Link
Embed
Share
Beginning
This slide
Copy link URL
Copy link URL
Copy iframe embed code
Copy iframe embed code
Copy javascript embed code
Copy javascript embed code
Share
Tweet
Share
Tweet
Slide 1
Slide 1 text
module 7
Slide 2
Slide 2 text
Notes CAPTION: National Security Council Meeting, June 1951
Slide 3
Slide 3 text
No content
Slide 4
Slide 4 text
Dialog TRUMAN: So what have we got?
Slide 5
Slide 5 text
Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY: It's a mine field, Mr. President,
Slide 6
Slide 6 text
Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY: plain and simple.
Slide 7
Slide 7 text
Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY: For Iran, for Britain, possibly for the whole free world.
Slide 8
Slide 8 text
No content
Slide 9
Slide 9 text
Dialog TRUMAN: McGhee?
Slide 10
Slide 10 text
Dialog MCGHEE: Agreed.
Slide 11
Slide 11 text
Dialog MCGHEE: The Iranians want the heads of all Brits.
Slide 12
Slide 12 text
Dialog MCGHEE: The Iranians want the heads of all Brits.
Slide 13
Slide 13 text
Dialog MCGHEE (OS): And anyone perceived as a friend of the Brits.
Slide 14
Slide 14 text
Dialog MCGHEE (OS): Including us.
Slide 15
Slide 15 text
Dialog MCGHEE: Grady in Tehran calls the situation, and I quote
Slide 16
Slide 16 text
Dialog MCGHEE: "most explosive."
Slide 17
Slide 17 text
No content
Slide 18
Slide 18 text
Dialog TRUMAN: And Britain?
Slide 19
Slide 19 text
Dialog ACHESON: They're seriously poised to invade.
Slide 20
Slide 20 text
Dialog ACHESON: That oil company is their country's single biggest income source.
Slide 21
Slide 21 text
Dialog ACHESON: Lose it and their whole economy starts teetering.
Slide 22
Slide 22 text
Dialog ACHESON: They'll stop at nothing to get it back.
Slide 23
Slide 23 text
No content
Slide 24
Slide 24 text
No content
Slide 25
Slide 25 text
No content
Slide 26
Slide 26 text
No content
Slide 27
Slide 27 text
No content
Slide 28
Slide 28 text
No content
Slide 29
Slide 29 text
No content
Slide 30
Slide 30 text
No content
Slide 31
Slide 31 text
Dialog TRUMAN: We've got to jump in now
Slide 32
Slide 32 text
Dialog TRUMAN: or it's all going to explode.
Slide 33
Slide 33 text
Dialog MCGHEE: Beg pardon, Mr. President,
Slide 34
Slide 34 text
Dialog MCGHEE: jump in and do what?
Slide 35
Slide 35 text
Dialog MCGHEE: If we tell Britain to back off, we'll just get into a fight with them.
Slide 36
Slide 36 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: Which, if it spirals out of control,
Slide 37
Slide 37 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: could split the whole Western Alliance.
Slide 38
Slide 38 text
Dialog TRUMAN: Leaving the Soviets unopposed in Europe.
Slide 39
Slide 39 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY (OS): Exactly, sir.
Slide 40
Slide 40 text
Dialog TRUMAN: Hoo boy.
Slide 41
Slide 41 text
Dialog TRUMAN: And if we were to just let Britain invade? Then what?
Slide 42
Slide 42 text
Dialog BRADLEY: Among other things, the Soviets would be highly motivated to step in on Iran's side.
Slide 43
Slide 43 text
Dialog ACHESON: The Soviets vs. the West. God knows how many countries would get sucked into that fight.
Slide 44
Slide 44 text
Dialog GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY: World War Thr--
Slide 45
Slide 45 text
Dialog ACHESON: Tst! Omar, let's not--
Slide 46
Slide 46 text
Dialog TRUMAN (OS): The point is
Slide 47
Slide 47 text
Dialog TRUMAN: we're screwed no matter which we do.
Slide 48
Slide 48 text
No content
Slide 49
Slide 49 text
No content
Slide 50
Slide 50 text
Dialog ACHESON: I see one slim option, sir
Slide 51
Slide 51 text
Dialog ACHESON: -- very slim.
Slide 52
Slide 52 text
No content
Slide 53
Slide 53 text
No content
Slide 54
Slide 54 text
Dialog ACHESON (CONT'D) First,: we press Britain to stand down just for now.
Slide 55
Slide 55 text
Dialog ACHESON: Draft a letter to Atlee personally.
Slide 56
Slide 56 text
Dialog ACHESON: Hope to God we can stall him.
Slide 57
Slide 57 text
Dialog TRUMAN: And?
Slide 58
Slide 58 text
Dialog ACHESON: Then we work quickly:
Slide 59
Slide 59 text
Dialog ACHESON: pry open even a small window for dialogue.
Slide 60
Slide 60 text
Dialog ACHESON: We then step up as mediators and hammer out a deal for everyone.
Slide 61
Slide 61 text
No content
Slide 62
Slide 62 text
Dialog MCGHEE (OS): A window for dialogue?
Slide 63
Slide 63 text
Dialog MCGHEE: Meaning get Mossadegh to agree to
Slide 64
Slide 64 text
Dialog MCGHEE: talk to the Fraser gang?
Slide 65
Slide 65 text
Dialog ACHESON: Yes.
Slide 66
Slide 66 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: Uh!
Slide 67
Slide 67 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: Are you dreaming, Dean?
Slide 68
Slide 68 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: Even if we could get a diplomat safely into Tehran right now --
Slide 69
Slide 69 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: which is doubtful --
Slide 70
Slide 70 text
Dialog GENERAL BRADLEY: who in the world's good enough to cajole Mossadegh into that?
Slide 71
Slide 71 text
No content
Slide 72
Slide 72 text
Dialog ACHESON: Harriman.
Slide 73
Slide 73 text
Dialog TRUMAN: Harriman.
Slide 74
Slide 74 text
No content
Slide 75
Slide 75 text
Dialog NARRATOR: W. Averill Harriman.
Slide 76
Slide 76 text
Dialog NARRATOR: Yale Skull and Bones,
Slide 77
Slide 77 text
Dialog NARRATOR: racer of Thoroughbreds,
Slide 78
Slide 78 text
Dialog NARRATOR: director of the Marshall Plan in Europe --
Slide 79
Slide 79 text
No content
Slide 80
Slide 80 text
No content
Slide 81
Slide 81 text
Dialog NARRATOR: Called "infallible" in diplomatic circles,
Slide 82
Slide 82 text
Dialog NARRATOR: Harriman could talk the talons off a hawk
Slide 83
Slide 83 text
Dialog NARRATOR: without disturbing a feather.