COMMENT ON "LESSONS OF GUATEMALA" BY DANIEL JAMES (W/ATTACHMENT)

Created: 8/19/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET

IMSTRBCT10WS: OMieorthouU b* uied in th* "TO" column. Under eachine ahoulddrawn acrou iheet and each comment numbered toith the numMr in the, "TO" column. Each officer ihould initial (cheek mar* .mufficMr.0RoulinE and Record Shout shouldrelumed Io Registry.

Metzl

688

4

C/STC

C/FI

dd/p

10

CONF^DfrrflAL

4

MEMORANDUM FOR: DD/P

SUBJECT:

Comment on "Lessons of Guatemala' by Daniel James

1. Stripped of dramatizations, cliches and polemical tirades, the article by James is less cogent and convincing thar; it appears at first reading.

Z. It it quite true that Communism in Latin America thrives on poverty, economic maladjustment. anti-Americanism and desire for national independence. It ia also true that Communist tactics in Latin America are particularly geared to the exploitation of these factors.h Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet UnionZ) ushered in the era of an intensified united front lactic for the entire international Communist movement. This tactic, which aims / t the complete isolation of the United States, calls initially for Com-g rj muniat "penetration" of power groups and strata (even if bourgeois) ** *

opposed to the United States. The revised draft program of CPestifies to the intensification and readjustment of the united front tactic in Latin America.

3. To call this intensifications James does, is more orlay on words. As earlyhen the Comintern and Prestesevolution in Brazil, it was carried out on behalf of "national liberation." The tactics to beDbaed in "colonial and semi-colonial areas" have their roots in Leninist-Stalinist doctrine. o not think that "Maoism has givenew face in Latin America." The success and doctrine of Mao, however, arc being closely studied by the Communist Parties in Latin America We have seen evidence that his writings are used as textbooks in Party schools. The Asian Peace Conference included representatives from Latin America. Yet. the intensified WFTU training program for Latin American labor-Communists is being carried out in Hungary and not

in China. The other international fronts, the main transmission belts of international Communism, arc also being run by the Soviets.

It would bc more exact to aay that Communism in Latin America, always following tactics applying to "colonial and semi-colonials naturally absorbing and utilizing some of the experience of the Chinese CP. The implied exploitation of nationalism definitely strengthens the tactics of the CP movement in Latin America;ignificant rise of CP strength in Brazil has already been evidenced.

I believe that James has something when he worries about the capabilities of Communism in Latin America to subvert and pervert national aspirations. This is exactly what happened in Guatemala. However, in ten years the Communists succeeded only in subverting the governmental power group and did not establish an adequate and effective mass base to take up arms in its defense; hence the collapse. This,

to me, is the lesson of Guatemala, and one that is somewhat True, the pro-Guatemalan demonstrations in Latin America during and immediately after the crisisurprising and embarrassing influence of the Communists on public opinion. Yet, as the subsequent slackening of these efforts indicates, there also appears to beass basis to sustain the drive. In otherelieve thatLatin America, even in the areas of greatest Communist Strength, the movement has not yet solidified its bases, and thai doomsday is not yet around the corner as James implies.

I am inclined to question James1 theory that "in death the Guatemalan party may prove toigger asset to the Kremlin than in life." hink that failure (andP point of view Guatemalaailure) does not lend itself easily to incendiary purposes. hink that the Arbcnz regime discredited itself considerably during the crisis by resorting to terror methods the Bjrppagandistic utilization of which should have an effect on LA public opinion. hink that human memories arc short, and that the issue of "North American intcrventionism" will fade if the new regime can stay in power and muster popular support.

m less pessimistic thangree that the Communistn Latin Americahreat (Chile, Ilrazil. Bolivia, Uruguay) and. positive aid to alleviate*?

economic and social ills, is one means of combatting Communism in Latin America since it would further deny the Communists the mass base which they are attempting to establish and broaden. f, and respect for, national aspirations ia certainly another.annot agree with James that Communismolitical andecurity problem. If. were tolimate of toBl political and economic democracy in Latin America, the Communists would certainly benefit from it and slide easily into power positions: this is the dilemmaec it. We have seen the dilemma in action in this country in the Thirties and in Europe right after World War II.

8. Communismecurity problem as wellolitical one The problem, to me, is to combine "positive aid" with the strengthening of anti-Communist public opinion and of indigenous security services throughout LA: taking the wind out of the Communist's sails and at the same time making sure that their boat gets sunk completely.

Original document.

---

---