The US Intervention in Guatemala in the 1950s

Why did the United States intervene in Guatemala in the 1950s?

What was the main goal of the US foreign policy towards Guatemala at that time?

Answer:

The United States intervened in Guatemala in the 1950s primarily to contain communism and maintain its hegemony in the Western Hemisphere.

In the early 1950s, during the height of the Cold War, the United States was deeply concerned about the spread of communism across the globe. The US government viewed President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman of Guatemala as too lenient towards communism, especially with his land reform policies that redistributed land from American corporations to Guatemalan peasants. This perceived threat to US interests led to the decision to overthrow President Guzman in 1954.

The US believed that by intervening in Guatemala and removing President Guzman from power, they could prevent the spread of communism in the region and maintain their dominance. This event marked a significant example of US foreign policy during the Cold War era, where containment of communism was a top priority for American leaders.