Latin America Unit Lecture 10

1. 12/8/14
•Lecture: Cold War and L. America #10
•Study for your final!!!

2. Guatemala 1954
•President of Guatemala was Jacobo Arbenz - seized
farmland in Guatemala and gave it to the peasants which
was seen as very socialistic.
•Arbenz’s land reforms had a negative impact on the United
Fruit Company as he wanted unionization and
redistribution
•Allen Dulles was a major shareholder in United Fruit
Company
•War goes from 1953-1954 “Operation PB FORTUNE”

3. Cuban Revolution
•Fulgencio Batista - came from a mulatto background
•“Revolt of the Sergeants” in 1933 Batista takes
control of the Cuban government
•After losing control of Cuba in 1940, Batista retakes
Cuba and sets up a military dictatorship that is
acknowledged by the US
•Batista dramatically increased his country’s revenue
and tourism by encouraging American gangsters to
set up and run Casinos and Resorts in Havana.

4. Fidel Castro
•26th of July Movement -
•Fidel Castro leads a failed attack on Batista
at the Moncada Barracks on July 26, 1953
starting the Cuban Revolution.
•After the battle, Castro is captured and
imprisoned (released in 1955)
•Battle of Santa Clara December 1958 -
decisive battle won by Che Guevara that led
to the end of the Cuban Revolution on Jan.
1, 1959.
•After the Battle of Santa
Clara, Castro’s forces soon
take Havana and Batista is
forced to flee to the
Dominican Republic
•Feb. 16, 1959 Castro is sworn
in as Prime Minister of Cuba

5. Che Guevara
•Ernesto “Che” Guevara - believed in Marxist
or Socialist ideologies.
•As a medical student Che traveled Latin
America and became acutely aware of the
poverty that existed.
•His belief was that the poverty was caused by
capitalism and imperialism (aka - America)
•Believed the solution was worldwide
revolution

6. Che Guevara
•Early in his political career Che meets with
and supports President Jacobo Arbenz to
support his land redistribution
•Che’s feelings are solidified by US
involvement/CIA assisting in the coup of
Arbenz.
•Che will later join Fidel Castro in Mexico
and he helps invade Cuba in 1956 to
overthrow US backed Batista.

7. Che Guevara
•After the Cuban Revolution, Che is
promoted from Comandante to a cabinet
position under Castro.
•Che travels the globe speaking to other
nations about Cuban socialism. In particular
he travels to the USSR, China and in 1965
the Congo and Bolivia
•As an international diplomat and traveler, he
played a key role in bringing ICBMs to Cuba
which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis in
1962

8. Che Guevara
•Because of Che’s involvement in the Cuban
Missile Crisis and his influence internationally
as a communist leader he becomes a major
target for the CIA
•Backed by the CIA, Bolivian forces captured
Oct. 7 1967
•Killed Oct. 9 1967
•While Che fought for anti-capitalistic/
imperialistic ideas, his iconic image has become
an unbelievable seller for students and counter-
cultured

9. Operation Condor
•A movement started in 1975 by S.American nations to eliminate
all forms of socialism(communism) in South America.
•Some of the countries included: Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil
•Methods used were assassination, propaganda and secret prison
camps.
•Many propaganda campaigns funded or sponsored by US/CIA
operatives

10. Chile and Pinochet
•Augusto Pinochet - military dictator of Chile
from 1973 to 1990
•Supported by US President Richard Nixon
•With American support he established a
strong, diverse economy in Chile that
remains today.
•American companies invested in land
•The World Bank lent Chile money to build
infrastructure

11. Augusto Pinochet
•While Pinochet did a lot for Chile’s
economy he eliminated socialists/
communist protesters
•National Stadium - concentration
camp that held 40,000 socialists
• Reports of 20,000 people
“missing” and several thousand
confirmed dead
•Reign is labelled a “politicide”