Setup-1:

Memorandum for the Record

In a Weekly PBSuccess Meeting between Deputy Director of Plans Frank Wisner (DD/P), top Government officials discuss the next steps in the light of the deteriorating situation. They discuss:

• Current ("going downhill") status of PB Success,

• Plan to implement radio station,

• an informant named Mr. X from a hostile embassy,

• "the best way to bring about the fall of the Arbenz government would be to eliminate 15-20 of its leaders with Trujillo's trained pistoleros,"

• "PBSUCCESS is a complex, top secret program which includes ghost voicing, deception, mines, bazookas, and fire power," 

• “It is difficult to explain without the wall map and charts”

• "Everything we do may be plausibly denied if uncovered".

Setup-2

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

Telegram from Allen Dulles and his deputies congratulating CIA team for the great victory of overthrowing the government. "This victory is the more notable by virtue of the extreme difficulties of the operation and the odds which were recognized to be against our chances of success from the outset. The energy and devotion of the personnel at LINC and the field Stations has been truly exceptional and has served as an inspiration and a challenge to all of us at hqs."

Setup-3

Draft Memorandum for the Record

Detailed memo outlining program for Operation PBSuccess. CIA outlines their objectives, their statement of the problem, and the six-stage playbook of the operation.

Setup-4

May Day Parade (photo negatives)

Guatemala City: May 1, 1954

Setup-5

Central Intelligence Agency Information Report

Detailed report on the "Personal Political Orientation of President Arbenz," and all the reasons that he is not a communist. Summary: "Although President Arbenz appears to collaborate with the Communists and extremists to the detriment of Guatemala’s relations with the US, I am quite certain that he personally does not agree with the economic and political ideas of the Guatemalan or Soviet Communists, and I am equally certain that he is not now in a position where they can force him to make decisions in their favor."

Setup-13

13. Memorandum for the Record

Allen Dulles proposes putting together a syndicate to raise money for the ouster of Jacobo Arbenz.

Setup-14

The Officer in Charge of Central America and Panama Affairs (Leddy) to the Ambassador in Guatemala (Peurifoy)

Message between U.S. ambassadors. “There is 100 percent determination here, from the top down, to get rid of this stinker and not to stop until that is done.”

Setup-6

Memorandum for the record

A contemplated course of action for the Guatemala problem—which "now represents a serious threat to hemispheric solidarity and to our security in the Caribbean area."

"Essentially a primitive, rural country... Guatemala is currently engaged in an intensely nationalistic program of progress colored by the touchy, anti-foreign inferiority complex of the “Banana Republic”. Includes the budget!

Setup-7

CIA National Intelligence Estimate, March 1952

Present Political Situation in Guatemala and Possible Developments During 1952

Setup-10

CIA Response to Freedom of Information Request for Radio Liberation / Operation Sherwood audio Recordings

In response to our FOIA request, the CIA said they could not locate the documents/files.

Setup-11

FRUS AND CIA DOCUMENTS SHOWING U.S. INFORMATION AGENCY’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE ARBENZ OVERTHROW OPERATION

From pre- and post-overthrow.

Stage 1-1:

Harry Truman in Washington Post Op-Ed: Limit CIA Role to Intelligence

Article in the Washington Post written by Harry Truman about his CIA regrets. "But there are now some searching questions that need to be answered..."

Stage 1-2

Memorandum for the Record

In a weekly PBSUCCESS meeting, top Government officials discuss the next steps in the light of the deteriorating situation.

“Don’t worry”. Mr. [name not declassified] to [name not declassified]—“Your job is to carry out instructions. You are to get the job done”.

[name not declassified] to Mr. Berry—“Everything we do may be plausibly denied if uncovered”

Stage 1-3a

Memorandum for the Record

The Psychological Strategy Board authorized the Director of the CIA to proceed on a basis of high priority with the implementation of PBSuccess, calling on the Departments of State and Defense for necessary support.

"This is to be an unusually closely-held operation within State and the other departments concerned. (For your personal information, General Smith has directed us to have no direct dealings with the State Department area division; but rather to deal either directly with him or with two specific individuals whom he has named.)” "Our secret stimulation and material support of the overthrow of the Arbenz Government would subject us to serious hazards. Experience has shown that no such operation could be carried on secretly without great risk of its leadership and backers being fully known. Were it to become evident that the United States has tried a Czechoslovakia in reverse in Guatemala, the effects on our relations in this hemisphere, and probably in the world at large, could be as disastrous as those produced by open intervention."

