August 1941: The Anglo-Russian Occupation of Iran and Change of Shahs

by Mohammad Gholi Majd

Overview

Coming shortly after the British occupation of Iraq and the German invasion of Russia, the Anglo-Russian occupation of Iran secured a vital route for supplies to Russia and assured British control of the oilfields. To save the Pahlavi regime, Reza Shah was replaced by his son and Iranians were given a “New Deal.” The Allied occupation thus ushered in a brief period of democratic freedoms. Having described the rise of Reza Shah in a previous work, Majd completes the story by describing his downfall. The author has made an extensive search of the widely scattered U.S. diplomatic and military records and these are supplemented by reports in the The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Chicago Daily Tribune, as well as other press accounts. More than seventy years later, this interesting story has remained untold. August 1941 is the first detailed and documented account of the affair.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761859406
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	07/06/2012
Pages:	436
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.26(h) x 1.31(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Mohammad Gholi Majd has written widely on the history of Iran in the inter-war period. His books include From Qajar to Pahlavi: Iran, 1919-1930 (University Press of America, 2008); Oil and the Killing of the American Consul in Tehran (University Press of America, 2006); The Great American Plunder of Persia’s Antiquities, 1925-1941 (University Press of America, 2003); and Great Britain and Reza Shah: The Plunder of Iran, 1921-1941 (University Press of Florida, 2001). He holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Cornell University and resides in Rockville, Maryland.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction & Overview
2. The Façade of “Modern Iran” on the Eve of World War II
3. “A Review of the Joint British-Soviet Actions Against Iran”
4. Iran’s Relations with the Great Powers at the Onset of World War II
5. Impact of German Victories on the Western Front
6. British Occupation of Iraq & German Invasion of Russia: Onset of Anglo-Soviet Pressure
7. The Anglo-Russian Ultimatum
8. British Diplomacy on the Invasion of Iran
9. Soviet Diplomacy on the Invasion of Iran
10. Iranian Appeals to Washington
11. The Invasion of Iran: “The Eighty-Hour War”
12. Developments in Tehran & Reza Shah’s Crumbling Rule
13. Change of Shahs & Military Occupation of Tehran
14. Political Developments in Tehran
15. A “New Deal”
Index

Editorial Reviews

The book August 1941: The Anglo-Russian Occupation of Iran and the Change of Shahs by Mohammad Gholi Majd seems to be a great gift to all historians studying the intricate story of the Allied invasian of Iran. ... The book gives a very detailed description of the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran and even more important, it outlines the long-lasting implications of this military operation for the country. ... August 1941 is a thorough and informative work broadening our knowledge of the Iranian history in the first half of the twentieth century.

Middle Eastern Studies

The author’s source-based narrative is in several respects the asset of this study. Although his findings are not necessarily new or original, the meticulous account of events provides a useful overview of the diplomatic and military moves of the various protagonists. The extensive quotations from sources save future scholars the effort of consulting the original archival material. Furthermore, such a close look at the original reports enables modern readers to see the events of 1941 through the eyes of contemporary protagonists, and also helps to dispel some popular myths, such as the myth of Reza Shah’s pro-Nazi attitude. Even today, this myth is frequently put forward to justify the violation of Iran’s sovereignty, however Majd’s book shows that there is no substance to the myth as no such allegations are made even in the most propagandistic British or Soviet announcements.. . .Majd has presented a useful book on an under-researched subject, which, as a first source of information or as a book of reference, can render good service to both scholars and students.

Iranian Studies