Just as the cia operative used venal iranian politicians and fake news to. Kermit roosevelt is an assistant professor of law at the university of pennsylvania law school. Five books on the legacy of the 1953 coup in iran iran the guardian. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. When the shah of iran died in egypt after a long battle with cancer on july 27, 1980, commentators lined up to assess his legacy. Kermit roosevelt was the cia director in charge of the operation operation ajax and was on the ground in iran, running the operation with his agents. Supreme court justice, a graduate of yale law school, and a member of the human rights advisory board of harvards kennedy school of government. Kermit roosevelt books list of books by kermit roosevelt. He had two brothers, joseph willard roosevelt and dirck roosevelt, and a sister, belle wyatt roosevelt. Shah and cia director george bush okayed memoir idea. Kermit roosevelt explains the rise and fall of the shah of iran. Cia, secrecy agreement, signed by kermit roosevelt, april 6, 1949, restricted.
He was the second child of president theodore roosevelt and his second wife, edith kermit carow roosevelt. Although the americans assumed that mossadeq had become an ally or instrument of the russians, the book provides no. Countercoup, the struggle for the control of iran kermit roosevelt. Feb 07, 2019 how the cia overthrew iran s democracy in 4 days its no secret that iran and the u. Kermit roosevelt, kim, american intelligence officer born 1916, buenos aires, arg. This books gives inside details on the 1953 cia overthrow of the popularly elected iranian government. Jun 11, 2000 kermit roosevelt, who was a member of the famous american political family but who made his contributions to the nation in the shadowy world of spy craft, died thursday at a retirement community. As the iranian revolution crested in 19781979, the cia approved a memoir by kermit roosevelt, one of the architects of the 1953 coup against irans nationalist prime minister, mohammad mosaddeq. He frequently serves as a media expert and keynote speaker on issues concerning national security, the supreme court, civil rights, and us presidential history. He left the cia in 1958 to work for american oil and defense firms. Kermit roosevelt was allowed to write this book by the cia because his grandfather was former president teddy roosevelt, so they gave him leeway in writing this book they would not have given. In his diabolical plans to wage war on iran, bolton is taking a page from roosevelts playbook. The struggle for the control of iran by roosevelt, kermit isbn.
After attending an episcopalian college preparatory school, groton, in groton, massachusetts, he completed a. Countercoup, the struggle for the control of iran kermit. The book recounts his role in overthrowing democratically elected iranian prime minister mohammad mossadegh with triumphant zeal. Kermit roosevelt iii is a professor for law school in the university of pennsylvania with seven videos in the cspan video library. The former head of the middle east department of the cia during the 1950s, details his involvement in iranian politics. If roosevelt were to recount his iranian experience, this book would prove to be. He slipped into iran on july 19, 1953 and immediately began his subversive mission. And from the shadows emerged a man who had, unbeknownst to many, played a key role in the life of the shah and his rise to absolute power kermit roosevelt, jr. If roosevelt were to recount his iranian experience, this book would prove to be a loyal transcript. In his diabolical plans to wage war on iran, bolton is taking a page from roosevelt s playbook. Kermit kim roosevelt, jr 19162000 find a grave memorial. According to stephen kinzer, author of the book all the shahs men. Jun 20, 2017 64 years later, cia finally releases details of iranian coup new documents reveal how the cia attempted to call off the failing coup only to be salvaged at the last minute by an insubordinate spy. May, 2014 kermit roosevelt, one of the leading figures in the cia and mi6backed coup against mohammad mosaddeq in 1953.
Autographed seller antiquarian book shop published 1979 condition very good in very good dust jacket edition first edition. Twentysix years after the mossadeq coup, kermit roosevelt wrote a book about how he and the cia carried out the. And from the shadows emerged a man who had, unbeknownst to many, played a key role in the life of the shah and. By signing this secrecy agreement, kermit roosevelt agreed to abide by the provisions of the espionage act of 1917 pertaining to disclosure of defenserelated information, and acknowledged the penalties for violating the act. But for all roosevelts attempt to demonstrate that. The struggle for the control of iran, was published in 1979. In the book roosevelt argued that mohammed mossadegh had to be removed to prevent a communist takeover of iran.
Aug 18, 2003 it is ironic that cia agent kermit roosevelt, the grandson of theodore roosevelt, published his book on the 1953 cia coup in iran and the return of the shah in the same year that his majesty. The title is humorously absurd, implying that if we hadnt done our coup, they would have done theirs. How the cia overthrew irans democracy in 4 days its no secret that iran and the u. He left the cia in 1958 to work for american oil and defense firms, often visiting former operatives, and the shah, in iran. The struggle for the control of iran is the controversial memoir of cia man kermit roosevelt aka kim roosevelt, grandson of former u.
For at the time it was believed that iran, under the leadership of prime minister mossadegh, was slipping under russian domination and control. Senior central intelligence agency officer and author. He was the son of kermit roosevelt and the grandson of president theodore roosevelt. Kermit roosevelt appears as a minor character in the wilbur smith novel assegai on safari in east africa with his father. Arrives in iran and the revolution begins posted on 07012009 by rhapsodyinbooks in 1901, the shah of persia the country was renamed iran in 1935 granted the angloiranian oil company the corporate predecessor of todays bp a monopoly on extracting, refining, and selling iranian oil. Kermit roosevelt, one of the leading figures in the cia and mi6backed coup against mohammad mosaddeq in 1953. The first of these attempts, which occurred almost 50 years ago to this day, is the subject of stephen kinzers riveting new book. The son of theodore roosevelt, the 26th president of the united states, kermit was a graduate of harvard college, served in both world wars in world war i with both the british and american armies, and explored two continents with his father.