Stage 1-3b

Memorandum for the Record

Conference Between the DCI and Secretary of State. The objectives are two: 1. To divert attention from covert activities; 2. To use as a sounding board for propaganda. The danger of producing confusion is realized, "The Secretary’s conclusion, after two weeks of observation at the Caracas Conference, is that he sees no reason to change the tempo of PBSUCCESS, but “don’t get caught”.

Stage 1-4

Paper Prepared by the Operations Coordinating Board

This paper concerns itself primarily with the criteria to use in determining whether USIA or the Department of State or the OCB designee will undertake a particular propaganda activity. "In areas where activity is conducted without any attribution and it may result in embarrassment to an agency of the U.S. Government, liaison officers will carefully weigh all aspects of the proposed activity before deciding whether such an operation should be undertaken."

Stage 1-5a

The Development of American Psychological Operations

This report covers major developments in propaganda and psychological warfare.

Stage 1-5b

248. Memorandum From the Deputy Director (Wright) to Director of Central Intelligence Hillenkoetter

This memo clarifies the position of the Security Council was that "any propaganda measures in time of peace were a primary function of the State Department and that in any case should not be handled by the Security Council as such since it is in effect an advisory group to the President."

Stage 1-5c

Memorandum for Chief, WHD - Selection of Site for Sherwood Program

Detailed proposal for potential sites for Sherwood radio station, detailed description of program objectives, detailed instructions and assessments

Stage 1-6a

KUGOWN Materials to be Transmitted to Eliot P. Razmara

Materials and instructions given to CIA operative RAZMARA for exploitation. “In consonance with the instructions given to RAZMARA about exploitation of the independent press, it is suggested that the station also assist in this campaign. It is believed that the independent press, under the pretext of being angry at anti-Government and anti_Communist articles, could reprint a considerable amount of such material and thereby gain added circulation for anti-Communist themes.”

Stage 1-6b

ESSENCE Activities

Copies of nine memoranda from field operative RAZMARA. “As previously reported, we have WHITE sub-agents circulating through the departmentos organizing, giving “pep talks” and unifying the local filiales."

Stage 1-6c

KUGOWN Operational Report

Detailed reports from field operatives and CIA assets regarding propaganda, 32 campaign, and graffiti teams. “The publicity in the newspapers concerning the Radio Internacional incident is in great part due to CARTER, who saw to it that the newspapers were informed of the event…”

Stage 1-7

61. Memorandum for the Record

Detailed progress report on PBSuccess, where they list personnel (names not declassified), economic warfare, psychological warfare, paramilitary action, and foreign cooperation.

Stage 1-8

62. Stage One Report Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Detailed CIA assessment of Castillo Armas, aka RUFUS. "Subject seems prepared to cooperate with PBSUCCESS officials. He indicated readiness to take fullest advantage of future CIA aid and assistance." "Subject lacks experience to organize, direct, and coordinate an operation of the magnitude now planned."

Stage 1-9

Operational KUFIRE Tasks

Weekly report from CIA handlers in Guatemala on field operations involving informants and assets.

Stage 1-10

148. Memorandum for the Record, Subject: Calligeris

A detailed personality assessment and background on Castillo Armas by one of his CIA handlers. "His subsequent “heroic” escape from prison was arranged entirely..." "This brings to light a Calligeris personality trait which is now clearly recognizable. He is a firmly stubborn man who in the face of indisputable evidence is prone to maintain his own point of view."

Stage 1-11

95. Memorandum From the Assistant Director for Communications, Central Intelligence Agency (name not declassified) to the Chief of the Western Hemisphere Division, Central Intelligence Agency (King)

“KUBARK should establish and operate such a radio station rather than support a station to be handled by Calligeris.”

Stage 1-12

Sherwood memo, March 8

Atlee Phillips weighs the pros and cons of distributing radios to "Indios and Ladrinos.”

Stage 1-13

The David Atlee Phillips Papers

Recollections, writings, and keepsakes found in the late CIA propaganda agent’s personal effects.

Stage 1-14

“Devil May Care Gringo”

David Atlee Phillips describes his acting career.

Additional Stage 1 Docs

Organizational Charts

Stage 2-1

Report on Guatemala 1952, by John Clements & Associates (Digital copy of Entire Document)

The United Fruit Company paid Clements and his public relations firm the equivalent of about $350,000 in 2020 dollars to write a 235-page booklet called Report on Guatemala 1952, which was subsequently placed in official U.S. State Department binders and distributed to U.S. policymakers. Much of the key information in the report was fabricated.

