BITTER FRUIT

THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN COUP IN

GUATEMALA
Author: Stephen Schlesinger and Stephen Kinzer
By Jasmine Barboa
Chapter 1
The Battle Begins
■  Character Introductions –  Jacobo Arbenz- originally a
–  Carlos Castillo Armas: The defense minister in Guatemala
“Voice of Liberation” and and was the President
longtime enemy of President overthrown by the U.S.
Arbenz ■  Overthrown in his fourth year
during his six-year term
–  Juan Jose Arevalo- President
before Jacobo Arbenz ■  Guatemala's second
president elected under a
–  Guilermo Toriello- Foreign democratic constitution in
minister, diplomat, and 133 years of independence
spokesperson for his country’s
cause abroad
Chapter 1
The Battle Begins
■  Character Introductions ■  Events
–  John Peurifoy- a heavy-handed –  The United States government
diplomat who had been was the secret creator and
chosen to exert pressure on sponsor (through the CIA) of
Arbenz and in failure of that, to the “Liberation Movement”
over throw him believed to be ran by Castillo
–  Dulles- Secretary of State who Armas
had also planned the over –  Actual Reason: The Arbenz
throw land reform act included the
expropriation of some of the
vast acreage belonging to the
United Fruit Company
–  Given Reason: Fear of
Communism controlling
Guatemala
Chapter 1
The Battle Begins
■  United Fruit Company
–  Controlled nearly 40,000 jobs in
Guatemala
–  Investments in the country were
valued at $60 million
–  Owned Guatemala’s telephone
and telegraph facilities,
administered its only important
Atlantic Harbor
–  Monopolized its banana export
–  Owned the International
Railways of Central America
(IRCA) and owned 887 miles of
railroad track in Guatemala
(which is nearly every mile in the
country)
Chapter 1
The Battle Begins
■  Battle Begins ■  Day 3 (June 20)
–  June 18, 1954 –  Air bombardment continues
while Armas’ men stay still
■  Day 1 (Jun 18) confusing the townspeople
–  Leaflets are thrown out of
planes carrying the bold ■  The people did not know that
demand “Guatemala's Armas’ weird behavior was because
President, Jacobo Arbenz, he was awaiting orders from the
must resign immediately U.S. who had recruited him, trained,
and paid his men
■  Day 2 (June 19)
■  The U.S was in full control of what
–  Air bombardment occurs while was being staged as a domestic
the ground “invasion” led by uprising
Castillo Armas advanced slowly
Chapter 2
A Teacher Takes Power
■  June of 1944- protest begins to rise ■  June 1- Ubico resigned from office
in Guatemala during the harsh in shock after a petition of protest
dictatorship of General Jorge Ubico was personally handed to him by
–  School teachers, shopkeepers, friends and colleagues
skilled workers, and students ■  General Federico Ponce- Replaced
were the main groups who Ubico
staged the protests
–  Good: raised teacher salaries
■  Roosevelt’s New Deal inspired many and instituted modest reforms
Guatemalans to fight for a in the universities
government actively devoted to –  Bad: intensifies political
public good surveillance, prohibited private
meetings and demonstrations
and kept the government in
the hands of soldiers and local
bosses who had helped run
the country under Ubico
Chapter 2
A Teacher Takes Power
■  Ponce (attempting a democratic ■  The election held by Ponce never
façade) decreed free election to happened
present himself for popular
ratification due to protests from the ■  Major Francisco Arana and Captain
same group who made Ubico resign Jacobo Arbenz (officers who had fled
to plan a revolt) arrived in Guatemala
■  The protest group chose Dr. Juan –  They staged attacks against
Arevalo Bermejo police stations and other military
–  He wished to spread the installations
principles of the New Deal –  On October 22 Ponce accepted
throughout Latin America and a settlement with the rebels and
embodied the end of fled to the Mexican Embassy
dictatorships
–  This “October Revolution”
brought forth the junta: Major
Arana, Captain Arbenz, and
Jorge Toriello
–  They immediately announced
the nation’s first free election
under a democratic constitution
Chapter 2
A Teacher Takes Power
■  Arevalo became president in –  Committed to a fair and honest
December 1945 (officially March political system: Congressman
15, 1945) with more than 85 limited to two, four year terms,
percent of the (literate male) vote presidents cannot be elected
after a single six-year term,
■  He wrote, with help from the and military men were
Guatemalan Bar Association, the forbidden to run for office
liberal constitution
–  Censorship of press was
–  Divided power among forbidden
executive, legislative and
judicial branches –  The right to organize was
sanctified and voting rights
–  Individual rights were were expanded
