History of South America

How did the Iran hostage crisis affect American opinion of their president?

The 444-day Iran hostage crisis, in which 52 Americans were held hostage by student militants allied to the Iranian revolutionaries at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, had a profound effect on American public opinion of President Jimmy Carter. The crisis severely damaged Carter's reputation and was generally seen as a failure of American foreign policy.

Public anger grew as weeks turned into months, and Carter was criticized for being unable to secure the hostages' release. His approval ratings declined drastically, falling to 22% in March 1980, and many observers believed the hostage crisis ultimately cost Carter the presidential election to Ronald Reagan.

The crisis also resulted in a change in the way the U.S. dealt with international crises. In the aftermath of the hostage crisis, the U.S. became more willing to use military force to protect its interests abroad, resulting in the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983.