Stage 2-2

Memorandum of conversation with Mr. John Montgomery and Mr. Thomas Corcoran of The United Fruit Co

To further push the narrative that communism was afoot in Guatemala, Zemurray also hired former Truman Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America Spruille Braden and the notorious Thomas “Tommy the Cork” Corcoran as lobbyists.

Stage 2-3a

Speech by Dulles at the Caracas Convention Attacking Communism

NYTimes printed a copy of John Foster Dulles's speech given at the Tenth Inter-American Conference in Caracas, although it's full of disinformation about communism in Guatemala.

Stage 2-3b

News Articles Where propaganda messaging was laundered through U.S. politicians’ speeches & statements

NYTimes Articles:

• GUATEMALA REDS INCREASE POWERS; They Are Still in Minority in Congress, but Membership and Influence Grow

• U. S. TO RE-EXAMINE GUATEMALAN ROLE; Arrival of New Envoy Portends Policy Changes Toward Red-Supported Regime

• PRAVDA COMMENDS GUATEMALA REGIME; Calls Red-Backed Government a Bulwark in Fight Against American Imperialism

• GUATEMALA SAYS NEIGHBORS AND U. S. PLOT AN INVASION; Implicates Nicaragua and 3 Other Latin Countries -- Washington Scouts Charge GUATEMALA SEES AN INVASION PLOT

• Arbenz Attacks Foreign Critics

• Guatemala Steps Up Drive On Opposition, Says Govt will start beheading ppl

• GUATEMALAN REDS EXPLOIT REFORMS; Utilize Agrarian Law in Effort to Build Up Peasant Force to Serve Communist Ends DOUBLE THREAT IS POSED

• U. S. ENVOY PLAYED KEY ROLE IN TRUCE; Peurifoy

LIFE magazine feature “The Red Outpost In Central America”

Speech Transcript: Secretary of State John F. Dulles, Radio Address, 1954

Stage 2-4

63. Memorandum From [name not declassified] of the Central Intelligence Agency to [name not declassified] of the Central Intelligence Agency

Progress report for PBSUCCESS, and directives and instructions for moving forward. "Mr. Frank Wisner has ordered [name not declassified] to use all WHD covert media to disseminate the Cabot speech and an Arthur Krock column which urges the US government to invoke the Monroe Doctrine in fighting Communism in the Western Hemisphere."

Stage 2-8

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State, confidential

Memo of a call between John Foster Dulles and Guillermo Toriello, where Toriello tries his best at fixing the rift between the two countries with diplomacy. "In short he wanted to know what was wrong and what he could do to put it right."

Stage 2-9

Intervention of Communism in Guatemala

The State Department further laundered the Clements report as the primary material for an official government report called Intervention of Communism in Guatemala, which it published as a physical book.

Stage 2-10a

Report on Communism in Central America

John Clement's report makes its way to CIA. "This is unevaluated information."

Stage 2-10b

Recommended Plan of Operations

The National Security Council's recommendations based on John Clement's report.

Stage 2-11

141. Paper Prepared in Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida

Detailed proposal to ramp up "seeds of doubt campaign" with step by step instructions. “During the next few weeks, beginning not later than the second week of May, we ought to aim with increasing intensity and urgency at provoking first distrust and finally, open disaffection against the present regime among the armed forces of the Target Country. We ought to use all available outlets for this purpose, in particular (a) Radio, (b) La Voz, (c) rumors which ought to be initiated through radio and press, but also passed on by direct word of mouth.”

Stage 2-12a

WSBURNT White Paper

Copy of documents that were leaked to Panama's President by the Guatemalan Ambassador and given to Arbenz and the press.

Stage 2-12b

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

Detailed list of compromised information from White Paper, and what may or may not have been compromised.

Stage 2-13a

108. Memorandurn (sic) for the Record

Memo of J.C. King's in person meeting with Seekford in the US, where they discuss his blunder and the possible next steps. "I asked him how it was possible, with all of the security indoctrination which he had had, plus the great emphasis on secrecy based on all phases of PBSUCCESS, to have done such an unpardonable thing as to leave sensitive papers in a hotel room. He replied that he had no explanation, that it was a stupid, unpardonable thing to do, but that it was an act of thoughtlessness and carelessness."

