World War: NEAR EASTERN THEATER: Open & Shut

This week the most belligerently neutral country of Asia was neutral no longer. For 15 years Iran's Reza Shah Pahlavi had successfully played off British, Russian and other European interests against each other, but now Britain and Russia were working together. Into Iran from Iraq in the west marched a British column. More British troops landed at Bandar Shahpur, southern terminus of the Trans-Iranian Railway. To the north Red Army troops began their long trek through the mountains into Iran from Russian Armenia. In India's northwest province of Baluchis tan other British forces stood ready to attack from the east....

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