Iran hostage crisis of 1979 and its geopolitical consequences

Robert Ode- What Life Was Like as a Hostage

Robert Ode, a retired diplomat who accepted a short-term assignment in Tehran, was one of the Americans taken hostage in Iran. His captors were students, who said that they took the hostages because of problems with the American government, not because of a hatred of all Americans. When one looks at how they treated the hostages, this seems both true and false. The students tied up the hostages, confiscated their personal possessions, and initially had them in deplorable living conditions with filthy toilets, limited access to cold showers, and prohibited from talking with the other hostages. This behavior indicates a certain level of personal animosity. However, it does not appear that the students engaged in routine brutality towards the hostages.

In fact, image seemed to be very important to the students who took the hostages. They allowed the hostages to communicate, even though some of the communication was sporadic. Ode's estimates suggest that about 1/3 of the mail he sent actually reached the people to whom he was writing. About midway through captivity, the students seemed to be making concessions for the hostages' comfort. They made efforts to provide Ode and the other hostages with air conditioning, clothing, and personal care items. Ode noted a change in food provisions at this time. The restrictions on the hostages communicating with one another seemed to loosen as well, and Ode describes socializing with fellow hostages by playing chess. However, he also describes escalating brutality towards hostages who are not compliant, especially a hostage named done.