Stage 2-13b

103. Memorandum From the Chief of the Western Hemisphere Division, Central Intelligence Agency (King) to the Deputy Director for Plans of the Central Intelligence Agency (Wisner

J.C. King briefs Frank Wisner on White Paper Leak. "Mr. [name not declassified] has been recalled to headquarters from his home in [place not declassified]. He will be given a very thorough and detailed interrogation. "

Stage 2-14a

Conference with Seekford

Seekford's activities and recommendations with Calligeris, including his recommendation for weapons and military assistance.

Stage 2-14b

Memo, Conversation between (name not declassified) and Seekford

Seekford report on RUFUS, and his detailed recommendations.

Stage 2-15

Key Figure in Washington Raid Is Reported Fugitive in Europe

News report documenting the search for E. Howard Hunt after his role in the Watergate break-in, years after he took part in operation PBSuccess.

Stage 2-16a

Article 3 — No Title

Reports on students thinking that the government faked White Paper documents.

Stage 2-16b

GUATEMALA SAYS NEIGHBORS AND U.S. PLOT AN INVASION

Guatemala accuses US and neighbors of "a heavily financed plot to invade Guatemala by land, sea and air was in preparation with the support of Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza". Somoza denies charges.

Stage 2-17

CABLE RE: GUATEMALAN WHITE PAPER CHARGES

Orders the placement of articles and cartoons with the theme that Guatemala is a "stooge" for the USSR.

Stage 2-18

89. Telegram From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to the CIA Stations in Guatemala and [place not declassified]

Guidance following White Paper Leak. Suggests ridicule, de-amplify, diversionary actions, and to take a positive stance. "If possible, fabricate big human interest story, like flying saucers, birth sextuplets in remote area to take play away."

Stage 2-19

113. Memorandum for the Record

In a weekly PBSUCCESS meeting, top Government officials discuss the next steps in the light of the deteriorating situation. "We might reconsider exploiting the conclusion arrived at by Trujillo last year and transmitted to Perez Jimenez that the best way to bring about the fall of the Arbenz government would be to eliminate 15-20 of its leaders with Trujillo’s trained pistoleros."

Stage 2-20a

Pacto Ydigoras Fuentes Castillo Armas Suscrito

Documents about the Castillo Armas plot are published in press

Stage 2-20b

guatemalan papers print Leaked documents from castillo armas plot

The press reports on proof of a conspiracy against Arbenz, based on documents Delgado provided to the Arbenz administration, who provided them to the press.

Stage 2-21

61. Memorandum for the Record

Memo with PBSUCCESS personnel and gameplan for executing the mission which included military assistance to Guatemala's neighbors, economic pressure and psychological warfare.

Stage 2-22

Operation Diablo (Soldier of Fortune Magazine, 1976)

A contract mercenary recalls his time working with John A. Clements Associates, United Fruit’s secret PR firm, which was paid to create dubious reports for the CIA to launder into official U.S. government reports during Operation PBSuccess.

Stage 3-1a

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

Telegram from PBSUCCESS headquarters detailing propaganda campaign's progress, and next steps. "First: Immediate implementation SHERWOOD on Santa Fe, to be in operation 1 April at latest. Santa Fe is only solution, since negotiations with [name not declassified] now appear postponed"

Stage 3-1b

Communications Channels

Chart of Communications Channels for PBSuccess

Stage 3-2

116. Memorandum for the Record

Secretary of State and others discuss PBSSUCCESS progress, decide to continue with the operation just "don't get caught." They also discuss possible Toriello defection.

Stage 3-3a

Localizan Radio Clandestina en la Frontera con Honduras

Front page news story claiming radio station had been found on the border near Honduras. Prensa Libre 5/4/1954.

Stage 3-3b

Radioemision se Escucho Anoche

News clipping stating that clandestine radio was heard during the night. Prensa Libre, Date Unknown.

Stage 3-3c

Sigue la Radioemisora Clandestina

Article written by right-leaning Clemente Marroquin Rojas about the Clandestine Radio Station.

Stage 3-5a

Operacion Tuvo Con Candela Anoche Por El Apagon

El Imparcial article about blackout to locate radio station.

Stage 3-5b

Radiotecnico No Cree en la Clandestinidad de Difusora

A radio technician thinks radio station is a government hoax.

Stage 3-6

113. Memorandum for the Record

In a weekly PBSUCCESS meeting, top Government officials discuss the next steps in the light of the deteriorating situation. "A principal, if not the principal, psychological asset is a clandestine radio..."

