Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Guatemala

21. Memorandum From [name not declassified] of the Central Intelligence Agency to the Chief of the Western Hemisphere Division, Central Intelligence Agency (King)¹

Washington, October 8, 1952.

SUBJECT

• Guatemala

1. Early in July² Mr. Dulles, Mr. Hedden, [name not declassified] and myself visited the State Department where we had a conference at which were present Assistant Secretary of State Miller, his Deputy, Mr. Mann, and Mr. Robert P. Joyce. The CIA delegation posed the following three questions: (as well as I can remember)

1. Would the State Department like to see a different government in Guatemala?

2. Would the State Department oppose a government established by the use of force?

3. Does the State Department wish CIA to take steps to bring about a change of government?

2. The first question was answered positively. The second question was answered negatively. The third question was not answered clearly but by implication, positively.

3. Mr. Dulles asked me to make a Memorandum of Conversation in long-hand and deliver the one copy to him. I did this and waited in his office while he showed it to the Director. In a few minutes I was called into the Director’s office, and it was soon clear that the Director was dissatisfied with the lack of a direct answer to the third question. He then telephoned to Mr. Bruce to make arrangements for a meeting.

4. I later gathered from Mr. Dulles that the Director had received a satisfactory answer from Mr. Bruce.

[name not declassified]

1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79–01025A, Box 69, Folder 2. Secret; Eyes Only.
2. According to Document 22, the meeting was held on July 10.