guaranteed and the
Jeffersonian principle of –  Equal pay between sexes,
popular sovereignty was sexes under marriage were
dominant stated equal, racial
discrimination was made a
Chapter 3
An Age of Reform
■  By the middle of Arevalo’s term in ■  On the other side, Jacobo Arbenz was
1948, unrest began to grow due to no part of the band of liberals anxious to
cohesive programs and constant move on with the next phase of the
press attacks reformation promising social
transformation
■  Many plots to overthrow him were
thought to be connected to Colonel ■  It was going to be a battle between
Francisco Arana (the hero of 1944 the conservative populist Arbenz and
October Revolution) the less assertive Arbenz
–  Arana continued to gain power ■  However on July 18, 1949 Arana was
to the point where he held a killed through a gun battle
virtual veto over presidential
decisions –  It is rumored that Arbenz
arranged the gun battle
■  Jacobo Arbenz was chosen to
become President on November 13,
1950 where he became Guatemala’s
second democratically elected
President
Chapter 4
The Clouds Gather
■  Arbenz’s Reform Bill ■  The reform caused hostile and
–  Agrarian Reform Bill- frightened and greedy feelings from
government could expropriate peasants, landowners, and the United
uncultivated portions of large Fruit Company
plantations ■  The Communist leaders however,
–  The land taken would be paid for encouraged the frightened feelings
by a 25 year bond with the and urged takeovers of land from
government bearing a 3% greedy peasants
interest rate –  Arbenz could not crack down on
–  The valuation of the land would them because the Communists
be determined from its declared helped him in his campaign
taxable worth –  Arbenz tolerated Communists
■  This was bad for the United and believed that they could “not
Fruit Company because they be all bad”
undervalued their land in order
to reduce tax liability –  This idea caused anger and was
ultimately the “reason” the U.S.
used to verify their cause for
overthrowing him
Chapter 5
The Overlord: The United Fruit Company
■  Samuel Zemurray “Sam the Banana ■  United Fruit was Guatemala’s
Man”- he had started a banana largest employer, landowner and
empire of his own (Cuyamel exporter and exercised enormous
Company) that was doing better economic control
than the United Fruit Company –  Exercised economic control
■  The UFCO bought Sam out for $31.5 because thy controlled the port
million in 1930 Puerto Barrios therefore
controlling the nation’s
■  When the Depression hit, the UFCO international commerce
was hit bad causing Sam to come
back, take control, and repair the ■  Under Ubico’s dictatorship, UFCO
damages while stating “You people was granted total exemption from
have been botching up this internal taxation, duty-free
business long enough” importation of all necessary goods
and a guarantee of low wages
Chapter 5
The Overlord: The United Fruit Company
■  Many Guatemalans felt the UFCO
represented the alliance of
American government and business
arrayed against their efforts to
attain full economic independence
■  The UFCO bribed politicians,
pressured governments, and
intimidated opponents to gain
favorable concessions
■  It was being exploited by foreign
interests which took huge profits
without making much contribution
to the nations welfare
■  Guatemalans felt economically a
captive of the U.S. corporations
Chapter 5
The Overlord: The United Fruit Company
■  In March 1953 the land reform ax fell ■  On April 20, 1954 a formal complaint
upon the UFCOO was delivered to Guatemalan
–  In four separate decrees a total authorities by the U.S State
of 386,901 acres of uncultivated Department (whose top officials had
land was expropriated close ties to the UFCO)
–  85% of UFCO’s land was ■  The note demanded $15,854,849 in
uncultivated because they compensation bonds by declaring
claimed it was insurance against “bears not the slightest resemnlance
plant diseases to just evaluation”
■  The government was going to pay in ■  The amount offered by Guatemala
bonds $627,572 for the seized averaged around $2.99 per acre
property while the State Department wanted
–  Remember the company about $75 per acre when they only
undervalued its property in paid $1.48 for it twenty years earlier
official declarations to reduce its
tax liability; the bonds were
based on the declared value of
the land
Chapter 5
The Overlord: The United Fruit Company
■  The UFCO and its powerful
supporters in Washington were
angry
■  They called quite but effective
meetings in Washington to convince
the American government that
Arbenz was a threat to freedom and
must be deposed
■  The company hired lobbyists and
talented publicists to create a public
and private climate in the U.S.