Stage 3-7c

Guatemalans get appeal to revolt

New York Times report on the launch of the clandestine radio station.

Stage 3-8

Report to the National Security Council

Extensive report for the NSC on the activities of the USIA all over the world. "During the month of June, more than 200 articles and radio scripts were transmitted for press and radio placement abroad. These were developed partly from public sources and partly from declassified intelligence supplied by the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency. Content ranged from developments in Guatemala, Washington, the UN and elsewhere, to original verified exposés of Communist penetration and documented articles counteracting specific charges against the U.S."

Stage 4-1

Radio Clandestina Destruida

Front page headline announcing that the clandestine radio station has been destroyed.

Stage 4-2

Fue Capturada la Clandestina

Headline reads that Clandestine Radio is captured and partly destroyed.

Stage 4-3

Existence of Anti-Communist Radio Station Near Honduras Border Announced

NYTimes article acknowledging the existence of a clandestine radio station

Stage 4-4a

Secret Message from PBSuccess HQ to Allen Dulles

Cable from CIA operative in charge of ammo to be planted, to CIA director Allen Dulles

Stage 4-4b

144. Telegram From the CIA Station in [place not declassified] to Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida

In this cable, Operation WASHTUB is dubbed a success. "All were completely sold including PBPRIME Ambassador, First Secretary and military attaché. Latter identified country of origin of weapons, as he has spent some time in Far East. French Minister who has served in Greece pointed out how cache completely fits pattern used in Greece."

Stage 4-5

155. Airgram From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to the Chief of the CIA Station in Guatemala

Airgram from John Doherty to Guatemalan team to push the story with Guatemalan press, pushing the "evidence" of the cigarettes found, and demanding a full investigation by approaching members of the opposition in Congress. "If you should find it impossible to utilize a member of congress for the above purpose, we suggest that you try using any of your available press contacts. It might perhaps be possible to arrange for an interview of any suitable traveler who happened to have been in Managua on the day of President’s Somoza’s press conference on the subject and to tie the questions relative to the Guatemalan cigarettes to that interview."

Stage 4-6a

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

Suggested plan from PBSUCCESS HQ on how they will get a fake photo of a submarine and leak it. "Suggest HQs arrange with RQM search graphics register for photo Soviet sub (or what could pass for Soviet sub) lying close inshore: photo should be poor lacking detail and credibly taken by amateur with box camera from KMFLUSH Pacific coast." "Pivall would give photo to [name not declassified] ... [name not declassified] “discover” submarine photo and public press..."

Stage 4-6b

145. Telegram From the CIA Station in [place not declassified] to Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida

CIA cable that says that , "WASHTUB on breaking was accepted completely by press, public, and diplomatic corps."

Stage 4-8

221. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the CIA Station in Guatemala

Wisner complaining to Peurifoy about the negative and "false" reporting from press and counteracting Toriello's press attention

Stage 4-9

Stage 4-9

Bissell's assessment for next steps during this stage of the coup, where the military could very well turn on Arbenz.

Stage 4-10

CABLE FROM LINCOLN TO SHERWOOD: SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO LANGEVIN RE BORADCASTS

Instruction to Atlee Phillips to "Direct immediate broadcast to army stating communists have armed hundreds of Indians. Given them liquor until they were drunk and are now enticing them to commit atrocities against innocent people."

Stage 4-11

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

CIA plan for distribution of propaganda in Church circles.

Stage 4-12a

Catholic Church Activities

CIA's next steps for exploitation of Church after pastoral letter has been released and been highly effective.

Stage 4-12b

32. Report Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Plans to distribute propaganda via Guatemalan churches for purposes of riling the public up along religious lines.

Stage 4-14

Carta Pastoral

Photographs of the archive copy of the Archbishop’s letter denouncing communism, found at Marroquin Rojas University in Guatemala City.

Stage 4-15

136. Memorandum From the Senior Representative, Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida (Dunbar) to the CIA Station in Guatemala

John Doherty expresses gratitude for pastoral letter and outlines suggestions for next steps with the Catholic Church and their corresponding CIA operatives. "...in order to awaken popular revulsion against communism, it appears necessary to tie these experiences in other countries closely to the personal lives and interests of your local audience. This could be done, for instance, by describing graphically how the local church would be turned into a meeting hall for the “Fighting Godless”, how the reader’s children would have to spend their time with the “Red Pioneers”, how the pictures of Lenin, Stalin and Malenkov would replace the pictures of the Saints in every home, and the like."

