Liberation > Declassified & Discovered Documents

 Stage 5

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Stage 5-1

248. Telegram From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to the CIA Station in Guatemala

Telegram with Allen Dulles's directions for talking points for a press conference by Castillo Armas. Includes reassuring people he's not Ubico by distancing himself from United Fruit.

 

Stage 5-2

181. Dispatch From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to All PBSUCCESS Stations

Detailed (and shocking) dispatch from HQ, ordering to begin final phase, ramping up psychological efforts and lies, thereby "Weakening the enemy’s potential by showing them the hopelessness of their stand, their increasing isolation, the true motives behind the government’s actions and inviting them to change sides—or [Page 326]at least to leave the government’s side—while there is still time..." Most audacious lies: "Food rationing is about to be introduced and the money which people can no longer spend on food stuffs..." "All boys and girls 16 years old will be called for one year of labor duty in special camps, mainly for political indoctrination and to break the influence of family and church on the young people." "An educational reform is being prepared. There will be no longer any religious instruction at state expense, but on the contrary lessons in atheism, Soviet style. Add rumors of your own, following the day-by-day changes in the situation."

 

Stage 5-3

61. Memorandum for the Record

Detailed memo about PBSUCCESS status, personnel (including CIA operations officers), and strategy for Guatemala which will include official US pressure, economic warfare, paramilitary action and psychological warfare. "Intelligence and rumor nets are now being expanded within Guatemala and in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. An intensive study of opposition personalities has been initiated to determine their potential value to the RUFUS organization. In addition, key pro-government figures are being investigated with a view toward possible subversion."

 

Stage 5-4

224. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to CIA Stations in [3 places not declassified]

Wisner cleared telegram with fake news designed to fight Toriello's supposed fake news. They even cite their own radio station, Radio Liberacion as a source.

 

Stage 5-5

180. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida

CIA telegram relaying that US ambassador to Nicaragua has closed the deal for three planes, for delivery by ODUNIT in Miami and KMFLUSH to fly from there with "American pilots under contract."

 

Stage 5-6

224. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to CIA Stations in [3 places not declassified]

Wisner cleared telegram with fake news designed to fight Toriello's supposed fake news. They even cite their own radio station, Radio Liberacion as a source.

 

Stage 5-7

Memorandum Concerning Lack of Military Defections

CIA agent going by codename Graham L. Page, who was assigned to the “K Program” attempting to get Arbenz military to defect, in this memorandum discusses how the military does not like Castillo Armas (codename Calligeris), so the move may be to get them to fear US intervention if they don’t back down and let Calligeris win.

 

Stage 5-7z

List of Guatemalan Garrison Commanders To Target

The K Program aimed to get key leaders to defect. Though this program unsuccessful at arousing defections, the overall campaign was successful at getting key leaders to not fight at all. In this document, we see the name of Bernardo Ordonez, garrison commander in Zacapa, who was tricked by Radio Liberacion into thinking that the roads had been littered with land mines.

 

Stage 5-8

Memorandum by the Director of Central Intelligence ( Dulles ) to the President

Breakdown of current status of PBSUCCESS from CIA director Allen Dulles to President Eisenhower. Touches on status of military defections, Castillo Armas movement, and "The use of a small number of airplanes and the massive use of radio broadcasting are designed to build up and give main support to the impression of Castillo Armas' strength as well as to spread the impression of the regime's weakness."

 

Stage 5-9z

Memorandum for: Deputy Director (Plans)

The CIA’s plans to bribe the head of Guatemalan armed forces, Colonel Carlos Enrique Diaz, to defect, for $200,000. (Diaz did not end up taking any bribe.)

 

Stage 5-10

222. Telegram From the CIA Station in Guatemala to Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida

Telegram from Guatemala station to PBSUCCESS HQ detailing "pathetic" attempts at sabotage. "Public impression is that attacks show incredible weakness, lack of decision, and fainthearted effort. Calligeris efforts widely described as farce."

 

Stage 5-11

U. S. ENVOY PLAYED KEY ROLE IN TRUCE

NYTimes article about Peurifoy brokering the “truce.”

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