Mohammed Reza Pahlavi - Major World Leaders

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, ruled during one of the most tumultuous times in Middle East history. He was a man of contra¬ dictions, bent on modernizing Iran but convinced that he had been chosen by Allah to lead his people. Iran's oil industry boomed under his reign, but its people continued to live in abject poverty. Mohammed Reza served as a link between the West and the Middle East, but he failed to recognize the coming of the Islamic revolution that would be his downfall. He is regarded by some as a tragic figure, and by others as a cruel dictator who got what he deserved. Either way, his story exemplifies the painful history of the region in the twentieth century-and shows how greed, faith, and power changed Iran forever.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword: On Leadership
Arthur M. Schlesinger, jr. 6
1 The Shah and His Country 13
2 Rise of the Pahlavi Dynasty 21
Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi 29
4 The Cold War 37
5 The White Revolution 45
6 Nemesis: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini 53
7 Pride Before the Fall 61
The Revolution Begins 69
9 Final Days 77
10 Hospitals and Hostages 85
11 Mohammed Reza's Legacy 93
Chronology 96
Further Reading 98
Index 99