In 1952, Iran was a secular and democratic constitutional monarchy, governed by Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh who wanted to nationalize his country's oil, which was controlled by Britain's Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. Foreign workers were expelled and Iran began to get the profits from its own oil, which were previously going straight into the pockets of the British.
Britain asked the Truman administration of the United States to help them overthrow the king. The Truman administration refused to help the British, secretly emphasizing with Iran.
After Eisenhower came into office in 1953, the British convinced Eisenhower that Iran was run by Communist sympathizers, so Britain and the US funded a military coup which overthrew Mossadegh's democratic government and replaced it with the pro-Western, but autocratic government of Shah Pahlavi, who previously ruled as a constitutional monarch.
In 1979, after attempting to introduce Western culture into Iran, Pahlavi was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution and sent into exile.
So, what if the Eisenhower administration followed the example of the Truman administration and refused to help the British overthrow Mossadegh?
Britain asked the Truman administration of the United States to help them overthrow the king. The Truman administration refused to help the British, secretly emphasizing with Iran.
After Eisenhower came into office in 1953, the British convinced Eisenhower that Iran was run by Communist sympathizers, so Britain and the US funded a military coup which overthrew Mossadegh's democratic government and replaced it with the pro-Western, but autocratic government of Shah Pahlavi, who previously ruled as a constitutional monarch.
In 1979, after attempting to introduce Western culture into Iran, Pahlavi was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution and sent into exile.
So, what if the Eisenhower administration followed the example of the Truman administration and refused to help the British overthrow Mossadegh?