AJAX

An excerpt from AJAX.

Transcript

2. Dialog NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING, JUNE 1951
4. Dialog TRUMAN: SO WHAT HAVE WE GOT?
5. Dialog TRUMAN: SO WHAT HAVE WE GOT?
6. Dialog TRUMAN: SO WHAT HAVE WE GOT?
9. Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY It's a mine field, Mr. President, plain and simple. For Iran, for Britain, possibly for the whole free world.
10. Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY It's a mine field, Mr. President, plain and simple. For Iran, for Britain, possibly for the whole free world.
11. Dialog TRUMAN McGhee?
12. Dialog MCGHEE Agreed. The Iranians want the heads of all Brits.
13. Dialog MCGHEE Agreed. The Iranians want the heads of all Brits.
14. Dialog MCGHEE and anyone perceived as a friend of the Brits.
15. Dialog MCGHEE and anyone perceived as a friend of the Brits.
16. Dialog MCGHEE Including us.
17. Dialog MCGHEE Including us.
18. Dialog MCGHEE Including us.
21. Dialog MCGHEE Grady in Tehran calls the situation, and I quote (reads from a telegram) "most explosive."
22. Dialog MCGHEE Grady in Tehran calls the situation, and I quote (reads from a telegram) "most explosive."
23. Dialog TRUMAN And Britain?
25. Dialog ACHESON They're seriously poised to invade.
26. Dialog ACHESON That oil company is their country's single biggest income source.
27. Dialog ACHESON Lose it and their whole economy starts teetering.
28. Dialog ACHESON They'll stop at nothing to get it back.
32. Dialog TRUMAN We've got to jump in now or it's all going to explode.
33. Dialog TRUMAN We've got to jump in now or it's all going to explode.
34. Dialog MCGHEE Beg pardon, Mr. President,
35. Dialog MCGHEE jump in and do what? If we tell Britain to back off, we'll just get into a fight with them.
36. Dialog MCGHEE jump in and do what? If we tell Britain to back off, we'll just get into a fight with them.
37. Dialog MCGHEE jump in and do what? If we tell Britain to back off, we'll just get into a fight with them.
38. Dialog MCGHEE jump in and do what? If we tell Britain to back off, we'll just get into a fight with them.
39. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY Which, if it spirals out of control, could split the whole Western Alliance.
40. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY Which, if it spirals out of control, could split the whole Western Alliance.
44. Dialog TRUMAN (connecting the dots) Leaving the Soviets unopposed in Europe.
45. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY Exactly, sir.
46. Dialog TRUMAN (can't even imagine) Hoo boy. And if we were to just let Britain invade? Then what?
47. Dialog BRADLEY Among other things, the Soviets would be highly motivated to step in on Iran's side
48. Dialog BRADLEY Among other things, the Soviets would be highly motivated to step in on Iran's side
49. Dialog ACHESON The Soviets vs. the West.
50. Dialog ACHESON God knows how many countries would get sucked into that fight.
51. Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY World War Thr--
52. Dialog ACHESON Tst! Omar, let's not--
53. Dialog ACHESON Tst! Omar, let's not--
55. Dialog TRUMAN (impatient, frustrated) The point is we're screwed no matter which we do.
56. Dialog ACHESON I see one slim option, sir -- very slim.
57. Dialog ACHESON I see one slim option, sir -- very slim.
58. Dialog ACHESON (CONT'D) First,: we press Britain to stand down just for now. Draft a letter to Atlee personally. Hope to God we can stall him.
59. Dialog ACHESON (CONT'D) First,: we press Britain to stand down just for now. Draft a letter to Atlee personally. Hope to God we can stall him.
60. Dialog TRUMAN And?
62. Dialog ACHESON Then we work quickly: pry open even a small window for dialogue. We then step up as mediators and hammer out a deal for everyone
63. Dialog ACHESON Then we work quickly: pry open even a small window for dialogue. We then step up as mediators and hammer out a deal for everyone
65. Dialog MCGHEE (skeptical) A window for dialogue? Meaning get Mossadegh to agree to talk to the Fraser gang?
66. Dialog ACHESON Yes.
67. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY (fed up) Uh! Are you dreaming, Dean?
68. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY (fed up) Uh! Are you dreaming, Dean?
69. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY (CONT'D) Even if we could get a diplomat safely into Tehran right now -- which is doubtful -- who in the world's good enough to cajole Mossadegh into that?
70. Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY (CONT'D) Even if we could get a diplomat safely into Tehran right now -- which is doubtful -- who in the world's good enough to cajole Mossadegh into that?
76. Dialog ACHESON TRUMAN: .... Harriman.