Propaganda and Destabilization Campaign

With the ouster of Arbenz in mind, the U.S. State Department and the CIA created and implemented a successful campaign of propaganda and counter-revolution. Initially, they spread rumors that Arbenz was a Communist in order to undermine his credibility within Guatemala. The CIA trained and armed a small band of revolutionaries, called the National Liberation Movement, which was to invade from Honduras. Additionally, they hired a number of private pilots to strafe, bomb and drop leaflets on Guatemala City. The final touch was a number of radio broadcasts out of Honduras spreading news of an army marching on toward the National Palace to overthrow Arbenz. This was all effective in sowing confusion and division in the Guatemalan government and military. Arbenz was unable to rally the military to repel the invaders and fled on June 27, 1954 to Czechoslovakia.