More than thirty years later, the Iran Hostage crisis still ranks as one of the most traumatic diplomatic events in U.S. history. Dissatisfied with the corrupt and ineffective regime of Reza Shah Pahlavi, many Iranian citizens began protesting the Iranian government in 1977. In 1979 after nearly two years of protests and strikes, the Shah was exiled from Iran and was succeeded by the radical Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as Supreme Leader of the newly established Islamic republic. The Shah sought asylum and medical care from his erstwhile allies, particularly the United States, which agreed to help. Enraged members of the Iranian Revolution insisted on his return so that they could prosecute and punish him for his actions.
The 444-day-long crisis began on November 4th when some 3,000 militant Iranian students stormed the United States embassy in Tehran, taking nearly sixty diplomats hostage. ted koppel nightline -320wiRevolutionaries demanded that the U.S. return the Shah to Iran. After much internal debate, President Jimmy Carter decided not to do so, given the Shahâ??s medical condition and his many years as a stalwart American ally. Shows such as ABCâ??s â??Nightlineâ? with Ted Koppel had daily updates on the crisis and counted the days of â??America Held Hostage.â? Ultimately, the long grind of negotiations and bad publicity took its toll on the American psyche and the Carter presidency; he lost to Ronald Reagan and his campaign for â??Morning in Americaâ? in the 1980 elections.
In these excerpts from his oral history, John Limbert describes how the mob of Iranian Revolutionaries attacked the embassy, his â??stupidâ? attempt to calm the crowd, his initial days of captivity, and a mock execution. Part II on the End Game can be found here. You can also read the account by Chargé dâ??affaires Bruce Laingen, who had a much different experience as a captive at the Foreign Ministry.
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