https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Sovi...on_of_Iran

I was reading on the Kurdish independence referendum which referenced a Kurdish Republic in NW Iran following WWII (Mahabad) which lead me to the above article. I hadn't realized the British had attacked Iraq and later, with the Soviet Union, invaded Iran in 1941. This was a part of the war I didn't remember ever hearing about. Really doesn't look good for the allies.

The Soviets viewed Iran as essential for the delivery of supplies in addition to the oil reserves.

Also toppled the government of Reza Shah and replaced him with his more pro-Allied son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah. Moving Lend-Lease through Iran was a much safer option than past German warships and airbases along the Norwegian coastline. I agree that it doesn't look all that great for the British (par for the course for Stalin), but don't forget what the Brits did to their former allies at Mers-el-Kébir when they had just a suspicion that the French Fleet might be turned over to the Nazis. The Brits were not above "Preventative Measures" when they found it of necessity.

Another interesting Lend-Lease related topic is the fact that throughout the war US built cargo ships under Soviet flag went right through the northern Pacific from America and Canada full of "Non-warfare" Lend-Lease materials and straight into Vladivostok around northern Hokkaido with the Imperial Navy watching them sail by.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Route

(12-21-2017 01:21 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Also toppled the government of Reza Shah and replaced him with his more pro-Allied son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah. Moving Lend-Lease through Iran was a much safer option than past German warships and airbases along the Norwegian coastline. I agree that it doesn't look all that great for the British (par for the course for Stalin), but don't forget what the Brits did to their former allies at Mers-el-Kébir when they had just a suspicion that the French Fleet might be turned over to the Nazis. The Brits were not above "Preventative Measures" when they found it of necessity.

Another interesting Lend-Lease related topic is the fact that throughout the war US built cargo ships under Soviet flag went right through the northern Pacific from America and Canada full of "Non-warfare" Lend-Lease materials and straight into Vladivostok around northern Hokkaido with the Imperial Navy watching them sail by.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Route

British pragmatism ruled the day. Sort of like when they invaded Iceland.

Installing the last shah was one of the biggest long-term foreign policy mistakes the US has made.

(12-21-2017 02:59 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(12-21-2017 01:21 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Also toppled the government of Reza Shah and replaced him with his more pro-Allied son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah. Moving Lend-Lease through Iran was a much safer option than past German warships and airbases along the Norwegian coastline. I agree that it doesn't look all that great for the British (par for the course for Stalin), but don't forget what the Brits did to their former allies at Mers-el-Kébir when they had just a suspicion that the French Fleet might be turned over to the Nazis. The Brits were not above "Preventative Measures" when they found it of necessity.

Another interesting Lend-Lease related topic is the fact that throughout the war US built cargo ships under Soviet flag went right through the northern Pacific from America and Canada full of "Non-warfare" Lend-Lease materials and straight into Vladivostok around northern Hokkaido with the Imperial Navy watching them sail by.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Route

British pragmatism ruled the day. Sort of like when they invaded Iceland.

Installing the last shah was one of the biggest long-term foreign policy mistakes the US has made.

Hard to tell how Iran would have turned out. Our support of dictators in South Vietnam was a bigger mistake. Maybe we aren't impacted now, but 50,000 Americans died.