in addition to providing logistical support to the iranians, the allies offered other services as well. the americans in particular were viewed as more neutral since they had no colonial past in the country as did the british and soviets. the americans contributed special expertise to the young shah's government. colonel norman schwarzkopf, sr., who at the outbreak of the war was serving as superintendent of the new jersey state police was in august 1942 put in charge of training the imperial iranian gendarmerie (his son, norman schwarzkopf, jr., would command coalition forces fifty years later during the persian gulf war.)