American Hostage Crisis Essay

In January 1979, Iranians opposed to the Shah’s rule invaded the American embassy in Tehran and held a group of 52 American diplomats and other hostages for 444 days. The Shah left Iran and the victorious Ayatollah Khomeini returned that February. Of the approximately 90 people inside the embassy, 52 remained in captivity until the end of the crisis. The reputation of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the hostage taking was further enhanced with the failure of a hostage rescue attempt that cost lives. The Ayatollah Khomeini set forth several demands to be met prior to the release of the hostages. The US had options of their own; however, the risk to the hostages required the utmost consideration. In order to secure their freedom, outgoing

The Iranian hostage crisis was one of the most dramatic events in a series of problems that took place during President Jimmy Carter’s term. The crisis, beginning in November of 1979, received the most coverage of any major event since World War II. It was one of many problems faced in light of the United State’s complex relationship with Iran. The effects on both the US and Iran were astronomical, especially politically as well as economically and socially. It took a heavy toll on American relations with the Middle East and changed the way we engage in foreign affairs. In light of this crisis, Iran started an international war that we are still fighting thirty-two years later.

On November 4th, 1979, a group of enraged of Islamic revolutionists invaded the United States Embassy in Tehran. They had taken 60 Americans hostage for 444 days until President Ronald Reagan had taken Oath of office. It was nearly minutes after Reagan had taken office that they were released. Ayatollah Khomeini enforced an anti-Western Islamic theocracy, overrode the pro-Western monarchy of the Shah of Iran. Iran had felt that the United States was interfering with their internal affairs. They feared that they would return the Shah to power. The Shah had fled to mexico and the doctors there had uncovered that he was suffering an aggressive cancer. With this recent discovery they pushed the Shah to be admitted into a

During this time, the people of this time became stricken with unprecedented gasoline and energy shortages and lost their jobs. Despite the previous political issues between Iran and the United States intelligence came up with plans to rescue 52 Americans from the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran. The Americans were taken by Iranian radicals in the attempt to enforce the patriotism and the release of assets. This not only caused economic hardship, military, and presidential conflict between the United States and Iran. It also brought forth the leadership of calling rescue mission by Jimmy Carter and the legacy Jimmy Carter and the legacy of the military officials fearlessness of negotiation and a surge of patriotism throughout the United States the legacy Jimmy Carter and the legacy of the military officials fearlessness of negotiation and a surge of patriotism throughout the United

The people of Iran became angry that the United States would allow the Shah to seek medical treatment in the US, and overtook the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Many of them feared that the United States planned to return to Iran and reinstate Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi as their leader, because of the close diplomatic ties that had been established with him. The United States had helped him to overthrow Iran’s Prime Minister during a power struggle in 1953 and modernize Iran (“The Hostage Crisis in Iran”). The Iranian protesters- many of whom were college students- took hostages, 66 of the hostages holding American citizenship, and refused to release them until the Unites States stopped helping the Shah and turned him over to them. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini decided to support the actions of the student protesters, and dissolved treaties that had been made with the Soviet Union and the United States, preventing international intervention towards the violent protests in Iran. Premier Mehdi Bazargan and most of the

President Carter, like other presidents before him, had concentrated mostly on the Soviet Union. This was caused by the Cold War and the tensions that arose from it. Therefore the US’s main attention had been directed away from the Middle East. Since Iran was anti-communist then “the United States supported any regime that was not communist” (Bechtel 2). There was more of a reason for the president to focus on the Soviets than the Iranians, but he “did not ignore Iran during this period but it was not perceived as a hot spot ”(Farber 80). The main situation the US faced with Iran was the issue over oil and even when discussing the ownership over oil fields, there was never a moment where hostages were involved. The United States had made "innumerable pleas, resolutions, declarations, special missions, and even sanctions" to try and return the hostages safely back home (Ismail). Such extents even included sending eight helicopters to rescue the hostages. “Three out of the eight were damaged in the sandstorm, the mission was aborted”, and the death of the eight persons caused the Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance to resign even though he opposed the mission to begin with (“Iran Hostage Crisis”). The President had to be prepared to attack if any of the hostages were harmed. There were three things that were first sought out when realizing what had happened overseas in Iran. First,

The Iranian Revolution was an uprising by the common people of Iran who were upset about the doings of their Shah and his government. The Shah’s treatment of his own people can be characterized as unjust and cruel. After all, he severely limited the rights of groups whom he felt threatened his power to rule. He opposed the political rights of religious Shiite groups, which especially enraged Iranians, and led to the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini. The Ayatollah was a religious leader who would overthrow the Shah and establish a proper Islamic State in the nation. Ever since, the so called Islamic Revolution has raised concern over the dangers that Iran may pose to the Western world. Nevertheless, the Iranian Revolution was a progressive movement that reflected the major concerns of Iranians towards corruption in government, all with the intention of removing injustices and enforcing rightful liberties and common needs.

