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Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas Revolt Case Study

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In the year 2003, a document regarding Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas was declassified. Within this declassified report, information was provided regarding events that transpired before the 1954 invasion of Guatemala. In the year of 1950 of August, a classified report was presented to the United States embassy regarding communications between the Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas and a classified source for the United States. The information was gather by a source within Guatemala City on the 23th of August in 1950, but this information was presented to the embassy orally on the 24th of August. The United States embassy was informed by their confidential source of the "plan of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas for revolt against the government".7 As …show more content…

Within the classified report, Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas lists several supporters who he believed would assist him during the time of revolt. These supporters include "military zones in the western part of the country", an "important garrison at Quezaltenango", and the Guardia Civil in the capital.9 Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas was also counting on the "Fort of Matamoras and on part of the Air Force".10 Elements such as the Military Base and the Guardia Civil were considered the capital's two strongest military garrisons, but Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas did not count them on being on his side.11 What Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas did expect though was that that men loyal to him from within the Military Base and the Guardia Civil would commit sabotage when the time came for invasion. The factor of having men loyal to Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas on the inside of Árbenz government was key to his …show more content…

Without the means of communication, Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas plan was to take the National Palace. Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas plan of revolt was meant to be done in a matter of hours in the attempt to disorient any means of uprising. The capture of key military leaders was also an objective in the hopes that it would "disorient the units to such an extent that they will not be able to react quickly".13 Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas also proved the informant the information regarding a withdrawal plan in the case of a lack of immediate success. The rebels were to retreat to the western parts of Guatemala, where they would have the opportunity to regroup and then continue their revolt. Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas shared some anxieties regarding the revolt. Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas primary concern was that he "worried about intervention from Mexico and Cuba on behalf of the Arevalo government in case the revolt did not succeed immediately".14 The classified report ended with the notes of the informant regarding Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas and his plan of

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