GENERAL- KUGOWN - SPECIFIC- SHERWOOD POLICY DIRECTIVE

Created: 5/9/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

VIA AIR

(Specify Air or Sea Pouch)

DISPATCH NO.

HUL-A-

DATE

SUBJECT JGEKERAL

PECIPIC Sherwood Policy Directive

Ref: O

In further pursuit of our efforts to avoid any premature and uncoordinated actionesult of provocation by the Guatemalan government and coasmnist party as outlined in reference cable, we have also issued to Paul D.omewhat more specific policy directive which is to guide, him and his production team in the situation created by tbe latest incidents.

WDP/EFL/h Distribution:

- LINC

- WASH

WILLIAM D. PLAYDOK

PBSUCCljBS / LASSIFICATION

8b

Several incident* show clearly that tlie Government of Guatemala, proving increasingly nervous by the appearanceowerful clandestine radio station and otlier signs of increasing unrest throughout the country, is trying desperately to provoke opposition circlesremature uprising, prefersbly Into isolated, local incidents whioh it could supproas by armed force, using thisretext to mate mass arrests among all known oppositionists snd to restore thereby its endangered authority.

The most striking example of these povernmentsl provocation attempts is tho front-page story in Diario de Centro Americaeprinted in otherrying to tie the local incident which occurred onhat is, before the clandestine radio ever want on theogether with the opposition headed by Col. CASTILLO Armas snd with the clandestine radio as well, even claiming that "a" clandestine station had been captured.

Another such attempt may be seen in news stories, according to which the clandestine sadio called for sn armed uprisingwhich is, as youross distortion of the facts.

Confronted with this obvious provocationou have to fulfil three main tasks:

Help to frustrate the provocation attempt, warn the people sgeins any foolhardy, premature, purely local or individual action, aek for disciplineombined effort.

Expose each example of provocation, such as the two casesabove,ign ofal weakness snd hysteria;

note, incidentally, that such provocations have been for manytandard device of the Soviet Secret Police in its ruthless efforts to 1up- any opposition into the open.

3) At the same time, hovever, be careful not to discourare the daily growing papular readiness for active oppositionbutoncerted effort to channel this vitally important readiness into tho right direction and at the right time. For instance, express sympathy with the rebellious campesinos of Chlquimula, interpret their action as understandable protest against the communist bureaucracy of tho Department of Agriculture, and so forth.

For the time being andefinite change of policy has been made, confine all broadcasts strictly to attacks upon the Arbenz^ommunist regime and to calls for passive resistance, boycott, eto. Kaphas ice that this restraint la by noign of weakness and hesitation, but on theign of strength and discipline of the oppositional cause and evidence of ournot to cause needless bloodshed which the panicky Guat government obviously wants to provoke.

Original document.

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