Stage 4-16

131. Memorandum for the Record

Progress report from Ambassador Peurifoy stating that the government should definitely be overthrown, the campesinos definitely have arms, recommended blowing up some bridges, and dropping leaflets referencing the letter

Stage 4-17

171. Dispatch From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to PBSUCCESS Headquarters, Central Intelligence Agency

Tracy Barnes addresses the "immediate need for "tactical" counter-action, as suggested in reference, we continue to be faced with the basic or "strategic" problem of countering the communist claim that U.S. anti-communism is merely a disguise for the "imperialist" interests of U.S. "capitalistic monopolies." Makes his suggestions, including collecting pertinent material, especially with articles, radio scripts, background material, statistics, pictures that have to do with Soviet atrocities that they'll tie into current climate in Guatemala.

Stage 4-18

152. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the CIA Station in [place not declassified]

CIA account of report by Peurifoy re: Alfhem. "get for us the fullest evidence regarding this shipment which if necessary can be used to prove Guatemalan efforts to import clandestinely arms from behind Iron Curtain. Such evidence would include the originals or photostats of the ship's documents showing origin of shipment, consignor, consignee, description, tonnage, also photographs of ship plus recognizable pictures its captain and crew."

Stage 4-19a

Telephone Call to Mr. Wisner from John Foster Dulles

"...W said he did not think this was planted. The deception as regards this particular vessel was excellent."

Stage 4-19b

Telephone Call from Senator Knowland to John Foster Dulles

“CIA feels we’ve gotten advantages out of it.”

Stage 4-20

The Ambassador in Guatemala (Peurifoy) to the Department of State

Peurifoy's account of meeting with Toriello, where they discuss communism, the arms shipment, UFCo, OAS meeting and the possibility of mending US and Guatemala relations through diplomacy. "(Toriello) then said he had no confidence in impartiality of Secretary Dulles, because of connection with... certain employees of State Department on UFCO question and suggested I discuss this matter personally with President Eisenhower."

Stage 4-22

175. Telegram From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to the CIA Chief of Station in Guatemala

PBSUCCESS HQ orders to intensify SHERWOOD programs, drop leaflets, organize sabotage teams, and amp up activity in this last stage. "Shock troops moving to WSHOOFS staging sites. High degrees of readiness, both in proficiency and spirit. More leaflet drops, intensified SHERWOOD programs contemplated."

Stage 4-23

Fake Photo Negative Telegrams

CIA telegrams coordinating the creation of fake photo negative to trick a Chicago Tribune reporter into writing fake news, operation WASHTUB.

Stage 4-24

Editorial Guidance for Alfhem Arms Shipment

The CIA station chief tells agents to push the news of the Czech arms shipment to Guatemala.

Stage 4-25

CIA Intelligence Report on Alfhem Shipment

Full report on the arms shipment and what it contained

Stage 4-26

Telegram from Ambassador Peurifoy to Director Dulles, June 11, 1954

“We have gone as far as we can with talk.”

“Many people have been to see me saying one bomb on palace would do the job.”

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.”

Stage 6-2

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

Recommend one more adverse reference to UFCO by SHERWOOD. Reports arriving here that since UFCO not attacked by RUFUS he must be UFCO man. Believe you have proper line for this already; viz. new regime will not put up with UFCO if it persists reactionary outmoded tactics and unsatisfactory labor relations.

Stage 6-3

245. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the CIA Station in [place not declassified]

Talking points drafted by Frank Wisner, spinning/denying what's not flattering to US, and sometimes just straight lying. "The Guatemalan situation is not a banana republic fracas. It is an actual Guatemalan uprising against a Communist regime and Communist apparatus which is definitely linked to Moscow."

Stage 6-4

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

Telegram suggesting Secretary of State or other spokesperson from National Security Council or State Dept "countermeasures, starting with solemn U.S. Govt statement (perhaps joint declaration Sec State, Sec Agriculture) endorsing principles agrarian reform movements everywhere, in line with U.S. farm policy.

Stage 6-5a

PBHISTORY Teams Re Guatemala 1954 Coup

Project summary requested by Frank Wisner. Purpose: To exploit immediately 100,000 Guatemalan Communist documents for intelligence and propaganda motives with attached administrative plan.

