendly relations between the US and Iran, crowds
of Iranians, swept up in revolutionary fervor and furious over American
policy, stormed the embassy – essentially American territory – taking 66
Americans hostage. The fall of the embassy would lead America to launch
one of the most daring operations in American military history to free the
hostages – Operation
Eagle Claw.
In the late 1970s, the misguided policies of the Shah of Iran, Mohammad
Reza Pahlavi, Shainsha Aryameher (King of Kings, Light of the Aryans),
were about to come to a head. Despite spending billions of dollars and
opening Iran up to western investment, the country was not achieving the
Shah’s dream of returning to the grandeur of the Persian Empire. Instead,
Iran was descending into economic ruin and social discord no matter
what the Shah tried to do, because of the corruption of his government
and attempts to modernize Iran to western standards too quickly. Even
with the overly enthusiastic support of the US, Iran was floundering. Every
day the tensions increased between the Shah’s Western orientation and
the traditional religious and ethnic communities in Iran. Inflaming these
tensions were the widening gulf and disparity between the classes, which
were fermenting the seeds of a revolutionary explosion. Attempts to quell
the spreading discord by using the Iranian army and unleashing the hated
secret police, the Savak, only made things worse.
Those opposing the Shah rallied around the Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini, exiled since 1964 for opposing the Shah’s so-called “White
Revolution,” which sought to sell state interests, grant women more
rights, promote literacy, and allow non-Muslims to hold office. Khomeini
spoke constantly of the evils of the Shah and the need to restore a religious
4
Origins
President Jimmy Carter
is clearly uncomfortable
with Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran,
during this White House
state dinner on November
15, 1977. President Carter,
who campaigned partially
on holding world leaders
accountable for human
rights, was not happy about
reports concerning America’s
erstwhile ally in Iran. (Corbis
via Getty Images)
rule of law in Iran. Tapes and copies of his speeches were smuggled
into Iran and ferociously consumed by the people, looking for meaning
and guidance in the economic and social upheavals rippling through
the country.
As Iran was wracked by riots, protests, and strikes, the Shah finally fled
the country on January 16, 1979. His departure, and the confusion among
the remnants of his government in Tehran, paved the way for Khomeini to
return to Iran on February 1, 1979. On February 5, Khomeini declared he
By the time President
Carter hosted the Shah,
opponents of the Shah’s
regime were more and
more brazen at home and
abroad. During the Shah’s
visit to Washington, DC in
November 1977, anti-Shah
protests turned violent.
(Bettmann/Getty Images)
5

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika:

Zgłoś jeśli naruszono regulamin