Chapter 1105 – The result is good
The more times like this the more bold you have to show, revolution is not a treat? The saying may not quite fit Iran, but the meaning is the same, especially at times like this, what if Mossadegh doesn’t recognize it? What if Mossadegh introduces Soviet intervention.
While Mossadegh’s pro-Sovietism is a black mark that’s been slapped on him, who’s to say it can’t evolve into reality? Castro wasn’t pro-Soviet at first either, and isn’t he following the Soviet Union now.
Major McCordick soon received a telegram from Basra in which Allen Wilson expressed concern that the night was growing long and displeasure that Pahlavi was not acting like a human king.
After traveling to the U.S. Embassy and meeting Kermit Roosevelt, McCordick expressed the British concern.
“My friend, perhaps your man in charge is not a pleasant person to be around.” Kermit Roosevelt hemmed and hawed, asking the other side if Allen Wilson was a bad person to approach.
“Not so, Sir Wilson a fluttering and polite man, after heading the intelligence department, clarified a lot of benefits and fought for more funding. It was also made clear that he himself was not a professional intelligence officer and could only offer support in terms of perks.”
McCordick vehemently denied it, saying in a defensive tone, “In fact, among civil servants, he is widely respected.”
Intelligence people could get help anywhere there was a Mountbatten Group property, and when traveling, they could carry a bag and stay without paying for it, and this was even if the Mountbatten Group’s support for the country’s secret fronts.
McCordick and his party also spent nothing while in Basra, all of which was appreciated by the intelligence services.
“Britain still feels that it should act quickly, Sir Wilson judges that Mossadegh will not go down without a fight, what if he, in his capacity as Prime Minister, asks the Soviet Union to intervene? That cannot be ruled out, and on the other hand, King Pahlavi’s move is surprising.”
Kermit Roosevelt was silent, and also felt that Major McCordick’s words were very reasonable, but this kind of Pahlavi’s looking ahead was not without its advantages, which favored being influenced by the United States, really a strong king, who might not bow down to the United States.
“We are almost ready, so that as soon as Mossadegh refuses to obey the King’s warrant, we strike.” Kermit Roosevelt assured in a solemn tone, that the United States wasn’t putting all its hopes on Pahlavi either.
Donald Wilbur, in addition to reaching out to the king, was also reaching out to the royalist heads of the military, as well as to the senior Shiite clerics for support, two groups that the U.S. considered to be the mainstay of the overthrow of Mossadegh, and hopes certainly could not be placed on Pahlavi alone.
Kermit Roosevelt was still quite confident that the pro-Soviet People’s Party, the pro-Mossadegh mass parties and the trade union organizations were no match for the 130,000-strong Iranian armed forces and the traditionally armed tribes that supported Pahlavi.
Of course, he also recognized that the British were concerned about a Soviet reaction, especially the possibility of Mossadegh asking the Soviets for help.
Asking the Soviet Union for help, after Lumumba in the Congo had done it once, was pretty much the last thing the U.S. wanted to hear. Because Lumumba did it, and it worked.
What Kermit Roosevelt didn’t realize was that the Soviet Union’s ability to react so quickly had something to do with the culture czar at the top of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union could not have reacted so quickly without the firm support of the culture tsar. And it had something to do with the British gentleman in Basra, Alan Wilson, who was talking to the protectorate about desalination.
(narrator) Another day, the royalists who had entered Tehran held a city-wide march in solidarity with the king, ostracized in their eyes, and against the radical policies of Prime Minister Mossadegh, and at the same time Mossadegh’s supporters launched a march, each accusing the other of being an agent of a foreign power, not a patriot, and a stony atmosphere prevailed in the skies over Tehran.
The National Front, the People’s Party and the Masses, who supported Mossadegh, were equally vocal, and when the two groups met, clashes broke out immediately, with stones and sticks becoming the weapons of attack against each other.
While Tehran was descending into chaos, at the prime minister’s residence, the Pahlavi court minister, sent with a royal warrant, hoped that Mossadegh would resign, and Mossadegh expressed his refusal, having realized the dangers involved.
Since the British blockade, it is true that there were opponents of Mossadegh in Iran, but it is also true that he had many supporters, and the protests, although they were there, were always below a certain level. It would never have caused so much chaos as it did now.
At this time someone told Mossadegh that there had been a rush of pro-King marchers and pro-Mossadegh demonstrators, and that the whole place was in a state of chaos, with people wailing, and many falling in pools of blood.
When Mossadegh heard this news, he had a bad feeling in his heart and detained the minister of the court, and immediately ordered the city guards of Tehran, in his capacity as prime minister, to disperse the demonstrators.