favorable to Arbenz’s overthrow
Chapter 6
Advertisements for Myself
■  Edward Bernays- a shrewd counsel on ■  Bernays had long been working to
public relations hired by Sam convince the U.S. press that the
Zemurray to make the UFCO look Arbenz government was irresponsible
“better” and recklessly anti-American
–  Stated communism was a ■  When the land takeovers began in
growing danger in Guatemala as 1953 he stated they were final proof
an argument for the UFCO that the Arbenz regime was
–  He created special “communistic”
choreographed tours and
interviews to show to big ■  The work of Edward Bernays and
reporters (Time, Newsweek, many lobbyists won the backing of
Scripps-Howard newspapers, both liberals and conservatives for its
United Press international, the policies in Guatemala
Christian Science Monitor, the ■  All this cost the UFCO over half a
Miami Herald and the San million dollars a year to convince
Francisco Chronicle) in order to America there was “evil” in
connect Arbenz and the Guatemala
communists by stating that they
both are destroying the
company’s “good works”
Chapter 7
Operation Success
■  Guillermo Toriello- Guatemalan
ambassador in Washington,
intensified his efforts to reach some
sort of accommodation with the
Eisenhower administration over the
land expropriations when he sensed
the “quickening pace of U.S.
activity”
■  American officials replied each time
that the disagreements between the
U.S and Guatemala had nothing to
do with the land reform acts but
rather concerned the failure of
President Arbenz to expel
communists from his government
Chapter 7
Operation Success
■  Official decision to move against ■  Frank Wisner (CIA’s deputy director for
President Arbenz was made in early operations) was placed in command
August 1953 at a meeting charged by
the National Security Council with ■  Colonel Albert Haney was chosen as
supervision of covert operations field director of the operation
■  Members included
–  Allen Dulles
–  Bedell Smith (Undersecretary of
State)
–  C. D. Jackson (Eisenhower’s
psychological warfare advisor)
–  Charles Wilson (aide to Defense
Secretary)
–  Robert Cutler (special
presidential assistant for
National Security Affairs)
–  And more
 ■  Haney set up training camps in
Nicaragua in February where about
Chapter 7 150 men would be instructed in
sabotage and demolition
Operation Success –  150 exiles and mercenaries
went to Momotombito (volcanic
island in Lake Managua) for
weapons training
■  Operation Success (begin in January
1954 and end around July) ■  He established a radio camp in
Managua (Nicaraguan capital) to
–  Subvert the loyalty of the Army acquaint a few men with broadcasting
from Arbenz techniques
–  Demoralize the unions, rural
workers and city dwellers who ■  He Placed hidden communication
supported Arbenz and convince stations around the perimeters of
them that Arbenz was finished Guatemala and two in Guatemala
itself (even on in the U.S. Embassy)
–  Small-scale psychological
harassment that would escalate –  Some stations were equipped
gradually in intensity over six with jamming devices and
months to larger and more others were programmed to
ambitious schemes broadcast on the same
wavelengths as Guatemalan’s
–  End with an “invasion” regular radio stations
■  U.S. managed to sneak many of its
lanes into Honduras and Nicaragua
and the Canal Zone under the cover
of “arms assistance” to the two
Chapter 8
The Liberator
■  The CIA had to recruit one more key
person: a Guatemalan exile to lead
the “Liberation” forces
–  The CIA was trying to make the
overthrow look like a domestic
plot
■  They chose Castillo Armas
–  It is said they picked him
because “he was a small,
humble, thin guy” who was
also stupid
–  He would be the puppet while
the CIA hid in the shadows and
pulled the strings
Chapter 9
The Proconsul
■  While Allen Dulles was recruiting ■  John Peurifoy
and briefing Castillo Armas, Foster –  due to a past duty in Greece,
Dulles (Secretary of State) was he knew how to scare a small
searching for a “theater country
commander” who could represent
official American interests in –  He skillfully used the press to
Guatemala City during Operation convey threats
Success –  He displayed an elemental
–  He had to replace Rudolf shrewdness and a bullheaded
Schoenfeld (current American determination to get his way
ambassador in Guatemala) (sometimes unpredictable
because he couldn’t keep his
