President Carter's Involvement In The Iran Hostage Crisis

The Iran Hostage Situation captivated the world for 444 days. The Iranian captors and their crisis successfully delivered for enemies of the United States a significant blow to American prestige, which led to a lack of faith in the Carter Administration and the government as a whole. The events leading up to the capture of the embassy workers, President Carter’s involvement in the crisis, the treatment of the hostages, and their eventual release impacted the world and has since changed the way the United States reacts to other events dealing with the Middle East.
From the 1940s to the 1970s, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi reigned as the Shah of Iran. He was seen by many Iranians as a traitor because he supported the westernization of Iran. He was also hated by the Iranians because his police, SAVAK, killed and tortured innocent citizens (History). The Shah lost the support of many Iranian citizens because of his pro-Western outlook for Iran. Many Iranians felt that the Shah favored the rich but oppressed the …show more content…
Not only did it cause a lack of faith in the government’s abilities to protect US interests abroad, but it also changed the way that terrorist attacks are resolved. The rising tensions that led up to the capture of the hostages, the way that President Carter acted throughout the situation, the treatment of the hostages during their captivity, and their eventual release created a crisis that captivated the world for 444 days and has since changed the way the United States deals with terrorist attacks. The crisis brought the U.S. into a new era of terrorism. The Iranian students proved that domination over America was possible. After the hostages’ release, America realized that the world was entering a new era, one in which terrorism would be at the forefront. The Iran Hostage Crisis opened the gates to the War on Terror, and changed the way the United States reacts to terrorist