Operation Ajax in the CIA analytics: colonial knowledge in postcolonial age

The paper is devoted to one of the first large operations of CIA in Third World countries of the Cold War period. The changes connected with the end of World War II and the beginning of a new global opposition led to the growth of national movements in all former colonies. Besides relations of the USA with the closest allies became more tense as Washington supported the breaking-up colonial empires which were favorable for the USA. Generally the USA wanted to replace the weakened European powers. There was understanding that the new independent states represented prospective important allies, both in the light of possible direct opposition, and within expansion of sales markets. In these conditions CIA that had recently been restored and reformatted got into active prospecting gear and search of the best mechanisms of work with the new independent states. One of the first critical situations in the relations developed in Iran where the Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddegh broke off diplomatic relations with Great Britain, enjoyed support of the local Communist Party and spoke about a possibility of rapprochement with the USSR. That was unacceptable both for Washington and for London. As a result, investigations of two countries made a decision to perform a joint operation which aim was to overthrow the objectionable government. The summary report of Donald Wilber, a CIA analyst, who was carrying out strategic planning and the leadership in the operation code-named Ajax, opens the most interesting details of a general course and the results of that action.