–  The CIA chose John Peurifoy mouth shut)
–  He was a gun aimed at the
head of the Arbenz
Chapter 9
the Proconsul
■  Most important denunciation of ■  Dulles had the Rio Treaty of 1947 in
Guatemala by the U.S. occurred at the mind
Tenth Inter-American Conference of –  Gave OAS foreign ministers
the Organization of American States authority to take action if 2/3 of
(OAS) in Caracas, Venezuela, in March the member nations of the OAS
1954 agreed that the political
–  The conference was originally independence of an American
called to deal with economic state was affected by “an
matters aggression which was not an
–  Dulles used the occasion to armed attack”
push through a broad anti- –  The countries could then decide
Communist resolution for use to impose economic sanctions
against Guatemala or jointly intervene
–  He was seeking multilateral ■  Dulles’ purpose was to condemn
blessing for unilateral Guatemala without actually
intervention the U.S. mentioning its name as well as put in
place the juridical authority with
which to defend Operation Success
Chapter 10
The Secret Voyage of the Alfhem
■  On the morning of May 15, 1954 ■  Arbenz seemed to have turned to
the ship Alfhem appears at the Czechoslovakia as a “kind of last
docks of Puerto Barrios heavily resort” when Guatemala’s normal
guarded by Guatemalan officials suppliers refused his requests to
and the Minister of Defense purchase military hardware
–  The cargo was unloaded and –  It was prompted by a clear
transferred to boxcars and recognition that Castillo
transported into Guatemala Armas’ invasion was
City under military escort impending and Guatemala’s
–  The ship’s cargo included own armed forces needed
weapons (rifles), ammunition, reinforcement
antitank mines and artillery
pieces that Guatemala had
bought from Czechoslovakia
for well over one million dollars
Chapter 10
The Secret Voyage of the Alfhem
■  The Dulles brothers used the
occasion of the Czech arms arrival
to accelerate their efforts to
encourage heads of major American
news organizations to support the
U.S, thesis about the Arbenz regime
(being communist supporters and
communists)
–  It was later believed that the
U.S might have deliberately
allowed this ship to dock just in
order to create an “incident” to
justify the invasion
Chapter 11
The Final Countdown
■  Arrival of Czech arms gave Dulles ■  The UFCO secretly was providing the
the evidence he had been seeking CIA its-
of a Soviet conspiracy to seize –  Guatemalan railroad system
Guatemala, subvert Central America (IRCA) to smuggle in arms its
and take over the Panama Canal Atlantic port to land equipment
–  Without concrete “proof” he –  its telegraph, telephone and
would have been hard-passed radio to relay messages
to deny accusations that he
was acting solely on behalf of –  its Guatemalan properties to
UFCO give cover to the rebels
–  its public relations men to
■  Dulles now intensified his pattern of distribute photos and bulletins
attacks against Guatemala about the advance of Castillo
–  Issued threats of military Armas’ forces
intervention, hints of
blockades, and proposals for
punishment under the anti-
Chapter 11
The Final Countdown
■  The most successful covert enterprise ■  The radio team also worked to create
of all was the CIA’s radio campaign the impression that rebels were
launched against Guatemala seven everywhere in Guatemala
weeks before invasion –  By pretending to be part of a
–  David Atlee Phillips directed the major insurgent force
radio effort announcers appealed to citizens
–  Phillips and his crew concocted to assist Liberation planes by
a classic “disinformation” locating drop sites for the
campaign to spread fear and “partisans”
panic inside Guatemala –  They made dummy parachute
–  After the Alfhem arrival the radio drops in rural areas to convince
team aimed new messages at Guatemalan peasants that the
army officers in an attempt to rebels were nearby
split the military form Arbenz –  To prevent Arbenz from calming
the public, they CIA radio team
jammed the President’s address
to the nation on the second day
Chapter 12
Arbenz Fights Back
■  Operation Success did have its rough ■  Toriello tried to talk to the Security
patch Council about looking into Guatemala
–  Castillo Armas’ army failed at and helping in case of a larger,
capturing the railroad center dominating nation trying to “hurt”
near Zacapa (a plan to inflict Guatemala (aka the U.S.)
