61AIM: What was the Iran Hostage Crisis?

Gerald Ford, Nixon’s designee as Vice President, became President upon Nixon’s resignation. Ford hoped to restore confidence in the Presidency, which had been lost during the Watergate crisis, but he started a new mini-scandal when he pardoned Nixon. Ford said that he wanted to spare the nation from the spectacle of a public trial for Nixon, while others claimed that the pardon was a cover up & deal between the two Republicans. Ford’s pardon of Nixon & his inability to improve the US economy, brought Jimmy Carter to the Presidency in 1976.

Carter campaigned as a Washington “outsider” who was not a part of the Watergate mess. Unfortunately he was met by an Arab oil embargo, organized by OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Nations, who wanted to punish the US for its support of Israel in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. This embargo created great shortages of gasoline & home heating oil in the US. Drivers waited on long lines to get gasoline, prices for all petroleum-related products soared, & inflation rose above 15%. Carter called for a national energy program to cut imports, increase domestic exploration of oil & natural gas, conservation & promote the use & development of alternative energy sources such as solar power. He also encouraged Americans to turn down their thermostats on their home heating & hot water heating systems & to drive more energy efficient cars. He also lowered the highway speed limit to 55MPH to save fuel.

However in the area of foreign affairs Carter was more successful as he got Egypt & Israel to sign the Camp David Accords which created a peace treaty between these two nations. Both the Egyptian leader & the Israeli leader won the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts. However Arab extremists assassinated President Sadat of Egypt, for signing this peace treaty with Israel.

Carter’s biggest problem was caused by events in Iran, which were completely out of his control. In the Iran Hostage Crisis, which lasted 14 months, Carter was not able to gain the release of the 52 US hostages. This inability was blamed on Carter who had few options & his popularity & chances for reelection were crushed.

The US had supported the Shah of Iran, a dictator, but an anti-Communist friend of the US. When the Shah became ill with cancer he came to the US for treatment. His government was overthrown by religious leaders who demanded that the US return the Shah. Pres. Carter refused to hand over the Shah. In an attempt to force the US to return the Shah, the US Embassy in Teheran was attacked, & 52 Americans were taken hostage. Carter was never able to negotiate the release of the hostages & the US appeared powerless to the rest of the world!

With the upcoming elections in 1980, Carter & the Democrats faced a tough election fight with Ronald Reagan who campaigned on a get-tough policy with the Soviets & other US enemies. Reagan also wanted to reduce the size of govt., cut taxes, & greatly expand the size of the US military. On his inauguration day of Jan. 20, 1981 the hostages were released. Few Americans considered how Reagan was able to do this, or was it just a coincidence? It was not for a few years later that Congress discovered how the hostages were finally released. In the Iran Contra Affair the back door arrangements of how our govt. secretly operates, was exposed. This scandal tainted Reagan, & Vice President Bush, while some low-level cabinet members went to jail for lying to Congress.

HOMEWORK: Read pgs 873-875. Do T&N pg. 873 #1-5. Do. pg. 865 ques 3A. & pg 868 ques. 9.