May 16, 1952 — The Lachlander
The Mossadegh Project | December 12, 2021 |
This segment on Iran was part of a front page column, “Musings”. It ran in The Lachlander and Condobolin and Western Districts Recorder, published twice a week in New South Wales, Australia.
PERSIAN OIL
Loss of Persian oil a short time before Winston Churchill resumed office was a big blow to England and a bitter blow to Churchill personally.
It was Churchill who negotiated the original treaty in 1914 and gave Britain control of the oilfields.
In 1912, as First Lord of the Admiralty, Churchill decided to change the Navy over from coal to oil.
He sought a sure source of oil supplies, and at that time Persia’s new oilfields were wanting capital and needing development. There was, of course, much opposition to the move, but he forced it through, and in June 1911 the new Anglo-Persian Oil Company was formed.
Persia’s Premier Dr. Mussadeq had very good reason for wanting to force the oil issue to a quick conclusion while the pusilanimous Attlee was in power. [Clement Attlee]
He was perfectly aware that if the man who was responsible for forming the original company came back to office, the jig would be over.
Churchill resumed power a few weeks later — when Attlee had already sold out.
Related links:
The Road To Disaster In Persia | The Sydney Morning Herald, June 28, 1951
Bleak Outlook In Persia | Newcastle Morning Herald, May 5, 1951
Has Persia Won? | The Courier-Mail (Brisbane), July 24, 1952
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”




