MEMO RE GUATEMALA 1954 COUP (W/ATTACHMENT)

Created: 7/19/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

Office NLefizoranduwiunited states government

TO t Mr. uly lQ^

ATTH ;

noM t

SOBJBCT:

Attached ara suggestiona for Mr. Wlsner'e meeting with

Mr.

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM RELEASE AS SANITIZED

^

,* to Departaent statedForeign Office declined afford opportunity examine draft ofon Guateaala. It described British assurance that thenot contain interpretive comment. Also Foreign Officeby the time the White Paper is published the main interestwill have passed and the document vlll create only

Suggestion: That Mr. Watson be advised of our desire for continued good relations vith the British Service In Central America and that ve feel that if tha White Paper la offensive to the Guatemalan government, It could in the end raise tho question of Britiah Bonduraa; that one has but to read the press to realise that CIA la not unfavorably Inclined tovard the Castillo Armas junta. Mr. Watson may wish to include In his advice to the Department some interpretive comment.

British press support may be asked on the subjectbetween traditional right of asylum as practiced bycountries and that pertaining today in Guateaala whichpart, that of common crimes (such as murder, torture and theft)right of asylios does not In fact pretend to condone or protect.

3- Tne Guatemalan Ambassador to Sngland, Sr. Agullsx, desires toublic utterance but fears that in view of the British press position on Guateaala that be may give offense to the Foreign Office (not quite true). It Is suggested that Mr. Watson be asked to recommend to the Foreign Office that they facilitate Aguliar's press statement.

k. Some of the statements mode by people such as Mr. Croooman In thearliamentary Debates in the House of Commons should be shown to Mr. Watson with the suggestion that ve hope that this kind of thing does not receive publicity in the international press friendly to Great Britain.

5- It may be possible to make available to Mr.opy of Communism in Guatemala prepared by RQM/OIS In At the same time it could be stated that early reports on documents collected lead us to believe that an equally interesting sequel to this may be expected.

6. Suggest that It la hoped that the British press vlll not fall for the nev line to the effect that the ALFHEM shipment waa worthless military junk. In this connection, seef the Julyutifully passed along from Mexico by the Hew York Times." He are

skrei

-2-

rellably advised that tbe machine guns, nines, grenades and aaanmltlon vara In good condition and that while the howl tie re, anti-tank gune and rlflea were in poor condition, they were certainly usable and were not Junk. They were probably in aa good condition, or better, than the standard arms of tbe Guatemalan army.

7* In this connection, it la hoped that tbe British press does not take the line that the Guatemalan aray failed because of tola "poor" equipment. The truth, In fact, la that the Arbeot regime did not have the support of the amy or of the people, and Judging fron the perfonoance of the workers' militia, did not even enjoy their oonfldence.

8. It may be observed that the British Service, If not the Foreign Office,ine record for getting hold of the essential truth and important factor in any given situation. The truth and factor in thia situation, as will emerge more and more clearly month by month, la the international cconaunlst control ofcircumstances and atorlee are adsleadlng andlsservioe to the struggle against International cosnainlBs.

Original document.

---

---