Occupation of Iran in World War 2

The shah was careful to attract American help, but the Americans and Iranians did not get on, the Americans finding the government of Iran corrupt and suffering harassment from the British and Russians.  Needing an industrial power to help him, the Shah increasingly turned to Germany – a fateful choice, but the logical one at the time – and Germany began to gain a monopoly of Iranian business.  The Iranian army was also reorganised, at the time of fighting, it would number some 126’000 (14 divisions, 5 independent brigades), tanks and approximately 200 older model planes.  However, the Shah’s plans remained incomplete when the world was, once again, plunged into the flames of world war.