Cold War Covert Operations: The Iranian Coup

These flashcards cover key concepts, figures, and events from the lecture on Cold War covert operations, focusing on the Iranian coup and the roles played by various individuals and political ideologies.

Eisenhower's policymakers

Officials who formulated the United States' foreign policy during Eisenhower's presidency, dealing with the complexities of the Cold War.

Indochina

A region in Southeast Asia where the French fought a colonial war against communist nationalists.

CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)

U.S. government agency responsible for intelligence gathering and covert operations.

Kermit Roosevelt

Grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, CIA agent responsible for orchestrating the coup in Iran against Muhammad Mosaddegh.

Operation Ajax

The covert operation led by the CIA to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddegh in 1953.

Muhammad Mosaddegh

The democratically-elected Prime Minister of Iran, overthrown in a CIA-led coup.

Foster Dulles

Secretary of State under Eisenhower, played a significant role in CIA operations.

Mohammed Mosaddegh's nationalism

Motivated by a desire for Iranian independence, he became a key figure in Iranian politics and led the nationalization of the oil industry.

Shah of Iran

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the monarch of Iran who was restored to power following the coup.

The Tudeh Party

The communist party in Iran, which had some influence during Mosaddegh's tenure.

Cold War

The geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States following World War II.

British Petroleum (BP)

An oil company that regained control over Iranian oil production after the coup, alongside American companies.

Iranian nationalization of oil

The movement led by Mosaddegh which aimed to bring Iran's oil industry under national control, rejecting foreign dominance.

Beetle Smith

An influential undersecretary of state who supported the coup in Iran.

Marxism

A socio-political and economic theory that influenced many nationalist movements in the aftermath of World War II.

The Korean War

A war that revealed limits to American military involvement in conflicts abroad, influencing U.S. foreign policy.