American government involvement began after WWII (marked by Roosevelt's meeting with Ibn Saud), but American industrial involvement began earlier, essentially b

American government involvement began after WWII (marked by Roosevelt's meeting with Ibn Saud), but American industrial involvement began earlier, essentially bankrolling the fledgling state in the 1930's when Major Frank Holmes, under direction from Ibn Saud, offered an oil concession to Standard Oil of California only after extracting a large upfront payment from Socal.