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Eisenhower, in an effort to rid the world of “communism, Korea and corruption,” alternatively decided to try and eliminate communism’s role in the Middle East through a CIA-led and British-backed coup in 1953, commonly referred to as Operation Ajax.- Torey L. McMurdo
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The new leader was a member of Iran’s royal family named Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi. The Shah’s government was secular, anti-communist and pro-Western. In exchange for tens of millions of dollars in foreign aid, he returned 80 percent of Iran’s oil reserves to the Americans and the British.-History
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New Years Eve, 1977: President Carter toasted the Shah at a state dinner in Tehran, calling him "an island of stability" in the troubled Middle East.-PBS
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As opposition to his government mounted [The Shah] had allowed his secret police, SAVAK, to crack down on dissenters, fueling still more resentment. Within weeks of Carter's visit, a series of protests broke out in the religious city of Qom, denouncing the Shah's regime as 'anti-Islamic.'-PBS
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The popular movement against the Shah grew until January 16, 1979, when he fled to Egypt. -PBS
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Two weeks later, thousands of Muslims cheered Khomeini's return to Iran after fourteen years in exile.-PBS
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Iranian students demonstrating outside of the U.S. embassy in Tehran storm the embassy and take ... 66 Americans. The students demand the extradition of the Shah from the United States. Ayatollah Khomeini issues a statement of support for the students' actions. -CNN
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Deciding military action was too risky, Carter tried to build pressure on Iran through economic sanctions, and froze its assets in the U.S... On November 11, he embargoed Iranian oil.-PBS
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After a short period of time, 13 of these hostages were released. (For the most part, these 13 were women, African-Americans and citizens of countries other than the U.S.–people who, Khomeini argued, were already subject to “the oppression of American society.”) -History
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After considering several options, President Carter decided to authorize a military rescue operation. Because the U.S. military had no force ready to conduct such an operation in an area in which the United States had few bases or resources, the mission required five months of intensive planning by personnel from all service branches and the Central Intelligence Agency before receiving the President's approval.-Captain Gregory Ball
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Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, who had opposed any military rescue attempt from the beginning, resigned. Carter replaced him with Senator Edmund Muskie.-TIME
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The mission began on April 24, 1980, when the first MC-130, carrying the mission commander and USAF combat controllers, arrived at the landing site. The combat controllers were tasked with establishing the airstrips and marshalling the aircraft once they had landed.-Captain Gregory Ball
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Once at Desert One, the RH-53 with hydraulic problems could not be repaired, which left the team with one less helicopter than was required to carry the assault team and hostages. With just five helicopters available, the on-scene commander aborted the mission. One of the helicopter's rotor blades inadvertently collided with a fuel-laden EC-130. Both aircraft exploded, killing five airmen on the EC-130 and three marines on the RH-53.-Gregory Ball
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In early July, the Iranians released hostage Richard Queen, who had developed multiple sclerosis.-PBS
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The Republican candidate, former California governor Ronald Reagan, took advantage of Carter’s difficulties. Rumors even circulated that Reagan’s campaign staff negotiated with the Iranians to be sure that the hostages would not be released before the election, an event that would surely have given Carter a crucial boost. (Reagan himself always denied these allegations.) On Election Day ... Reagan defeated Carter in a landslide.-History
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Congress passes a budget bill that includes a provision authorizing each of the 53 hostages to receive $10,000 for each day they were held captive. In addition, spouses and children will separately receive a one-time payment of $600,000.-CNN
