Complete Thesis_double spaced abstract.pdf

the counterrevolution’s “Liberation” in Guatemala by sending the U.S. military to the National
Palace in Guatemala after the election of General Ydígoras, to legitimize his presidency
(Schlesinger and Kinzer, 1982, 238). The U.S. position on Guatemala became even more
steadfast with the success of the Cuban revolution in 1959. Subsequently, the United States
requested land for the development of temporary U.S. military bases in Guatemala; to provide a
location to train and use as air bases for the Bay of Pigs invasion (Schlesinger and Kinzer, 1982,
238-239). While General Ydígoras gave his approval the Guatemalan military was not as
amendable to the situation. In 1960 a group of nationalist military members incited a rebellion at
the site of the bases; the United States military and the Cuban exiles in Guatemala worked in
concert to put down the rebellion (Schlesinger and Kinzer, 1982, 238-239). During the 1950s the
level of outside intervention and influence was very high. The U.S. government and its military
were involved in state affairs, while U.S. corporations were involved in the economy; both had
significant impacts on the social and economic indicators during the time period.
External influences continued to play a critical role in Guatemala during the 1960s.
Tumultuous events in Central and Latin America, as well as the perpetual influence and direct
intervention from the United States continued to play a role shaping economic and social
development in Guatemala. Economic development, land reform, unemployment,
underemployment were problems facing Guatemala and they were also issues present in
neighboring states. El Salvador and Honduras both had issues related to inequitable distribution
of land; land was concentrated in the hands of foreign corporations and landed elites in both
states. Hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans were migrating from the smaller and more
populous El Salvador to the larger and less populous Honduras in the 1960s in search of land.
Honduras had become increasingly frustrated with El Salvador’s complacency with regard to the
Salvadoran migration, and El Salvador was increasingly irritated with the perceived poor
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