Jacobo Arbenz vs Lord Reading

Arbenz enacted Decree 900, an agrarian reform law that redistributed uncultivated land from large estates to landless peasants. The law targeted the United Fruit Company's holdings, leading to conflict with U.S. corporate interests and the U.S. government.

Arbenz's government expropriated over 400,000 acres of uncultivated land from the United Fruit Company, offering compensation based on the company's declared tax value. This action intensified U.S. opposition and was a key factor in the decision to overthrow him.

The CIA orchestrated Operation PBSUCCESS, a covert operation that overthrew Arbenz. The coup involved propaganda, a small invasion force led by Carlos Castillo Armas, and psychological warfare. Arbenz resigned on June 27, 1954, and went into exile.

Reading's government faced the Moplah Rebellion in Malabar, where Muslim peasants revolted against Hindu landlords and British authorities. The rebellion was brutally suppressed, with thousands killed and many deported, deepening communal tensions.

Reading was appointed Viceroy of India, succeeding Lord Chelmsford. His tenure focused on implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and managing the growing Indian nationalist movement, including the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Gandhi.

Reading ordered the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi for sedition following the Chauri Chaura incident and the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement. Gandhi was sentenced to six years in prison, but his imprisonment galvanized the independence movement.

After his viceroyalty, Reading served as British Foreign Secretary under Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. He played a role in European diplomacy during the interwar period, including negotiations on disarmament and the Manchurian Crisis.