Evening star., 1951-04-08
By Robert B. Hewett and
Edwin B. Greenwold


and Turkey would cut the world
In two, splitting the East off from
the West as the Germans were
unable to do in World War II. It
would give the Soviet Union vast
oil riches and in some respects be
the worst blow the Soviet Union
could impose upon the West. To-
day the two mountain-studded
neighbors, Iran and Turkey, are
uneasy roadblocks before the
Suez Canal.
How soft is the barrier?
Twice the size of Texas, Iran is
probably the softest spot on the
edge of the iron curtain. This
ancient Persia is land Of fear
and indecision, caught up in it's
own anti-foreign tide of emotion
the same tide which washed
imperialism out of Indonesia,
Burma and India.
Turkey is another proposition.
A long -smoldering hatred of
Russia and the Slavs burns in the
Turkish breast. Turkeys men
have fought 10 wars with Russia
since the days of Peter the Great.
The Turks are no more afraid
/ of great Russia today than they
were in any other crisis. If they
get licked, they get licked. But
they would exact a staggering
price. In fact, the cost to Russia
might be so stupendous that it is
entirely possible, in the event of
World War III. the Soviets would
bypass Turkey and try to neutral
ize her.
~. S. Fumbled
If the Russians did this, they
might move south through soft
Iran, then westward to the Med
iterranean through Iraq, Syria
and Lebanon and on the north
ern side down through Greece to
the Aegean Sea.
Turkey is sturdily defying the
Soviet threat by building up an
army which would fight with the
West. But on the Iranian side of
the frontier there is paralyzing
fear OF the Russian giant, driving
the Iranians toward ostrichlike
neutrality in the East-WeSt con-
f1ict. And the Communists are
busy building this fear while fan
ming the flame of Eastern nation
alism and economic discomfort.
Iran imposed martial law to
calm the turmoil which erupted
with the assassination Of Premier
Ali Razmara and Parliament's
vote to nationalize the huge
Anglo -Iranian Oil Co.
Most of us fear the Russians,
hate the British and are more
and more resentful toward Ameti-
cans" said one Western-educated
Iranian.
The Iranians have felt that way
toward the Russians and British
for 800 years. Until the first
World War, Iran was a land cold
bloodedly divided into spheres OF
influence: Russia dominating the
North, Britain running the South
as buffer for India and later tt
EXPLOIT the oil concessions. TIL.
British government controls tn,
: Anglo -Iranian company.
The resentment toward Americs
is something new. United State!
lprestige was at it's peak in 194t
!, when Americans backed Trans de-
/, fiant stand against the Sovie
army's aid to rebellious Commu'
nists in Azerbaijan Province. Rus.
sia reluctantly Withdrew hel
troops, which had occupied North.
ern Iran during the war. Tht
Azerbaijan revolt collapsed.
!; But the high hopes in America
and the defiance of Russia art
slipping away. The blame il
shared by both Americans ane
Iranians.
}, The American fault was in 9
fumbling, half-hearted program o1
economic and military aid. Iraniar
LEADERS, traditionally stepped II
intrigue, went on playing corrupt
politics. They sought American
dollars to squander IN the same
old nhannnIS Of craft and WnrE