Mossadegh was, after all, a highly regarded prime minister, and Tehran’s city guards naturally obeyed orders in the midst of this chaos, and soon the military presence was seen in the city.
Pahlavi paid the price for his naivety, and Major McCordick sent the status quo to Basra asking whether to proceed.
“Pahlavi can control Mossadegh? Chamberlain thought he controlled Hitler.” Allen Wilson immediately called back to continue, “Whoever gets the support of the military wins.”
When Kermit Roosevelt met Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran was in a state of panic, ready to go out of the country to get out of the way before he left, a look that really disappointed Kermit Roosevelt, and after a short period of reflection, spoke up and said, “Actually it would be good to go out of the country to get out of the way, and I would suggest to go to Italy and wait for news.”
At this time the king can no longer count on, if not Pahlavi had to try the king’s warrant has no power. According to the British and Americans said direct action, there will not be Mossadegh’s current move.
At this point in time, Pahlavi is a negative asset for Britain and the United States, staying in Tehran is more of a negative role. It would be better to leave and leave the rest to Britain and the United States.
At the same time to give Mossadegh an illusion, the king has left, the whole situation in Iran are under his control.
Coincidentally, the Pahlavi’s transit point is set in Basra, Allen Wilson is in Basra, directly intercepted the Shah of Iran and his entourage to Italy’s special plane, let the Shah and his entourage to stay, at the same time let the Pahlavi’s plane continue to take off.
It didn’t take long for Alan Wilson to meet the king who had screwed things up, “Your Majesty, in fact, just leave Iran to ensure safety, if you run too far. It won’t be easy to come back when the big picture is settled, will it?”
“You are?” When King Pahlavi was in power in Mossadegh, he didn’t interfere much in political affairs, besides he had never met Alan Wilson.
“Permanent Undersecretary of the British Foreign Office, who has been following the Six-Party Talks for the last two years.” Alan Wilson replied unhurriedly, “At the same time, Britain is extremely distressed that His Majesty, the King, is unable to personally manage his own country. Please rest first, and I will let you know directly if I have any updates.”
The immediate concern now was whether Mossadegh would bring in the Soviet Union directly, a possibility that would take time to test.
After Mossadegh mobilized the city’s defense forces, along with Pahlavi’s departure from the country, the riots in Tehran had subsided. At least the surface was pacified and the whole of Iran returned to Mossadegh’s control.
Even Washington at this time showed skepticism about the success of the operation. It is true that in the choice between Iran and Britain, the choice of Britain was the right one. But if it did not succeed, Iran might favor the Soviet Union and turn against the United States.
In Tehran, a speech from Mossadegh is being broadcast amongst the radio, expressing condolences for the more than six hundred Iranians who had previously died as a result of the clashes, “Calm has now been restored, and there is reason to believe that the memories of the tragedy will be washed away ……”
“Some voices feared that relations between the two countries would turn sour once it was found that the United States was behind the attack. But the Secretary resisted the pressure.” Kermit Roosevelt gushed at McCordick, “I think, however, that Pahlavi’s departure is rather to our advantage, at least now Mossadegh feels that he has the situation under control, and that’s no need to worry about the Soviet Union intervening.”
On this particular day, the Soviet TASS news agency did express concern about the situation in Iran, but was quick to praise Mossadegh for his old-fashioned way of handling the situation.
“Can it continue?” Even McCordick had little confidence now.
“The tank divisions stationed outside the city have agreed to help us.” Kermit Roosevelt divulged the news, “In the end it’s the army that will solve the problem, public opinion sometimes doesn’t matter.”
Just as the conflict passed and Mossadegh was considered the victor, the royalists of the Iranian military made their entrance.
General Zahedi declared that Mossadegh was inescapably responsible for the conflict that resulted in more than six hundred casualties and should be investigated by the Kingdom’s courts.
Almost simultaneously, Iranian armored divisions, equipped with Sherman tanks, entered downtown Tehran, and the coup forces used their radios to communicate with each other, ordering Tehran’s city defenses to surrender, and in some places there were exchanges of fire between the two sides.
The guns are rumbling in Tehran, and this is no longer a time for petty fighting, but an engagement that belongs within the military.
Dulles, the director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, was far away in Washington, but also kept an eye on the movements in Tehran. For this reason it is difficult to sleep and eat, the battle in Tehran with the addition of armored divisions, the scales gradually tipped on the side of the coupists.
By this time Mossadegh was thinking of asking the Soviet Union for help, and it was too late.
“More fooling around than tanks?” Allen Wilson held the telegram from McCordick and spoke viciously.
“Secretary General, we’ve received a telegram from Washington that the Director of Central Intelligence is making a trip to Basra.”
Allen Wilson froze and replied, “Dulles? The purpose of his visit, I believe, is for the King.”