| The Encyclopedia of World History. 2001. |
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| b. Guatemala |
| | (See Dec. 17–19)| | | 1945 |
| | | Guatemalan women gained the vote. | 1 |
| | | 1950, Nov. 10–12 |
| | | COL. JACOBO ARBENZ GUZMÁN (1913–71), a consistent supporter of Arévalo's liberal program, was elected president. | 2 |
| | | 1952, June 17 |
| | | Pres. Arbenz signed a land reform bill. Arbenz reiterated his commitment to capitalism, but the reform was supported by a variety of labor and left-wing organizations active in the subsequently formed peasant leagues. Under the reform, holdings of over 223 acres were to be expropriated and given to the landless, paid for with 25-year bonds. | 3 |
| | | 1953, Feb. 25 |
| | | The United Fruit Company (UFCO) was told of a plan to expropriate 225,000 of its 550,000 acres in holdings, only 15 percent of which were under cultivation. The UFCO immediately began a public relations campaign in the U.S. to portray Arbenz as a Communist. | 4 |
| | | Oct. 14 |
| | | The U.S. State Department declared that Guatemala, “openly playing the Communist game,” could expect no U.S. help or cooperation. UFCO executives requested CIA help in overthrowing the Arbenz regime. | 5 |
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| The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth
edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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