A Bunch of Fruits
The Cold War was a difficult time for Americans. Neutralizing the ‘communist’ threat was on
the top of every American’s list. There
was a major situation going on in Cuba and the threat of communism in Cuba was
real at the time but the United States could not invade Cuba. They would be found guilty in the court of
public appeals of bullying a much smaller and more vulnerable Cuba. The United States, the C.I.A specifically, tried
a more subtle process of subduing communism and it would start in Guatemala.
There
was a great business in Guatemala, United Fruit. United Fruit was one of the largest producers
of fruit to the United States. Working
conditions were incredibly awful however. Workers would work twelve hours a day
in dreadful heat with only one meal. Workers
had to travel from their villages, which were very far away and work all day
and very poor conditions. Arbenz Guzman, the President of Guatemala, wanted
reform for his people from United Fruit[1]. This reform was seen as a potential communist
threat by the owners of United Fruit who used their immense power and wealth to
create a stir in the U.S. government. This
is where the C.I.A stepped in. The C.I.A
used psychological warfare against Arbenz.
Anit-Arbenz propaganda was spread across the Latin American countries
and eventually Arbenz was removed from his presidency after a revolution was led
even though a large number of the Guatemalan population backed him. The new president backed United Fruit,
imagine that[2].
Thousands
of lives were lost in this Guatemalan revolution, and for what? So that a few members of a single company
could keep their profits by continuing to exploit their workers.
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