President Jimmy Carter was put in a difficult situation and his decisions only made United States and Iran relations worse. The revolution in Iran had become a reality when uprisings started. President Jimmy Carter had a choice to support either the Shah or the rising revolutionaries in Iran. There was no response from President Carter to the revolution, and it cost him. The cost came shortly after the Shah was exiled from Iran. The Shah sought refuge in the United States after his exile, and Carter had to choose whether he would interfere with the prosecution of the Shah. In the beginning, Carter refused to accept the Shah because of the anticipated reaction of the Iranian people. When President Carter discovered the Shah 's positive testing to cancer, the Shah requested treatment in the United States and thickened the dilemma. After much consideration and hesitation, Carter granted refuge to the Shah for treatment of his cancer. President Carter had imagined the possible consequences, but he was stunned on November 4th, 1979. The crisis had

In his 1979 state of the Union Address, President Jimmy Carter stated “We have no desire to be the world's policeman. But America does want to be the world's peacemaker.” However, nearing the end of Carter’s presidency the peace within the American Embassy located in Tehran, Iran was broken. 53 Americans were taken hostage by Iranian militants on November 4th 1979. The Iranian Hostage Crisis caused a loss of American confidence, caused Americans to view middle easterners differently forever, and also cost Jimmy Carter the chance of a second term.

During his presidency, the Iran Hostage Crisis started when the Shah of Iran was overthrown from power and left Iran in January 1979. The United States supported the Shah as an ally of the United States from 1953 to 1979, even though he was excessive with punishments to the Iranian people. A radical leader named Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini came to power in Iran when Shah returned in February 1979. Khomeini started major problems against the United States, known as the “Great Satan”. This group gave young Iranian students a reason to storm the U.S. Embassy and take 66 people hostage. The Iran Hostage Crisis, which lasted from 1979 to 1981, was the first time the United States was forced to deal with Islamic

There are many important events that have occurred in this world. To the United States, Iran was important. This is because Iran gave oil to the industrial West. In this case, the United States wanted to keep Iran independent and stable. Though, the relations between the two countries soon became broken. One major event was between the United States of America and Iran, which was the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students barged inside the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took more than 60 Americans hostages. This gave the Ronald Reagan the opportunity and the advantage of President Carter’s difficulties. There were rumors that circulated that the Reagan campaign staff negotiated with the Iranian people to be sure the American hostages not be released before the election which Ronald Reagan was running against President Carter. On Election Day, it has been one year and two days since the Americans were captive, Ronald Reagan defeated Carter in the presidential by a landslide. On January 21, 1981, just a few hours after the new President Ronald Reagan delivered his inaugural speech, the remaining American hostages were released. President Reagan has always denied the allegations with the negotiation with the Iranian people.

On the morning of November 4, 1979, revolutionary Muslim students overtook security at the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran and occupied the building, taking everyone inside hostage. For the next 444 days the United States stood paralyzed with fear and anger as the diplomats were held as prisoners. Immediately after the capture of the sixty-five Americans public pressure began to mount on the government to bring the captured citizens back home. President Jimmy Carter responded by slapping sanctions on Iran and negotiating for the return of the hostages. At the same time he faced a reelection battle in 1980 that certainly affected his response to the crisis, especially standing next to Ronald Reagan, who favored shows of force to

The Iran Hostage Crisis was a discretionary standoff between Iran and the United States. In 1979, a group of Iranian students went to the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking more than 60 American hostages. Fifty-two hostages were held for 444 days, from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981. The reputation of Iran's leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, started to become awful as the Hostage Crisis kept going. Ayatollah Khomeini was the Iranian Shia Muslim religious leader and politician and he made several demands that needed to be met before the hostages were released. The Iran Hostage Crisis caused the United States to cut ties with Iran and was an exemplary demonstration of America’s resolve to ensure the safe return of our citizens.

Along with the loss of voters due to economic policy, many Americans blamed Carter for the Iran hostage crisis that begun in November of 1979. The newly formed government of Iran believed that America was not in support of this change and would plan for a government of their choosing to be put in place. It was believed that this was being planned in the American embassy. To prevent this situation from happening, an invasion planned by Iranian politician Ebrahim Asghazadeh was carried out early in the morning of November 4th 1979. Around 400 Muslim Students were gathered and overran the security and took the embassy hostage. The situation escalated during Carter’s continuing presidency as he approved a rescue mission known as Operation Eagle Claw. This mission would soon fail due to numerous problems with the helicopters and eight American servicemen would loose their lives and many would be injured. The failed mission would soon become public and as Carter would tell the American people about the attempt his political popularity would take a large hit and re-election did not seem possible for Carter. The crisis would go on to be resolved after Carter had already lost the presidency. During the final days of