Office of the Historian

217. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the CIA Station in Guatemala1

Washington, June 21, 1954, 0657Z.

05726. For JMBLUG from Ascham and Whiting. Refs: A. GUAT 919; B. LINC 4197 [4097]; C. GUAT 906.2

1.
We should have informed you last night of important revision in thinking here which was reflected briefly but completely in ref B message to Station. This represented the best judgment of all concerned here after most exhaustive examination of matter and this positive shift was strongly influenced by your views.
2.
We have just finished further extensive review of matter following receipt your ref A and after discussion with LINC which agrees completely with our conclusions, we have decided authorize strafing attack against major petroleum storage facilities Adam but no bombs for Adam area. Also you should know our decision authorizing bombing of Hank matter scheduled for tomorrow afternoon still stands and Station should be fully prepared to make best possible exploitation with [name not declassified] of flak suppression at Adam air field, strafing [Page 364] attack on Adam oil tanks, and bombing of Hank. Surely combination of these three items should provide sufficient persuasion to anyone who says that he must have show of aerial force (bomb) to make him move.
3.
We trust you will not think we have taken lightly or acted in disregard of your most serious injunctions to us. We have given this our very best thought and have of course been forced to take into account broader considerations as seen from ZRMETAL including the terrible press our side is getting, plus the intensive interest focused on WSBURNT situation, culminating in proceedings of this afternoon. (For one thing we have been partially but only partially influenced by desirability of avoiding making honest man out of your pal Willie before eyes of so many correspondents and foreign diplomats. With respect to latter would any of these be willing support your true version of facts on bombings with their respective home press and UN representatives?)
4.
For Station: Have you yet seen or heard tell of [name not declassified] since Friday?3 If not do you have any prospects of another meeting?
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79–01025A, Box 9, Folder 2. Secret; Priority; RYBAT; PBSUCCESS. Drafted by Wisner.↩
  2. Reference A was not found; reference B is ibid., Box 6, Folder 2; reference C is printed as Document 208.↩
  3. June 18.↩