Operation PBSUCCESS Guatemalan Revolution

john foster dulles , president dwight eisenhower

in november 1952, dwight eisenhower elected president of us. eisenhower s campaign had included pledge more active anti-communist policy. several figures in administration, including secretary of state john foster dulles , brother , cia director allen dulles had close ties united fruit company. both of these factors made eisenhower predisposed supporting overthrow of Árbenz.

the cia operation overthrow jacobo Árbenz, code-named operation pbsuccess, authorized eisenhower in august 1953. operation granted budget of 2.7 million dollars psychological warfare , political action. total budget has been estimated @ between 5 , 7 million dollars, , planning employed on 100 cia agents. cia planning included drawing lists of people within Árbenz government assassinated if coup carried out. manuals of assassination techniques compiled, , lists made of people whom junta dispose of. after considering several candidates lead coup, including miguel ydígoras fuentes, cia settled on carlos castillo armas. state department embarked on campaign ensure other countries not sympathize guatemalan government, linking communism , soviet union. 1954 Árbenz had become desperate weapons, , decided acquire them secretly czechoslovakia, have been first time soviet bloc country shipped weapons americas. shipment of these weapons acted final spur cia launch coup.