America's Reaction
United States Political Involvement in Iran in the Decades Before the Crisis
America's Reaction
Americans were shocked that Iranians had stormed the United States' embassy in Tehran and taken hostages. The United States government was even more shocked as it was a golden rule of diplomacy not to touch or harm foreign embassies. The government soon realized that diplomacy would be the last thing on the minds of Khomeini and the captors holding the hostages. They wanted the Shah back in Iran to face trial and had stormed the embassy in retaliation for the United States letting in the Shah to seek medical treatment. Americans, angered by the actions of the few Iranians who began the siege on the embassy, began to demand the expulsion of all Iranians from the country unless the hostages were returned. Americans saw the action as unprovoked, knowing little about US involvement in Iran and the oppressive leadership of the Shah. If they didn't understand the circumstances leading up to the takeover of the embassy in Tehran, they understood less about Khomeini and most Iranians who they only saw on the nightly news chanting "Death to America." Even more pressure was put on the American government and President Carter imparticular, to get the hostages freed.
President Carter and the government was stuck in a sticky situation as diplomacy had proven unsuccessful, but they did not want to endanger the lives of the hostages through using military force to free the hostages, angering the captors. Although a risky proposition to undertake, the US government, under President Carter's approval, decided to attempt a rescue mission in order to bring back the hostages. Under the code-name Desert One, the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta assembled on April 21, 1980 to attempt to rescue the hostages who had been held for over five months. When the forces were given the go-ahead to try and free the hostages, they quickly landed 200 miles southeast of Tehran where transport and helicopter teams would convene. Before Desert One could begin, two Sea Stallion helicopters crashed into each other on route to the embassy, killing all eight American servicemen on board. Due to the fact that at least six helicopters were needed to transport the hostages and only five were left, the mission was aborted.
President Carter alerted the American public of the failed rescue mission and the deaths of the servicemen on live television. Although other rescue missions were planned by the government, none would actually be implemented. The Iranians, fearing another attempt to rescue the hostages by the United States' government, dispersed the hostages throughout the country, making another attempt difficult if not impossible. The only real attempt to rescue the hostages had come and gone. President Carter and the American people would have to wait nine more months before the hostages would be freed. They could only stand by and wait.
Listen to Carter Discuss the Failed Hostage Rescue Attempt in April 1980
