On June 6, 1945, Wittenberger Wallace Murray presented his credentials in Teheran as the new US Ambassador to Iran.
A native of Kentucky, Murray served in the US State Department from the 1920s to the 1940s. Following early postings as secretary to the American Legation in Budapest and secretary and charge d’affaires in Teheran, he moved to Washington in 1925, and in 1929 he was named chief of the Near Eastern and African Affairs division. From that position he was a frequent commentator on developments in the Middle East, and he often traveled with U.S. delegations to the Middle East and to Europe.
In 1933 he was quoted as saying that Iraq’s emergence as an independent nation “marks the successful accomplishment of one of the most courageous experiments growing out of the postwar settlements.” Following a dispute with Iran, he successfully negotiated the reopening of the American legation there in 1939. During World War II, he was credited with helping keep French North African possessions out of Axis hands before the Allies’ North African landings.
While one writer called him ‘a painstaking man of the ultra-conservative school,’ his colleague from State, Evan Wilson, disagreed. “That is not fair to Murray, who had a quick mind, a formidable knowledge of Near Easter affairs, and a lively appreciation of our interests in the area.” Murray, like others in the office, was cool during the Second World War toward the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, doubtful that such could be accomplished without armed force.
In April 1945, President Truman appointed Murray as Ambassador to Iran, and he was there during the tensions over the “Iranian Crisis” of 1945-1946. Murray advocated lowering US troop presence, hoping the Soviets would do the same, thus de-escalating the tensions. But in the spring ill health forced him to return home, and he retired from the State Department shortly thereafter. He subsequently became a director of the American Eastern Corporation and its affiliate in Iran, and from time to time he advised the Eisenhower administration. He died in April, 1965, at age 78.
Sources: The New York Times; The Wittenberger Centennial Edition 1845-1945; Gary Hess, “The Iranian Crisis of 1945-46 and the Cold War,” Political Science Quarterly, 89 (March 1974): 117-146; Evan M. Wilson, “The Palestine Papers, 1943-1947,” Journal of Palestine Studies, 2 (Summer 1973): 33-54.
About The Project
With Wittenberg now celebrating its 175th year, and the University unable to hold regular in-person classes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor of History Thomas T. Taylor has started circulating several pieces on Wittenberg's history. Some originated in earlier series, either This Month in Wittenberg History or Happy Birthday Wittenberg. Others have their origin in the Wittenberg History Project or in some other, miscellaneous project. Sincerest thanks to Professor Taylor for connecting alumni, faculty, staff, and students through a historic lens.