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| 1954, Jan. 29 |
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| Guatemala accused Nicaragua of planning an invasion of Guatemala with the “tacit assent” of the U.S. During this time the CIA, with Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower's approval, was preparing to install Col. Carlos Castillo Armas, then exiled in Honduras, as president. | 1 |
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| March 17 |
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| The U.S. State Department, reporting a major shipment of Czech-made arms to Guatemala, condemned Communist influence in the region. | 2 |
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| June |
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| The CIA launched “Operation Success” to overthrow the Arbenz government. A rebel army under Castillo Armas entered the country from Honduras and waited while CIA planes bombed and dropped leaflets on the capital and jammed radio communications. The army refused to enter the conflict but hoarded weapons so that workers and peasants could not fight. | 3 |
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| June 28 |
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| A military junta, headed by Col. Castillo Armas, ousted Pres. Arbenz, but on the following day yielded power to a government under Col. Elfego Monzón, which arranged a cease-fire and ordered the arrest of all Communist leaders in the country. The new regime began a counterrevolution that reversed the land and social reforms, and bloodily repressed the opposition. | 4 |
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| July 8 |
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| Castillo Armas was made president of the ruling junta. | 5 |
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