444 Days

444 Days

AMERICA REACTIONS

America watched the situation develop every evening. The CBS Evening News concluded each show with the number of days the hostages had been captive. The crisis saw an increase of patriotism and unity.

President Carter applied economic and diplomatic pressure.  Executive Order 12170, eight billion dollars of Iranian assets in the United States were frozen by the Office of Foreign Assets Control on November 14th.

He pursued a policy of restraint instead of  American retaliatory power.

​​​​​​​Diplomacy was not working so a military operation was ordered, doomed from the start with mechanical failures. Once aborted, two helicopters collided killing eight Americans on Iranian soil.


American Hostages, November 4, 1979, Eurasia Review

"At stake were the lives of 52 precious human beings who had been imprisoned in Iran for 444 days- and almost twelve billion dollars of Iranian assets.''

~Jimmy Carter, President of the United States

American support was shown throughout the country. The National Christmas Tree was left dark except for the star. Yellow ribbons were tied around trees as reminders of the hostages. ​​​​​​​

 January 1979, Iranian Citizens , Tony Blair Institute for Global Change 

IRAN'S REACTION

The Hostage Crisis and the economic sanctions imposed by the United States strengthened  Khomeini's political power, detering the release of the hostages. Several countries joined the Soviet Union and China in countering United States' sanctions by expanding economic and commercial relations with Iran.
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Britain and Canada supported the United States and imposed their own sanctions against Iran. 

HOSTAGES TREATMENT

During the 444 days, the hostages were cut off from all outside communication. Once the restrictions were loosened, hostages were allowed to write to their families.

Hostages were blindfolded when taken outside their rooms, essential supplies frequently ran out, meals were inadequate and had excessive security restrictions.

Senior embassy staff  with  serious health concerns lacked essential medical attention. 

Hostages,  Biography, 1980

Above all, there was the psychological pressure of never knowing when they would be released or what the American government was doing to help them.

Michael Metrinko; Scranton, Penn; January 1981.

"I went to solitary, and they purposely tried to separate the ones who spoke Persian and also the ones who were the heads of offices in the embassy. That was that. I went to solitary on November 6th and came out sometime in May for the first time, briefly."

~Michael Metrinko, The Iran Hostage Crisis Survivor; Ryan Leckey Interview

 "I remembered very, very clearly from junior officer training, we had been told that if we were taken hostage, the government would not deal with hostage takers. It would do what it could, but basically we were going to be on our own. And there would be no attempt to buy us out or to deal with hostage-takers, no bargaining with them. Therefore, I was in that situation. I did not expect the government to do anything…."

~~Michael Metrinko; The Iran Hostage Crisis Survivor; Ryan Leckey Interview

"They threw me back in my cell, and a little while later a couple of the leaders of the group came in — they were called in from the outside — and they said the guards were refusing to deal with me anymore because of my attitude, and they took me back down to Komiteh Prison, at night in a car, blindfolded, and put me in a cell, just on a concrete floor with nothing else for about two weeks. And I was on bread and water for about two weeks. It was quite interesting."

~~Michael Metrinko; The Iran Hostage Crisis Survivor; Ryan Leckey Interview

“We  had little communication with outsiders and I received one card in six months from a person I didn't know. They didn't want to give me mail.  They didn't allow me to have communication with family."

​​​​​​​~Mike Moeller, Former Hostage;         Interview 2022

Mike Moeller, Former Hostage,  Interview, 2022

~ Nancy Smith; Sister of Former Hostage Mike Moeller; Interview 2022

"The Marine Corp provided as much information as they could. They had the families meet regularly and they formed a support group. The support group was more for emotional support more than anything."

~ Nancy Smith, Sister of Former Hostage Mike Moeller, Interview 2022

"I can guarantee you that our television sets were on 24/7 from the moment my parents got word of the takeover. We lived for newscasts on the television or information in the newspapers, hoping for new developments, a picture or anything that would indicate their condition or release. At Christmas time, the Iranians released a picture of Mike and another hostage celebrating Christmas. We knew it was a set up, but you can imagine how happy we were to see him. In all, Mike got one of the several letters sent from family members - my dad's- and we only got one of Mike's that he sent home."

~ Nancy Smith, Sister of Former Hostage Mike Moeller, Interview 2022