CABLE TO DIRECTOR FROM LINCOLN RE GUATEMALA 1954 COUP

Created: 6/17/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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RYBAT PBSUCCESS

1. EVIDENCE AVAILABLE'CONVINCES US OF FOLLOWING:

A. INTERNAL CALLIGERIS ORG HAS BEEN DEMORALIZED, FRIGHTENED IKTO INACTIVITY OR BAOLY DISORGANIZED BY COUUIE POLICE EFFORTS AND ARRESTS,

CON tEQUENTLY OPPOSITION LEFT WITH CALLIGERISPLUS POSSIBILITY

ASSETS NOW IS POSITION WHERE WILLREGARDLESS WHAT RE OQr ONLY ACTION AVAILABLE TO US ISSUPPORT OR ATTEMPT DELAY MOVE WITHOUT CEHTAINTYVERY BRIEF PERIOD, POSSIBLY DAY OR TWO AT MOST*

OF SUCH BRIEF PERIOD WOULD GAIN NOTHING ASFOR REORGANIZATION AND WOULD JUST GIVE ADDITIONAL TIMEBRUTALIZE OPPOSITION AND PICK UP FEW REMAINING ASSETS SUCHLEADERS, ORGANIZERS, RQS AND TEAMS FROM KMPAJAMA*

MOVE WILL EITHER OCCUR MOMENTARILY OR INHt BILL BE ARRESTEO OP OTHERWISE ELIMINATED,

UN 5U ) PAGE 2

F. SHOCK TROOPS SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO CREATE CONSIDERABLE IMPACT PARTICULARLY WHEN SUPPORTED BY AIR DR0PSo FIGHTERS OVER CAPITAL ALSO WILL HAVE SJBSTANTIAL EFFECT0 TROS WITH SHOCK TROOPS NOW BEEN RECEIVEO WILL PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AS TO PROGRESS*,

DECIDED THEREFORE THAT SHOULD MOVE AS PLANNED NIGHT

OfUNE ON THEORY THAT RESULTINGL FORCE'

AND ARLfY HAND IF HAS NOT ALREADY ACTEDC ALSO CALLIGERIS UNITS MAY OVERCOME ONE OR TWO GARRISONS ON INITIAL IMPACT WHICH REPORTED (WITHOUT CONFIRMATION) AS WEAK FROM MORALE POINT OF VIEW* THIS COULO PROVIDE BEACHHEAD FOR RALLYING OPPOSITION.

ABO'.'E FAILS WE ARE STILL BETTER OFF THAN PULLING OUTCALLIGERIS MOVE ON HISR ASSUMING MOST UNLIKELY THATPL'LLS OUT, IN ANY CASE UNO TERM EFFORT WILL BECOMEIN NOL PRESENT ASSETS BE ANY VALUE OVER LONG HAUL.

IT IS THUS CALCULATED RISK BUT CONSCIOUSLY UNDERTAKEN AS PROVIDING ONLY PRESENT HOPE OF SUCCESS WHILE IF UNSUCCESSFUL LOSING NOTHING OF FUTURE VALUE*

li0 MOREOVER THE MOVE WILL PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF ACTIVE OPPOSITION REGIME AND ITS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN dTS POSITION MERELY THROUGH UNOPPOSED POLICE METHODS-.

ENO OF MESSAGE

Original document.

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