fear and show “strength” from –  A vote was cast and the Security
the rebel group) Council voted to not talk about
–  A plan to “bomb” a town in Guatemala
Honduras as an act to blame on –  The U.S. shadily spoke to France
Arbenz lost credibility when and Great Britain before the
Honduran military leaders could vote, who’s representatives
not agree on a town that was were, by chance, in Washington
“bombed” giving confusion to abstain from voting for they
–  An ex-marine pilot was given the would have voted for Guatemala
order to knock out the –  This kept Operation Success
governments radio station but going despite its risk of failure
unknowingly hit the wrong one
where Americans worked
Chapter 12
Arbenz Fights Back
■  The radio team was the CIA’s best weapon –  The CIA also answered real military
in Operation Success messages from Arbenz commanders
–  They skillfully painted a picture of with fake responses
war and upheaval (large troop –  The agency frequently sent
movements, fearsome battles, major meaningless “orders” to fictitious
Guatemala defeats and growing rebel encampments
rebel strength)
■  These radio broadcasts brought many
■  These frightened an already rumors
confused and disheartened
populace –  One such rumor was that Castillo
Armas was garnering volunteers as
■  The CIA now intensified its psychological he marched
warfare over the airwaves
–  People believed he had thousands
–  The radio teams announced major of men and the radio team played
losses for Arbenz which were later ignorant by saying they could neither
rebroadcasted on military channels confirm nor deny
–  This convinced some of Arbenz’s –  In reality he never had more than
officers that the reports were 400 men under his command
“genuine”
Chapter 12
Arbenz Fights Back
■  Most reporters, whether they be from ■  The new waves of attacks by the
Guatemala, Boston, or Honduras had no Liberation air force had the wanted effect
idea what was really going on on the military
–  They told a romantic crusade pitting –  On June 25 Arbenz received a
Castillo Armas against the Goliath- “ultimatum from the front” which
like communist army basically stated that he should
–  No one questioned the contents of resign or the army would come to an
the press handouts (communiques, agreement with the invaders
photos, or briefings) by the CIA to –  The CIA authorized its paramilitary
the public teams at the front lines to promise
–  No one raised questions of how cash payments to any military officer
Castillo Armas had willing to surrender his troops
■  obtained the money for his planes ■  One officer received $60,000 to
and weapons and trucks surrender his troops
■  where his soldiers and pilots came ■  Without the loyalty of the army Arbenz’s
from end was near
■  who had arranged the broadcasts
of the “Voice of Liberation”,
■  why Honduras and Nicaragua
allowed him to camp and train on
their territory
Chapter 13
The Longest Day
■  The psychological warfare inflicted –  The citizens in Guatemala
upon Arbenz made him an hastily left their towns,
emotional and shaken man and his however they never stopped to
political condition was no better wonder where the “columns of
rebels” were
■  The last big lie the CIA told through
the radio team (on June 27) was ■  Another rumor that was started by
that two large and heavily armed Americans in contact with the U.S.