Nonfiction book about kermit roosevelt jrs role in the 1953 iranian coup detat. It is ironic that cia agent kermit roosevelt, the grandson of theodore roosevelt, published his book on the 1953 cia coup in iran and the return. Penn law professor, legal scholar, and novelist kermit roosevelt iii is doing his best to live up to the family nameincluding, in his latest book, by tackling cousin franklins executive order authorizing the confinement of more than 100,000 japanese americans in internment camps during world war ii. According to roosevelt, he slipped across the border under his cia cover as james lochridge on july 19, 1953.
Having worked at law firms in new york city, washington, d. Discount prices on books by kermit roosevelt, including titles like war in the garden of eden. Kermit roosevelt, teddys grandson, was a cia operative and spearheaded the task of overthrowing the elected government of mohammed mossadegh in iran in. He also appears fleetingly in a dream in william boyd s novel an icecream war. Jun 08, 2000 senior central intelligence agency officer and author. Though the title has a contemporary ring, former cia agent roosevelt s tale is actually a distant background to recent events in iran, the countercoup in question being the 1953 ciaengineered installation of shah reza pahlevi.
But for all roosevelt s attempt to demonstrate that. Written by kermit roosevelt, the cia agent who headed the mosaddeq coup. Twentysix years after the mossadeq coup, kermit roosevelt wrote a book about how he and the cia carried out the operation, called countercoup. Kermit roosevelts memoir of the 1953 countercoup, with addendum, countercoup ii, by nikki k. The book was first published incoinciding with the iranian revolution. To a fault and the detriment of the readers attention span, roosevelt captured nuances in the plot unknown to the general public at the time. Despite the cia sending roosevelt a telegram to flee iran immediately, he began work on the second coup. Sep 21, 2012 when the shah of iran died in egypt after a long battle with cancer on july 27, 1980, commentators lined up to assess his legacy. Mcgrawhill book company, 1979 political science 217 pages. At the center of planning from 1951 and operations was kermit roosevelt, acting with the backing of the highest officials of the u. Kermit roosevelt, who was a member of the famous american political family but who made his contributions to the nation in the shadowy world of spy craft, died thursday at a. Countercoup, the struggle for the control of iran book, 1981. After attending an episcopalian college preparatory school, groton, in groton, massachusetts, he completed a fouryear course at harvard in twoandahalf years. Discover book depositorys huge selection of kermit roosevelt books online.
In the 1950s, when iran voted unanimously to nationalize their oil wells and created an international crisis, kermit was a senior officer in the central intelligence agencys. The shah supposedly told the cia conspirator kermit roosevelt he owed his kingdom to him as well as to god, my people, my army, and he. Control of iran kermit roosevelt also by kermit roosevelt arabs, oil and history a sentimental safari war report of the o. The shah supposedly told the cia conspirator kermit roosevelt he owed his kingdom to him as well as. The book heroically recounts roosevelts adventures supervising a 1953 coup in iran. Kermit roosevelt was allowed to write this book by the cia because his grandfather was former president teddy roosevelt, so they gave him leeway in writing this book they would not have given anyone else. Countercoup the struggle for the control of iran by roosevelt, kermit. Jul 23, 2003 the first of these attempts, which occurred almost 50 years ago to this day, is the subject of stephen kinzers riveting new book. Kermit roosevelt american intelligence official britannica. Kermit roosevelt was the cia director in charge of the. According to stephen kinzer, author of the book all the shahs men, roosevelt quickly seized control of the iranian press by buying them off with bribes and circulating antimossadegh propaganda.
The strange odyssey of kermit roosevelts countercoup. Kermit roosevelt kermit roosevelt, who has died aged 84, was the cia mastermind behind the overthrow in 1953 of irans prime minister, muhammad mossadeq. Louis san francisco dusseldorf london mexico sydney toronto. The book roosevelts beast by louis bayard is a fictitious story of the rondonroosevelt expedition. Kermit roosevelt, mc october 10, 1889 june 4, 1943 was an american businessman, soldier, explorer, and writer. Kermit roosevelt, jr project gutenberg selfpublishing.
Jun 22, 2000 kermit roosevelt kermit roosevelt, who has died aged 84, was the cia mastermind behind the overthrow in 1953 of iran s prime minister, muhammad mossadeq. The struggle for the control of iran kermit roosevelt. Keddie, middle east studies association bulletin, vol. Kermit roosevelt is a professor of constitutional law at the university of pennsylvania law school and a writer of fiction and nonfiction. National security archive electronic briefing book no. Though the title has a contemporary ring, former cia agent roosevelts tale is actually a distant background to recent events in iran, the countercoup in question being the 1953 ciaengineered installation of shah reza pahlevi. Five books on the legacy of the 1953 coup in iran world.