Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Guatemala
  4. Document 81

81. Memorandum for the Chief of the Western Hemisphere Division, Central Intelligence Agency (King)1

Washington, January 6, 1954.

SUBJECT

  • PBSUCCESS
1.
On the afternoon of 27 November 1953 Mr. [name not declassified] and Mr. [name not declassified] of WHD stated to me that they expected to travel to [place not declassified], on the following Monday to confer with [name not declassified] in connection with Project PBSUCCESS, but were seriously confused and concerned regarding their orders for the interview. Mr. [name not declassified] stated that, although definite commitments had been made to [name not declassified] regarding financial support due on 1 December for operations already initiated in Guatemala, Mr. [name not declassified] had told him that no funds were to be provided until he had so decided at an undetermined future date, possibly 1 January. Mr. [name not declassified], on the other hand, stated that he had been instructed that funds would be forthcoming in increments as required for specific operational use. [name not declassified] had rechecked with [name not declassified] and was told that his orders held.
2.
In order to avoid confusion as well as a possible breach of faith with [name not declassified] the matter was referred to Col. J.C. King, who decided to discuss the question with [3 names not declassified] and the undersigned. The meeting was held in Mr. [name not declassified] office. Although [name not declassified] appeared reluctant to discuss the problem he eventually agreed to honor the commitments made to [name not declassified].
3.
Following the meeting, after Col. King, [name not declassified] and [name not declassified] had departed, [name not declassified] stated to me that he wished to make several points very plain: first, that he strongly resented Col. King’s having attended the meeting or having been brought into the discussion; second, that he had no intention of being “pushed into a corner” or confronted with a “power play” involving operational matters which were exclusively subject to his, [name not declassified], jurisdiction.
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79-01025A, Box 151, Folder 4. Secret; Eyes Only. There is no indication on the memorandum of a drafting or originating officer.↩