columns of rebels were making embassy and embassy employees
their way toward Guatemala City was that cruisers and aircraft
–  The broadcasts were intended carriers had anchored off the coast
primarily to scare Arbenz or that paratroopers had landed in
the north
–  With no one to trust, Arbenz
could no longer be certain that
there wasn’t at least some
truth to the radio bulletins
Chapter 13
The Longest Day
■  Arbenz began that Sunday morning ■  Peurifoy and Colonel Diaz (along
with a conference of military with other officers) had a secret
commanders led by his confidant, meeting
Army Chief of Staff Colonel Carlos –  It was decided that Colonel
Enrique Diaz Diaz should take Presidency
–  An attack that morning on the –  Peurifoy also suggested that all
ship Springfjord cast a deeper Communists be rounded up
pall over Arbenz and his (they were all soon picked up
colleagues by military police)
–  A ship which had nothing to do
with the events in Guatemala
had been destroyed
–  This attack was actually a
disobedience of orders given
by the CIA, the ship was never
supposed to be attacked
Chapter 13
The Longest Day
■  Diaz, Colonel Sarti and Defense
Minister drove to the National
Palace to confront Arbenz
■  Arbenz was given an ultimatum : he
had until 4pm to leave the National
Palace and turn over the military
junta in order to stop the attacks
–  Arbenz said he would leave
“gracefully” after making a
radio address
–  He would turn the power over
to Diaz
–  He also made Diaz give his
word that he would not
negotiate with the Liberator
(Castillo Armas)
 OPCVL
“Workers, peasants, patriots! Guatemala is going through a hard trial. A cruel war against Guatemala has
been unleashed. The United Fruit Company and U.S. monopolies, together with US ruling circles are
responsible…. Mercenaries have unleashed fire and death, respecting nothing. We all know how cities
have been bombed and strafed, women and children have suffered. We know how representatives of
workers and peasants have been murdered in occupied cities… That was an act of vengeance by the
United Fruit Company. We are indignant over the cowardly attack by mercenary US fliers. They know
Guatemala has no adequate air force so they try to sow panic. They bomb and strafe our forces
preventing operations. Today they sank a ship taking on cotton in San Jose. In the name of what do they
do these things? We all know what. They have blamed their actions on the pretext of Communism. The
truth is elsewhere -- in financial interests of the United Fruit Company and other US firms that have
invested much in Guatemala. Time will show if what they say is true…My Government has been called
Communist in nature. We have used every means to convince world reactionaries that what US
Government circles say is untrue….I have decided to quit power, turn the executive over to Carlos Enrique
Diaz, Chief of the Armed Forces…I believe that democratic political organizations and all other popular
organizations should give him full support… Someday the enemy forces will be defeated. I am still a
combatant of freedom and progress for my country. I say goodbye with sorrow, but firm in my convictions.
These years of sacrifice and fight and the arguments of the enemy have not defeated me…I thank you
from my heart for the support. Let peace be restored. Let the gains be kept. With the satisfaction of
having done my duty I say long live the October Revolution! Long Live Guatemala!
OPCVL

■  Origin ■  Purpose
–  On Sunday, June 27th, 1954, –  To make a final address to his
President Jacobo Arbenz country and to put the
publically announced his responsibility of his resignation
resignation. on the United States
–  The speech was read over –  “They have blamed their
government radio. Just how actions on the pretext of
many Guatemalans heard the Communism. The truth is
it is not known, since the CIA elsewhere -- in financial
partially jammed its interests of the United Fruit
transmission. Company and other US firms
–  The text of the speech was not that have invested much in
published in newspapers for a Guatemala”
month after it was delivered.
OPCVL

■  Value ■  Limitation
–  This speech really demonstrated –  The U.S. could not out right
how Arbenz felt and his feelings combat his statements that they
of basically hatred towards the were involved because it would
United States and its big ruin their cover story, so the U.S.
companies that controlled his side is missing.
beloved country –  “We are indignant over the
–  “Workers, peasants, patriots! cowardly attack by mercenary
Guatemala is going through a US fliers. They know Guatemala
hard trial. A cruel war against has no adequate air force so
Guatemala has been unleashed. they try to sow panic. They bomb
The United Fruit Company and and strafe our forces preventing
U.S. monopolies, together with operations”
US ruling circles are
responsible…. Mercenaries have
unleashed fire and death,
respecting nothing”
Chapter 13
The Longest Day
■  Arbenz’s country had deserted him ■  The deviousness attributed to Arbenz
–  The upper classes had no use for was greatly exaggerated