Stage 6-5b

PBHISTORY Summary Report

Summary detailing the "far from sensational" results that they were hoping for. “The overall percentage of valuable documents was extremely low…” “The unusually cooperative press in Guatemala and the efforts of the Ministry of Propaganda, plus the aid of the local QKFLOWAGE man, enabled PBHISTORY to saturate fairly well the Guatemalans with the idea that the Comité had confirmed what had been denied by the pro-Communists - that the ARBENZ Government was dominated and controlled by Communists and that ARBENZ himself was finally completely identified with the Reds.”

Stage 6-6z

PBHistory Overview

Operation Kickoff Document

Stage 6-6a

General - PBHISTORY Progress Report 4-9 August

Progress report on PBHISTORY detailing meeting with Castillo Armas, but more importantly the step-by-step plan to exploit documents with tailor-made propaganda for local and international news outlets. David Atlee Phillips is enlisted to help. "Naturally there will be other on-the-spot innovations and preparation of black material whenever possible.”

Stage 6-6b

Propaganda Exploitation of PBHISTORY Documents

Memo that shows the plan to exploit evidence has been executed - photos, documents and a short film are distributed to local and international news media outlets.

Stage 6-6c

CIA telegram discussing fake documents to use as evidence against Arbenz. “What can we cite as the source of these documents?”

Stage 6-7a

Mexico Arresting Guatemalan Exiles

NYTimes article about former chief of police, Major Jaime Rosenberg being extradited from Mexico. Cites government evidence of shallow graves

Stage 6-7b

Arbenz Blames U.S. for His Fall; Will Continue Guatemalan Fight

NYTimes article where Arbenz talks about US being behind overthrow, financing it with millions of dollars, and the mass graves being fake

Stage 6-8

Idea to Discredit Arbenz

Memo with suggestions on ways to discredit Arbenz, which would be an "expose of Arbenz's drinking and morphine escapes" to be in the "form of a booklet" "including fake photos".

Stage 6-10a

GUATEMALA PLANS TRIAL FOR ARBENZ

"New Envoy to U. S. Reports Ex-President Is Classified as Communist-Criminal" Arbenz is accused of being a criminal ("largescale looting of government funds"). Guatemalan ambassador requests extradition from Mexico.

Stage 6-10B

ARBENZ IS LINKED TO MURDER IN '49

Anti-arbenz newspaper campaign charges, without evidence, Jacobo Arbenz in the assassination of Col. Francisco Javier Arana in June, 1949.

Stage 6-10c

GUATEMALA ACCUSES EX-CHIEFS OF THEFT

Officials of the deposed regime of Jacobo Arbenz Guzman "stole" 5,000,000 quetzales from the Government in one operation this year, the Attorney General charged today. The quetzal is on a par with the dollar.

Stage 6-11a

237. Telegram From the United States Information Agency to Certain Posts

“The US Information agency wants to blame the Soviets for trying to pin America as the aggressor in Guatemala." USIA urges psychological offensive tying Arbenz regime to Soviets.

Stage 6-11b

Telegram from Allen Dulles to James Hagerty

Telegram from Allen Dulles that says that Moscow intelligence is helping frame the US embassy, and that it's typical, they're crying Yankee Imperialism.

Stage 6-12

Cable to KUGOWN - PBSUCCESS- D Day Pronouncements

CIA drafted “pronouncements” for Castillo Armas to make upon taking power.

Stage 6-13a

Subcommittee to Investigate Communist Aggression in Latin America

Convenient retelling of CIA's account of PBSUCCESS and PBHISTORY. Contains a lot of false information.

Stage 6-13b

Eleanor Dulles Study on Guatemala

Eleanor Dulles does an extensive study on Guatemala, which takes months. She cites the CIA and State Dept. as main sources for much of the false information she bases her report on

Stage 6-14a

Selection of Individuals for Disposal by Junta Group

Memo with proposed list for assassinations. Asks for recommendations with additions to that list.

Stage 6-14b

Disposal List prepared by C/EW

Disposal list for review.

Stage 6-15a

151. Memorandum for DC/P and CIP, Central Intelligence Agency

Memo suggesting Acts before D-Day, which include a raid on Arbenz's finca, as well as the disposal of (names not declassified), but one is a high ranking officer. They thought it best for Calligeris not to have to reckon with him.

Stage 6-15b

164. Telegram From the CIA Station in [place not declassified] to Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida

Telegram requesting the identities of four persons listed for early eradication.

Stage 6-15c

166. Note for the Files

Notes on the disposal list, which according to the person who drafted this (C/EW) "is by no means complete, as it excludes such prominent Communists as Julio Estrada de la Hoz."

