What is the historical context, intended audience, point of view, purpose,  of this text, and what is the outside evidence?

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What is the historical context, intended audience, point of view, purpose,  of this text, and what is the outside evidence? 

Document 2
Source: Henry Byroade, Assistant Secretary of State in the United States State Department, memorandum to his superior regarding British proposals
concerning the overthrow of the government of Muhammad Mosaddegh, the nationalist prime minister of Iran, November 26, 1952. In August of
1953, Mosaddegh was overthrown in a coup organized by the CIA and the British intelligence agency Ml6.
The British Foreign Office has informed us that it is inclined to bring about a coup d'état in Iran, replacing the Mosaddegh government by one that
would be more “reliable," if the United States government agreed to cooperate. You will recall the British embassy on October 8 gave us a paper that
outlined the possible ways of meeting the threat that would be posed if the communist party of Iran (which is supported by the Soviet Union) took
advantage of Mosaddegh's weakness to seize power. Since then, the State Department and CIA have had three meetings with British
representatives. The British believe that there is virtually no chance of an oil settlement* with Mosaddegh and they have little hope that his
government will be able to prevent a communist takeover. The British do not appear to have a specific candidate in mind as the leader of the
suggested coup, but they believe that several of the "old guard" politicians and more moderate nationalist leaders would be good candidates.
CIA believes that the project is probably feasible and that it could be handled in a way that British and American connection with it could never be
proven. However, many things could go wrong. Furthermore, it must be assumed that the Iranians would charge the British with complicity in any
sudden political development of this sort, with or without proof, and that this charge would be echoed by the Soviet bloc. There is also the danger of
possible violent Soviet reaction, especially if the coup was not completely successful from the beginning.
*The Mosaddegh government had nationalized the Iranian oil industry, which had been under the control of a company controlled by the British
government.
Transcribed Image Text:Document 2 Source: Henry Byroade, Assistant Secretary of State in the United States State Department, memorandum to his superior regarding British proposals concerning the overthrow of the government of Muhammad Mosaddegh, the nationalist prime minister of Iran, November 26, 1952. In August of 1953, Mosaddegh was overthrown in a coup organized by the CIA and the British intelligence agency Ml6. The British Foreign Office has informed us that it is inclined to bring about a coup d'état in Iran, replacing the Mosaddegh government by one that would be more “reliable," if the United States government agreed to cooperate. You will recall the British embassy on October 8 gave us a paper that outlined the possible ways of meeting the threat that would be posed if the communist party of Iran (which is supported by the Soviet Union) took advantage of Mosaddegh's weakness to seize power. Since then, the State Department and CIA have had three meetings with British representatives. The British believe that there is virtually no chance of an oil settlement* with Mosaddegh and they have little hope that his government will be able to prevent a communist takeover. The British do not appear to have a specific candidate in mind as the leader of the suggested coup, but they believe that several of the "old guard" politicians and more moderate nationalist leaders would be good candidates. CIA believes that the project is probably feasible and that it could be handled in a way that British and American connection with it could never be proven. However, many things could go wrong. Furthermore, it must be assumed that the Iranians would charge the British with complicity in any sudden political development of this sort, with or without proof, and that this charge would be echoed by the Soviet bloc. There is also the danger of possible violent Soviet reaction, especially if the coup was not completely successful from the beginning. *The Mosaddegh government had nationalized the Iranian oil industry, which had been under the control of a company controlled by the British government.
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