him for his measures never –  He was just a bourgeois (middle-
seriously affected their holdings class) reformer whose ideology
–  His tough measures against the did not extend beyond basic
opposition by his police had cost precepts of nationalism and the
him his middle-class backing stimulation of domestic industry
–  Attacks by the Catholic Church and agriculture
had caused further loss of support ■  Arbenz had been doomed from the
–  Many in the military still believed moment eleven months earlies when
he had killed Colonel Arana and the Dulles brothers told President
had never forgiven him Eisenhower he had to go
–  The lack of substantial economic ■  Historians claim that the only reason
progress and the constant turmoil the U.S, interfered was for the United
of recent months had begun to
convince even neutrals that it was Fruit Company; if it had not existed,
best that Arbenz go there would have been no threat to
U.S property and they would not have
cared
Chapter 14
The Liberation
■  With Arbenz gone, Diaz took on ■  John Doherty (the CIA station chief)
Presidency and Enno Hobbing (former Time Paris
–  His most urgent problem was bureau chief who had arrived in
the presence of Castillo Armas Guatemala to help shape the new
and his ragtag Liberation army “constitution for the incoming regime)
on Guatemalan soil met and decided they would
overthrow Diaz themselves
–  In his brief radio speech after
Arbenz’s, he repeated his –  In his place they would put
promise to Arbenz Colonel Elfegio Monzon (a secret
leader of anti-Arbenz forces
–  He stated his regime would be within military)
inspired by the October 1944
Revolution and that Arbenz had
done what he though was his
duty and he would carry on
■  Shocker- the CIA was not pleased and
concluded he would have to go
Chapter 14
The Liberation
■  Monzon, Doherty, and Hobbing sped ■  Diaz then made his own plan to
to meet Colonel Diaz make a three man junta with him at
–  They argued with Diaz about the head and Monzon and Colonel
the policies Arbenz put and Jose Angel Sanchez to join him
how they were communistic– ■  This angered Peurifoy, Hobbing and
Diaz disagreed Doherty even more
–  Diaz was shocked about their ■  The last straw with Diaz was when
anger saying the U.S
he mention he was about to
ambassador had approved him proclaim a general amnesty and
–  Hobbing responded “there is release all political prisoners (this
diplomacy and then there is included the communist organizers
reality. Out ambassador rounded up the previous day)
represents diplomacy. I
represent reality. And the ■  Peurifoy sent a cable to Operation
reality is that we don’t want Success nerve center saying “We
you.” have been double-crossed. BOMB!”
Chapter 14
The Liberation
■  Diaz was clearly weakening in the ■  Diaz then “resigned” (by force and
face of the American onslaught fear of death) and was replaced by
–  Peurifoy, Diaz, and Sanchez Monzon
scheduled a meeting with ■  Monzon created another junta with
Castillo Armas (Diaz giving up Lieutenant Colonel Mauricio Dubois
his promise) but they could not and Lieutenant Colonel Jose Luis Cruz
find Monzon’s whereabouts to Salazar
ask for his opinion
–  Their first move was to meet with
–  However during this decision the Armas and negotiate a peace
overthrow of Diaz was in treaty and seek a cease fire
progress by military officials through Peurifoy
–  The plan was hatched by –  The meeting did not go well
Monzon and the accidental (Armas and Monzon were never
presence of Peurifoy saved close) and it seemed there
Sanchez and Diaz from being would be a fight between and
murdered American-created government
and an American-created rebel
group
–  Peurifoy intervened and soon
Chapter 14
The Liberation
■  The agreement was that –  Peurifoy guaranteed to Castillo
–  there would be a definitive and Armas that he would be
total halt to hostiles and that a president and on July 8 he
new constitution would be became Provisional President
written to replace the liberal –  On July 11 Castillo Armas gave
1945 document (considered by his first speech and declared the
all present to be at the root of day “Anti-Communism Day”
the nation’s problems) –  On July 13 the U.S government
–  All members of the Communist granted official recognition to
PGT and of the Arbenz the Armas Castillo Government
administration were to be
arrested and tried
–  A five man junta (Monzon, his
two chosen comrades, Dubois,
Salazar, Armas and an officer of
his choosing) would hold for
fifteen days while Provisional
president would be chosen
Chapter 14
The Liberation
■  What Armas did in office: –  Disenfranchised three quarters
–  On July 19 the “National of Guatemala’s voting
Committee of Defense Against population (banned illiterates
Communism” was created form the electoral rolls)
–  The Preventive Penal Law –  Officially cancelled the
Against Communism- controversial Decree 900
established the death penalty (Arbenz’s agrarian reform
for a series of “crimes” that legislation)
could be construed as –  August 10 he outlawed all
“sabotage” including many labor political parties, labor
union activities confederations, and peasant