Stage 6-16

A Study of Assassination

CIA manual on assassination methods and best practices.

Stage 6-17

113. Memorandum for the Record

In a weekly PBSUCCESS meeting, top Government officials discuss the next steps in the light of the deteriorating situation. "We might reconsider exploiting the conclusion arrived at by Trujillo last year and transmitted to Perez Jimenez that the best way to bring about the fall of the Arbenz government would be to eliminate 15-20 of its leaders with Trujillo’s trained pistoleros."

Stage 6-18a

Operations Against Jacobo Arbenz, Ex-President of Guatemala

Extensive CIA documentation of rumors, lies, and factoids about Jacobo Arbenz, with instructions for discrediting him as a communist, three years after he was overthrown.

Stage 6-18

THE CIA AND JACOBO ARBENZ: History of a Disinformation Campaign

Study of CIA's continued activity on Jacobo Arbenz post exile.

epilogue-1

148. Memorandum for the Record

A personality evaluation of Castillo Armas, where he's described as an "undistinguished" Lt. Col. whose “heroic” escape from prison was arranged entirely. Also, "He is a firmly stubborn man who in the face of indisputable evidence is prone to maintain his own point of view. The manner in which he defends his own decisions is interesting. Personal experience has shown that Calligeris will yield readily on general points and appear to be most willing to conciliate, promising that changes as suggested will be carried out. However, his execution of the details of any agreement will be as he sees fit."

epilogue-3

27. Memorandum of Conversations, Department of State, Washington, April 28–29, 1955

Memo giving rundown of current situation in Guatemala: Castillo Armas is making decisions on his own, there's Conservative opposition to Castillo Armas, status of American investments, including that of UFCo. Also proposes budget aid for Guatemala.

Epilogue-4

Memorandum With Assessment of Ydigoras Fuentes

This CIA memorandum meant for the Office of the General Counsel describes Castillo Armas’ replacement, President Ydigoras, as a “moody, almost shizophrenic, individual”…

Noteworthy Documents Dump

Even once the CIA and State Department allowed documents concerning Operation PBSuccess to be declassified and viewed by the public, two problems have hampered researchers: First, declassifying documents and making documents easy to find are two different things. One notices that the CIA’s Freedom of Information Reading Room’s search and browse functions are a far cry from Google, and that file names are jumbles of letters and numbers with no particular relation between numerical values and dates or subjects. For this reason, we’ve decided to lay out the most relevant documents that we collected after countless hours of trolling through these archives.

Click here to view the document dump.

Key Liberation Documents

Here’s our curated collection of documents that tell the Liberation story.

Government Document Databases

Foreign Relations of the United States Archives (1952–1954 Guatemala)

HistoryLab Project (searches gov. databases that are more difficult to browse)

CIA Freedom of Information Reading Room

Secret History

The second edition of the CIA’s official account, by Historian Nick Cullather

Bitter Fruit

by magazine journalists Stephen Schlesinger & Stephen Kinzer

Shattered Hope

by Johns Hopkins professor Piero Gleijeses

The CIA In Guatemala

by Richard Immerman

the Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles & Their secret world war

by Stephen Kinzer

Bajo VIgilancia

by Roberto Garcia Ferreira

Oscura Transparencia

by Fernando Gonzalez

Reflections of a Cold Warrior

by Richard Bissell Jr.

Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World

by Peter Chapman

War or Peace

By John Foster Dulles

Paper Cadavers: The Archives of Dictatorship in Guatemala

by Kirsten Weld

Communism in Guatemala 1944–1954

by Ronald Schneider

Portrait of a Cold Warrior

by Joseph B. Smith

An American Company

by Thomas McCann

Propaganda

by Edward Bernays

Mi Esposo, El Presidente Arbenz

by Maria Vilanova de Arbenz

Night Watch

by David Atlee Phillips

OSS: The Secret History of America’s First Central Intelligence Agency

by Richard Harris Smith

Under-Cover: Memoirs of an American Secret Agent

by E. Howard Hunt

Be My Victim

by Robert Deitrich, a.k.a. E. Howard Hunt

American Spy: my secret history in the CIA, Watergate & Beyond

by E. Howard Hunt

Cyber-War: how Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President

by Kathleen Hall Jamieson

The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and the Birth of Public Relations

by Larry Tye

Biography of an Idea

by Edward L. Bernays

This Is Not Propaganda

by Peter Pomerantsev