Soviet union occupation of Afghanistan
Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, only 6 weeks after Shiite Islamic militants had gotten a hold of the U.S. embassy in Iran and taken American hostages. After a violent coup d'état in April 1978, a pro-Soviet government had been established.
The Mujahedeen
An Afghan Islamic militant group known as the Mujahedeen had started a resistance movement against the new government. This frightened the Soviets because they did not want the Islamic unrest that was already in Iran and Afghanistan to influence the Islamic population living in the Soviet Union. In support of the Afghan communist government, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 25, 1979. |
President Jimmy Carter Takes Action
President Carter immediately decided to restrict the Soviets from being able to purchase any more high technology from the United States. He also stopped a major grain sale, boycotted the upcoming Olympic Events in Moscow, and withdrew the SALT II agreement before it could even be approved by the senate. State of the Union Address: Jan. 23, 1980 President Jimmy Carter announced that he had issued the Carter Doctrine which declared that it was best for the United States to do whatever was necessary in order to protect the Persian Gulf region from whatever outside forces. The U.S. national security advisor Brzezinski had frightened Carter when he said that he believed the Soviets wanted the capture the Persian Gulf oil fields. |
us role in iran
In 1979, the shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (born 1919 and died 1980), was forced to leave the country once the leader of a radical Muslim group known as the Shiites took over. This leader was known as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (born around 1900 and died 1989).
At first the shah of Iran had spent some time in Panama in December 1979. However, he began to suffer from cancer and had asked the United States for permission to enter the country and receive treatment. President Jimmy Carter agreed to this, but this had angered the revolutionaries in Iran. The United States of America's willingness to help the Pahlavi had resulted in these Shiite revolutionaries to invade the U.S. embassy in the capital city of Tehran. 66 Americans were taken hostage and fourteen of them were released shortly after. The people of Iran wanted the shah to return in order for him to be put on trial for the crimes he has committed against his people. According to the Iranians, only then would the American hostages be released. Carter wasn't able to negotiate with them, |
but the remaining hostages were released the day President Carter had finished his presidential term on January 20, 1981.
Why was the shah overthrown?
The Shiites did not like the shah's oppressive strategies towards political opposition. Not only that, but the shah had maintained a good relationship with the United States and this also upset the Shiites. The United States was careful not to cause any problems with Iran because it was a major source of oil for the Western Hemisphere and it was conveniently located along the south of the Soviet Nation's border. This would help block the Soviet Nation's expansion towards the gulf as well. Carter had expressed his concerns with the Persian Gulf and the Soviet Union with the Carter Doctrine. He mentioned that the U.S. had to protect the gulf by whatever means possible. Again, the United States is seen helping another country in hopes of preventing the spread of communism. Iran had been supported with billions of dollars and was kept the most powerful in the area even though Iran lacked "fair" human rights.
The Shiites did not like the shah's oppressive strategies towards political opposition. Not only that, but the shah had maintained a good relationship with the United States and this also upset the Shiites. The United States was careful not to cause any problems with Iran because it was a major source of oil for the Western Hemisphere and it was conveniently located along the south of the Soviet Nation's border. This would help block the Soviet Nation's expansion towards the gulf as well. Carter had expressed his concerns with the Persian Gulf and the Soviet Union with the Carter Doctrine. He mentioned that the U.S. had to protect the gulf by whatever means possible. Again, the United States is seen helping another country in hopes of preventing the spread of communism. Iran had been supported with billions of dollars and was kept the most powerful in the area even though Iran lacked "fair" human rights.