–  The National Committee was organizations
given power to meet in secret –  Armas’s subordinates began
and declare anyone a burning “subversive” books such
communist with no right or as Les Miserables
defense or appeal
■  Those named would be sent to
Chapter 14
The Liberation
■  September 1, 1954 Carlos Castillo
Armas took over full fledged
presidency of Guatemala
■  Operation Success was ultimately
deemed a complete success by
Americans
–  The U.S cover story held
(stating that the overthrow of
Arbenz was by the
Guatemalans themselves)
Chapter 15
The Aftermath
■  Overall, the outcome of the overthrow
was not “happy”
■  While the short-run outcome of the
intervention in 1954 was viewed at
the time as a success for the U.S in
the Cold War, in a larger perspective it
is increasingly difficult to see it as
anything but of a little short of a
disaster
■  Peurifoy's reputation of being
connected to overthrows now
travelled with him to Thailand where
him and his son were killed in a car
crash
–  The State Department also
reassigned other important
embassy officers as to not leave
anyone around to tell the story
Chapter 15
The Aftermath
■  The United Fruit Company did not ■  In the late 1960s UFCO becaume
prosper caught up in a corporate merger craze
–  Despite heavy lobbying the where the president of UFCO, Eli
company failed to persuade the Black, merged with United Brands
Justice Department to withdraw
the antitrust suit that threatened ■  As the financial climate darkened Eli’s
its operations in Guatemala two billion dollar business crumbled
and he committed suicide on the
–  In 1958 the company accepted a morning of February 3, 1975
consent decree forcing it to curtail
its business in Guatemala by
surrendering some of its trade to
local companies and some of its
land to local businessmen
–  Due to another suit it lost
ownership of IRCA Railroad
Company
–  In 1972 it sold all of its remaining
Guatemalan holdings to the Del
Monte corporation
Chapter 15
The Aftermath
■  Jacobo Arbenz
–  Old friends who saw him around
commented on his physical
deterioration
–  He moved from country to
country in search of peace
–  His daughter (who did not follow
him after a while) committed
suicide at the age of 25
–  He told one friend “I have failed
as a politician, as a husband
and as a father.”
–  He said he had no alternative
except returning to Cuba to
“vegetate, to do nothing, to
ruminate”
–  On January 27, 1971 Arbenz
died at the age of 48 by
drowning in his bathtub
Chapter 15
The Aftermath
■  Castillo Armas ■  He became more and more of a
–  He benefited initially form a dictator
substantial infusion of foreign –  He put in place press censorship
aid from the U.S. (he did not –  He sought to manipulate the
have to pay back anything) electoral process for his own
–  These funds however did little ends
for the nations poor –  In late 1955 he decided to
–  He shocked and destabilized the postpone the next year’s
Guatemalan economy scheduled presidential election
■  His economic plan which and instead held congressional
consisted largely of returning elections that only permitted
the country’s economy to its only his own party (the National
traditional reliance on the Liberation Movement) to offer
coffee and banana crop, helped candidates
only a tiny aristocracy
–  However he retained unswerving
support of the American
government
Chapter 15
The Aftermath
■  Despite American aid the situation ■  Castillo held on for three years and on
within Guatemala deteriorated July 27, 1957 he was murdered by an
–  Many leading officials of the new army guard, Romeo Vasquez Sanchez
regime considered Armas’ (found dead by suicide)
victory as a license to steal –  The police portrayed the
money assassin as a lone communist
–  Many became involved with fanatic embittered by the
American gangsters in casino Liberator’s “patriotic” policies
gambling
■  An atmosphere of spreading disarray
gradually paralyzed Castillo Armas’s
government
–  Plots against the administration
began to crop up almost weekly
Chapter 15
The Aftermath
■  The fragile political institutions ■  As a result, movements toward a
created by the 1944 constitution did peaceful reform in the region were set
not have a chance to mature back
■  The evolutionary process of social –  Dictators were strengthened and
growth leading toward nationhood encouraged
was prematurely stunted –  Activists of today look to guerrilla
warfare rather than election as
■  The age old alliance of the rich and the only way to produce change
the military regained its hold on
Guatemala ■  Guatemala has gone on practicing its
–  ruling through a series of form of politics in which there are no
corrupt regimes, uninterested in victors, only victims
national development or
improving the loves of its poor
majority
■  The 1954 overthrow showed other
countries in Central America that the
U.S was more interested in
unquestioning allies than democratic
Bibliography

■  Schlesinger, Stephen C., and Stephen Kinzer. Bitter Fruit: The Untold Story of the
American Coup in Guatemala. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1982. Print.