Just as humans of ages past assumed our world must lay at the center of the Universe, on a national scale probably most common mistake made – and the one that has caused the most wars and conflicts – is of ethnocentrism, the assumption that one’s culture is globally understood, even desired. When the United States installed the Shah of Iran, they were pleased that he reformed the country to more align to Western-democratic values, but they miscalculated the reaction of his own people. Rather than rejoice, they rebelled. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from exile and Shapour Bakhtiar from within became the leading voices for an Islamic Republic, though they disagreed with one another on the final form that republic would take.

On this day, December 29, in 1978, with his own part waning, the Shah of Iran reached out to Shapour Bakhtiar, installing him in a civilian government over the previous military one.

Bakhtiar disbanded the Shah’s terrorizing secret police, freed political prisoners and lifted censorship of the press. He also drew up a timeline for national elections to elected a new and permanent government, but he never got a chance to exercise those. Khomeini returned from power, seizing power and forcing out both the Shah and Bakhtiar, whom he labeled a traitor for collaborating with the Shah.